Press Release

Montréal 2006 signs agreements with Le Parking, Sky and Unity II, and with the Québec Gay Chamber of Commerce and Action Séro Zéro

Montréal, 9 February 2005 – “We have just finalised three important cooperative and partnership agreements with key players in Montréal’s LGBT community,” Ms. Louise Roy, CEO of the 1st World Outgames Montréal 2006, announced today. Agreements have been made with three prominent establishments in the Gay Village, with the Québec Gay Chamber of Commerce and with Action Séro Zéro.

Le Parking, the Sky Cabaret and Unity II

The agreement that Montréal 2006 has signed with these three popular clubs represents significant fundraising benefits for the 1st World Outgames.

“We are gratified to have the backing of these three major establishments in the Village, and to have their financial support for our activities,” said Ms. Roy. “Their active involvement will greatly enhance our visibility.”

On behalf of Le Parking, Sky and Unity II, Mr. Greg Thibault, Mr. Peter Sergakis and Mr. André Bousquet decided, despite the fact that the three businesses are normally in competition with each other, to simultaneously hold fundraising events for Montréal 2006 on the third Friday of every month until the Outgames in 2006. The first such event was held on 28 January and the next will be held on 18 February 2005. In addition, all three clubs will add a link to the Montréal 2006 website on their respective websites and will have permanent Outgames displays on-site from now until the event is held in the summer of 2006.

Situated in the heart of the Village, these three establishments are magnets for the LGBT leisure scene in Montréal and, in this way, act as community leaders. Already, their involvement in promoting Montréal 2006 has generated a great deal of interest from other Village merchants and professionals.

The Québec Gay Chamber of Commerce

Already an important partner in the 1st World Outgames and actively working with the Montréal 2006 Organising Committee since the project’s inception, the Québec Gay Chamber of Commerce (Chambre de commerce gaie du Québec or CCGQ) will now go a step further. “Within the framework of the International Conference on LGBT Rights, which will be held from 26 to 29 July 2006, just before the opening of sport competitions,” explained Ms. Roy, “the Québec Gay Chamber of Commerce will be a partner in developing content targeted specifically at chambers of commerce and at professional and business associations in the international LGBT community.”

The International Conference on LGBT rights, which will bring together at least 2,000 delegates, will address five key themes: Essential rights, global issues, the diverse LGBT community, participation in society and creating social change. Mr. Jonathan Sauvé, Vice President of Public Affairs for the CCGQ, will be a member of the conference’s prestigious International Scientific Committee, which is comprised of legal scholars, activists, researchers, academics, journalists, and human rights advocates from 18 different countries representing every continent in the world. The International Conference also enjoys the support of more than 60 ambassadors from 35 other countries.

“The Québec Gay Chamber of Commerce has always offered Montréal 2006 its unwavering support and has been a proud partner both in winning and delivering the 1st World Outgames. We are absolutely thrilled and delighted at the prospect of developing workshops for the International Conference aimed at chambers of commerce and other professional and business associations within the LGBT community,” said Mr. Pascal Lépine, President of the CCGQ.

One of the CCGQ’s mandates for the conference will be to further develop its international network, which already has a solid base in Canada, the United States and in Europe.

Founded in 1997, the Québec Gay Chamber of Commerce is a network of businesspeople, entrepreneurs, managers, professionals and independent workers from all areas of economic activity in Québec. The CCGQ’s mission is to promote and defend the interests of the Québec gay and lesbian business community and to promote its members.

Action Séro Zéro

“The agreement we have just signed with Action Séro Zéro,” explained Ms. Roy, “allows us to form a meaningful partnership with this respected organisation for the development and assessment of our prevention and health promotion activities for the 2006 Outgames. The Clinique du Quartier Latin will also be working in close collaboration with Action Séro Zéro, as these two partners often have in the past.”

Action Séro Zéro is a non-profit community organisation that promotes health and the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other STDs for gay and bisexual men in Montréal. Over the years, Action Séro Zéro has become an important influence in Montréal’s gay community and works actively to develop strategies and action plans.

“We are pleased to have signed this partnership agreement with Montréal 2006 and the Clinique du Quartier Latin,” said Mr. Robert Rousseau, Director General of Action Séro Zéro. “Without a doubt, the 1st World Outgames will be a major event for which thousands of members of our community, both from here and around the world, will come together to participate in and enjoy the diverse range of sport and cultural activities the programme has to offer. For us, this is an event not to be missed. We feel that, by embracing this incredible opportunity to offer education and sensitisation activities, Montréal 2006 is making a significant contribution toward a greater quality of life within our communities.”

The support of Montréal community

“The support of the Montréal community is essential for the success of the Outgames in 2006,” concluded Ms. Roy. “We are gratified by the support we have received from all sectors of the community: organisations that defend rights, merchants, businesses, elected officials and the media. It is also through this community spirit that we will attract the large number of volunteers we will need—more than 5,000—making the 1st World Outgames the largest LGBT gathering in our history.”

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