Todd Ross is a two-spirited activist with a focus on advocacy for 2SLGBTQ+ veterans.
At the age of 18, he joined the Canadian Navy and served on the HMCS Saskatchewan. A year into his service he was extensively investigated by the Military Police until admitting on a lie detector machine that he was gay. He was immediately released as ‘not advantageously employable’ just short of his three-year term ending.
Todd eventually worked his way up to become a public affairs consultant and is currently the Indigenous Advisor at the University of New Brunswick Saint John and an associate faculty member at the Gregg Centre for the study of War and Society. He has served as a Senior Advisor to Ontario’s Deputy Premier and an advisor to the Métis Nation of Ontario President.
In 2016, Todd fought the government of Canada in court on behalf of former federal civil servants who faced harassment and discrimination as part of Canada’s LGBT Purge. The class action was settled in 2017 and is the largest LGBTQ settlement in the world.
As part of the settlement the LGBT Purge Fund was established to oversee the memorialization and reconciliation efforts through a $24 million fund. Todd serves on the LGBT Purge Fund board. He is also co-chair of Rainbow Veterans of Canada, president of the Charlotte County Pride, chair of the Charlotte County Fall Fair and serves on the board of the Charlotte County Museum and the St. Andrews Environmental Advisory Committee.
Todd has volunteered on many boards with a focus on Indigenous, health, and human rights issues. His previous roles include as chair of the Toronto and York Region Metis Council, chair of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, founding member and treasurer of Rainbow Railroad, chair of the Wellesley Central Residences, member of the Toronto Aboriginal Affairs Committee, vice-president of Anishnawbe Health Toronto, associate member of the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council, co-chair of the Friends For Life Bike Rally, co-chair of the Toronto HIV/AIDS Candlelight vigil, steering committee member of the Toronto HIV/AIDS Network, Presenter at Climate Project Canada, spokesperson and board member at the Canadian Human Rights Voice, vice-chair of St. Judes Community Homes, board member at the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto, member of the Toronto City Summit Alliance Better Ballots Initiative, and steering committee member of Keep the Promise Canada.
He is a recipient of the Canada Pride Citation by the Government of Canada and the Louis Riel Medal from the Métis Nation of Ontario. He has also received the Global Human Rights Award from the Canadian Human Rights Voice, the Community Service Award from the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto and is part of the Gold Award Society of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
Todd lives in St Andrews, New Brunswick with his partner Kirk.
Awards:
Todd is a recipient of the Canada Pride Citation by the Government of Canada, the Louis Riel Medal by the Métis Nation of Ontario, the Global Human Rights Award from the Canadian Human Rights Voice, the Community Service Award from the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto and is part of the Gold Award Society of the Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
