Roger-Luc Chayer (Picture : Gay Globe)
Every Year Since November 11, 2012
Every year since November 11, 2012, I commemorate the medal I received by order of Queen Elizabeth II for my entire musical career, both in Canada and in Europe, as well as for my career as a journalist and publisher.
This medal was presented to me during a ceremony presided over by the Queen’s representative in Quebec, the Lieutenant Governor, in front of a large audience and many of my close friends, in the magnificent concert hall of Collège Regina Assumpta.
The goal was not only to honor my personal achievements, but also to recognize my contributions to something greater than myself, often under difficult circumstances.
The Responsibility of an Award
The responsibility that follows such an award never truly fades.
Many recipients believe they have been recognized for duties accomplished and can now move on. In that, they are not wrong. But for my part, I hold a very different view of such a distinction — one that marks a moment in time, a snapshot of the past, while also imposing a duty toward the future. Let me explain.
From the moment someone takes the time to acknowledge your contribution to humanity, the future must be even more honorable.
The Role of the Musician and the Transmission of Knowledge
As a musician, I have always sought to pass on what I know, even offering lessons free of charge so that the art of the French horn, as taught by my professor Paul Warin at the Conservatoire National de Nice, could continue to live on.
The same was true for conducting. I often volunteered to teach the subtle language of body movement — the very essence of leading a chamber or symphony orchestra to its full expression.
As the owner of the classical label Disques A Tempo, I also donated thousands of classical CDs to Montreal music schools, never charging a cent, simply for the joy of enriching the ears of young musicians in the making.
It Is in Journalism That I Have Evolved the Most
With the constant obligation to maintain a high standard of excellence — medal and recognition oblige — I believe it is in journalism that I have given the most.
I have often tackled sensitive subjects that others would not even dare to consider. These topics were not only delicate but also deeply tied to questions of identity and the complex realities of LGBTQ+ communities.
The trans question, the debate around the LGB-T-Q-2-A acronym, the right to dignity at the end of life for people living with AIDS, and the abandonment of aging homosexuals — all are uncomfortable issues that society often avoids, because they hurt.
Yet I have always believed that, as the publisher of an LGBTQ+ media group, I carried the responsibility to address them, to publish them, and to ensure their continued availability on Gayglobe.net, so they remain accessible as resources where, too often, there was only silence.
The COVID Crisis: A Turning Point
Then came March 2020. The world was gripped by fear, and many countries faced the COVID crisis with very limited means. People were dying in the streets of major capitals in the Global South, makeshift hospitals were appearing everywhere, and bodies were being buried in mass graves.
Meanwhile, in Quebec — as in North America and Europe — governments shut down their economies and imposed exceptional measures to prevent the collapse of hospital systems.
We were living as if in a science fiction film — a kind of end of the world.
We feared what was coming, and at the height of the crisis, we were asked — or rather, ordered — not to leave our homes. Curfews were imposed, forcing us to turn inward, to explore what we held in our hearts, since we could no longer look outward.
Businesses Closed: Gay Globe Had Not Said Its Last Word
With most of the magazine’s advertisers closed, it was obviously out of the question to continue publishing the print version or to pay printing costs that would not be covered by advertising. What to do, then?
The Government of Canada had implemented financial assistance programs to support workers and self-employed individuals facing significant income loss. In my case, as a self-employed person, I received that help, which allowed me to meet my financial obligations.
But how could I best help my community? How could I support those businesses that were temporarily closed but would eventually return, once the storm had passed?
Eureka! I still had a magazine — a popular one with a loyal readership. Even if the print edition was on hold, the PDF electronic version still existed, as it had always been published alongside the printed one.
Why not continue — and even increase — publication frequency, keeping the ads with their links, but without charging a cent? Simply so that our partners would not be forgotten, so that they would remain visible in the eyes of readers. And that’s exactly what I did, for several months, until businesses could slowly reopen.
No advertiser was ever billed. I provided journalism entirely free of charge, to help fill the long days of our readers. I used the Gay Globe vehicle to offer volunteer transport, and I often drove through Montreal’s Gay Village — turned into a ghost town — populated only by a few wandering homeless souls.
At the end of the crisis, I looked back on all I had done, alone in my corner, and realized that, in my own way, I had been a great man. I had discovered an aspect of myself that I deeply admired — and all of it followed the natural continuity of a recognition once given for exceptional acts.
That is why I say that an award is not an end, but rather a pat on the shoulder that says, “Keep going — you are doing the right thing.”
What Does November 11 Represent Around the World?
November 11 is a deeply symbolic date in Quebec, Canada, and across Europe, as it commemorates the end of the First World War and pays tribute to all those who served or lost their lives in armed conflicts.
In Canada, this day is known as Remembrance Day, honoring the memory of Canadian soldiers who have fallen in battle — from the First World War to recent missions. At 11 a.m., a moment of silence is observed nationwide — the exact hour the 1918 Armistice was signed. The red poppy, inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields by Canadian physician John McCrae, remains the symbol of remembrance.
In Quebec, November 11 is observed in the same spirit as elsewhere in Canada, although the tradition is somewhat less embedded than in England or Western Canada. Ceremonies are held at the Monument aux Braves in Montreal and in front of cenotaphs in many towns.
In Europe, November 11 is marked as Armistice Day. In France and Belgium, it is a national holiday that honors the soldiers who fell during the Great War. Solemn ceremonies take place, notably at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, where the eternal flame of the Unknown Soldier burns.
Everywhere, November 11 symbolizes peace regained and the remembrance of sacrifice.