Sailor’s kiss with partner after 255 days apart makes Canadian naval history
It is the historic homecoming gay kiss eight months in the making.
After his long term of deployment away at sea, Frances Legare made Canadian Naval history as a crowd cheered him on embracing partner Corey Vatour, reports Global News.
A “first kiss” between the first sailor off the ship and his lover has been a long Canadian naval tradition. Chosen randomly by raffle, Legare’s lucky numbers came up, with Vatour greeting him with a “welcome home sailor” sign.
But the moment between Legare and Vatour marks the first time the Royal Canadian Navy has recognised the rite of passage between a same-sex couple.
“I have been away for 255 days, so it feels great,” said Legare.
“I am speechless.”
Commander of the Pacific Navy, Rear Admiral Gilles Couturier said the moment was reflective of society, adding recruitment for the Navy came from across all areas of the community,
“We have to… we reflect society and we recruit across all of the spectrums of society,” Couturier said.
“If we don’t adapt, we won’t have any sailors joining. So if that’s what society is and that’s the sailor’s choice, we respect that. It’s all positive in our perspective.”
The HMCS Winnipeg returned to Victoria on Tuesday (February 23) after a deployment across the Caribbean and the Pacific.
You can check out the touching video below:
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