This is a look back at the International Resource and Personal Assistance (IRPA) conference that took place in Edmonton in 1992.
The event gathered LGBTQ+ advocates, service organizations, and community leaders from across Canada and abroad. It represented a major moment in cross-organizational collaboration, resource sharing, and policy development during a time when queer visibility in the prairies was still limited.
Much of what was discussed at that conference helped shape later community initiatives and social-service frameworks across Western Canada.
To preserve that history, the full original conference material has been digitized and made available for download below.
Download: IRPA 1998 Conference PDF
The file is provided here to maintain a record of the discussions and efforts that took place, and as a reference point for future research and advocacy.