MARTINE
ROY
2024 TOP 25 WOMEN OF INFLUENCE CANADA | ACTIVIST | MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF CANADA CO-CHAIR, LGBT PURGE FUND | COMMISSIONER AT THE CDPDJ | LEADER IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION | CO-FOUNDER, PRIDE AT WORK
"I walk with courage, carried by my story, true to my values.
Every step I take paves the way for more justice, dignity, and humanity."
Martine Roy worked for 20 years at IBM, where she held positions including Critical Situation Resolution Coordinator and Account Director.
At IBM, she established resource groups to support LGBT employees and was deeply committed to raising awareness among staff and management about LGBT realities and promoting an inclusive workplace.
As Regional Director, 2SLGBTQ+ Business Development for Quebec & Eastern Canada at TD Bank for over five years, Martine once again took on the challenge with passion.
A dedicated advocate for LGBT rights, her heart is truly in her work. Dismissed from the Canadian Armed Forces for her homosexuality at age 19, Martine led the class action lawsuit that concluded with an apology from the federal government in 2017 and $145M CAD, the largest class action settlement for the LGBT community in the world.
The exhibition she mounted with the Museum of Human Rights, "Love in A Dangerous Time," won the 2025 Governor General’s Award for Excellence in Museums: History.
Martine co-founded Fierté au travail Canada and served on its board of directors for 10 years.
She was also President of Fondation Émergence until 2015. Over the years, as a workplace inclusion leader, Martine has received numerous awards and distinctions. In 2017, she was awarded the Medal of the National Assembly of Quebec. In 2023, Martine Roy was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for her tireless efforts as a leader, activist, and advocate for diversity, inclusion, and equity in Canada's 2SLGBTQ+ communities
EXPERTISE:
All of the following topics are available in a choice of formats: from classic conferences to training courses and half-day strategy workshops.
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DIGNITY AS AN ACT OF LEADERSHIP | Inclusion: from intention to impact
Women, inclusion and courage in environments that were not designed for us.
Too often, women and people from underrepresented groups must choose between adapting or excluding themselves. This conference proposes a third path: leading with dignity.
Martine Roy shares a lucid and deeply human analysis of systemic exclusion mechanisms, and shows how dignity can become a powerful lever for individual and collective transformation.
A conference for those who want to:
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exercise aligned leadership,
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create truly inclusive spaces,
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move from compliance to courage.
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STANDING TALL, WITHOUT HARDENING | The feminine courage to remain human in dehumanizing systems
In cultures where performance takes precedence over humanity, remaining sensitive, empathetic and with integrity can seem risky — especially for women.
Martine Roy demonstrates that gentleness is not a weakness, but a strategic and deeply courageous stance.
This conference explores:
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how to set boundaries without losing compassion,
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how to exist fully without apologizing,
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how to transform pressure into inner power.
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INCLUSION, NOT FOR SHOW | Creating spaces where everyone can belong
From discourse to lived dignity.
Inclusion cannot be decreed: it must be practiced, felt and lived.
Martine Roy invites organizations to go beyond intentions to commit to embodied inclusion, centered on human dignity.
Through concrete examples and an accessible approach, this conference helps to:
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recognize cultural blind spots,
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create environments where everyone can breathe,
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move from symbolic diversity to real belonging.
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THE COURAGE TO BE HEARD | Inclusion and leadership: a strategic advantage
Women, voice and legitimacy
How many women have learned to be silent, to minimize, to wait their turn?
This conference is an invitation to reclaim your voice — without violence, without masks, without denying your sensitivity.
Martine Roy explores the link between voice, dignity and power, and offers tools to:
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speak with confidence,
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navigate power dynamics,
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assert yourself without hardening.
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EXISTING FULLY | Building truly inclusive organizations, a collective responsibility
Without apologizing. Without erasing yourself.
Insightful vision.
I possess a deep understanding of complex issues and the ability to anticipate trends or outcomes. I have a vision that is resolutely turned toward the future and allows me to guide others toward meaningful goals.
LANGUAGE :
LOCATION : MONTRÉAL, QC
TESTIMONIALS:
Event Manager
Public Programs
« On behalf our Public Programs team, we thank you for your invaluable contributions to our launch program last night. We enjoyed working with you, and we appreciate the kind and wise words you shared. You have made our world a better place to live in! We all look forward to staying in touch and hearing your ideas about inspiring and impactful public programs tied to Love in a Dangerous Time: Canada's LGBT Purge Fund and beyond. »
