20 years, the historic victory of the Orage Club before the Supreme Court of Canada

December 20th, 2025

On December 20th, L’Orage celebrates the 20th anniversary of the legalization of swingers' clubs in Canada: The historic victory of L’Orage Club before the Supreme Court (R. v. Labaye)

On the eve of its 30th anniversary, L’Orage, a Montreal club, will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its victory on December 20th, following a seven-year legal battle.This battle was led by Jean-Paul Labaye, then founder and owner of the renowned Montreal club.

On December 20, 2005, the Supreme Court of Canada acquitted Mr. Labaye of charges of operating a brothel.

The Court ruled that no harm could be caused if the club was not open to the public and if the participants were fully informed of the sexual activities taking place there. Consequently, these acts were deemed neither indecent nor immoral under criminal law.

Much progress has been made since then.

L’Orage Club is proud to have paved the way for the few clubs (a dozen at most) that exist in Canada today and to have allowed Canadians to experience a part of their sexuality consciously and safely.

However, there is still a long way to go.

It is particularly essential to have this ruling fully recognized and enforced by the various government authorities.

While the police and the RACJ (Liquor, Racing and Gaming Commission) have grasped the concepts of indecency and morality regarding swingers' clubs, the same cannot yet be said for certain levels of government.

For example, during the COVID-19 health crisis, swingers' clubs were denied access to subsidy programs, having been classified as immoral activities.

L’Orage Club has made it its mission to rectify this oversight before its thirtieth anniversary in September 2026.

The Canadian cultural landscape, for its part, adapted very quickly. It is no longer uncommon to see scenes of open and consensual love triangles in films or television series, or scenes set in a swingers' club (e.g., Le Mirage, filmed in part at L'Orage Club), as well as television programs that capitalize on the popularity of certain terms (e.g., Les Échangistes on ICI Radio-Canada).

Today, the challenge is no longer legality, but normalization.

While the media age, particularly through social networks, prioritizes immediacy and maximum reach, L'Orage chooses to favor an approach that emphasizes passion and mystery, essential values ​​for preserving the very essence of swinging.

Our policy is to filter access so that this place remains dedicated to hedonism and unashamed desire, and not to mere curiosity. This approach is always based on informed consent, mutual respect, and genuine maturity.

Swinging is not simply a trend: it must remain a conscious celebration, protected from the public eye, a sanctuary where hedonistic passion and freedom are exercised responsibly.

In celebrating its 20th anniversary, L'Orage Club reaffirms its historic victory, which is not just that of an establishment, but that of informed sexual freedom for all Canadian adults.