Questions about morality, tolerance, and colonialism

I have spent the last fifteen months shuttling back and forth between Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia. As I now wait for the approval to become a permanent resident of Canada to live with my husband, I reflect on my Leather experiences primarily in the United States, and I ask myself the following questions:

1. Is there Leather in Vancouver, British Columbia?
   
   For almost twenty years I have heard that there is not much Leather in Vancouver, a common statement made by many people from the United States. During my time here in this Western City I have met many who don Leather and who practice what is commonly referred to as BDSM. I have also detected a lack of interest in titles and fundraisers. Do Americans not recognize Leather in British Columbia because they are looking for THEIR specific brand of Leather? In other words, do the contemporary definitions of Leather in the United States describe the experience in this part of Canada? Or, as some have suggested, is there a right and a wrong way to express oneself in Leather?
2. Is it necessary for Leathermen, Rubbermen, Puppies, etc. to form disparate groups in order for them to thrive? Is it necessary to have separate titles and events for these groups? If the groups are not disparate, where and when do they come together, if at all?
   
   A few years ago I attended a San Francisco Leathermen's Discussion Group, a panel discussion on Leather History. Near the end of the discussion, an idea of the Leather Bar was presented, a place where distinct groups gathered and met. Motorcyclists, BDSM practicioners, fisters, Leather uniform aficionados, and the curious. The groups respected each other's right to the space, a friendly tolerance, a co-existence founded on mutual respect. I ask myself if these spaces exist today. Is Recon a virtual space that serves a similar purpose? Do our clubs provide a tolerant space for all? Do we have similar spaces, either physical or virtual?
3. What is meant by "Leather History?"
   
   The Leather Archives and Museum in Chicago presents a view of Leather that seems to be centered on America. The main focus of exhibits is on movements in cities throughout the United States. Supporting  this, the oft repeated Leather myth begins with the experience of Allied servicemen in World War II. Why? Is modern Leather American? What role does the Leather myth have in other countries? In Canada? In France? In Germany? In Italy? In Canada, for example, are Canadians expressing an American practice when they dress in Leather?

I muse on these questions as part of my emigration. I am not sure if there are answers but the act of posing them frees me from preconceived notions that I may carry into my new country. That alone makes this exercise worth the effort.