Rob Ford’s decision not to march in the Pride parade is profoundly disappointing. It makes him look petty, stubborn and mean. It is an embarrassment for a city that proclaims its diversity to the world.
The invitation to join the parade – still very much open, in case the mayor relents – was a golden opportunity for Mr. Ford to show he can rise above the narrow-minded provincialism he has often displayed in the past. It was a chance to grow. By turning his back on Pride, he is missing it.
Toronto has changed immensely, and for the better, since Mayor Art Eggleton refused to proclaim Gay Pride Day in the 1980s. Mayors of Toronto have been marching in the parade since Barbara Hall wore the chain of office. Police Chief Bill Blair makes a point of being there to build bridges to the gay community. So do provincial and federal cabinet ministers of all political stripes. Brian Burke, general manager of the Leafs, is marching. Why not Mr. Ford?
The mayor says he and his family have a long tradition of going up north to their cottage on the Canada Day weekend. Those times are precious, no doubt, but surely he could take a one-day break this year, his first as mayor.
Pride is a huge event in Toronto. The parade is one of the biggest of its kind in the world, bringing half a million people to march and party in the Gay Village. Once a fringe protest, it has become an established mainstream event that attracts major corporate sponsors and millions in tourist dollars.
Mr. Ford’s decision to absent himself is an unmistakable snub, not just to an important city festival but to the whole gay community. When mayors march in Pride, it sends a signal of acceptance to a once-marginalized and still vulnerable minority. Even in these days of broad tolerance and legal same-sex marriage, men and women are still shunned, bullied and beaten for being gay or lesbian. Is the mayor aware of that? Does he give a damn?
Full Article
Source: Globe & Mail
The invitation to join the parade – still very much open, in case the mayor relents – was a golden opportunity for Mr. Ford to show he can rise above the narrow-minded provincialism he has often displayed in the past. It was a chance to grow. By turning his back on Pride, he is missing it.
Toronto has changed immensely, and for the better, since Mayor Art Eggleton refused to proclaim Gay Pride Day in the 1980s. Mayors of Toronto have been marching in the parade since Barbara Hall wore the chain of office. Police Chief Bill Blair makes a point of being there to build bridges to the gay community. So do provincial and federal cabinet ministers of all political stripes. Brian Burke, general manager of the Leafs, is marching. Why not Mr. Ford?
The mayor says he and his family have a long tradition of going up north to their cottage on the Canada Day weekend. Those times are precious, no doubt, but surely he could take a one-day break this year, his first as mayor.
Pride is a huge event in Toronto. The parade is one of the biggest of its kind in the world, bringing half a million people to march and party in the Gay Village. Once a fringe protest, it has become an established mainstream event that attracts major corporate sponsors and millions in tourist dollars.
Mr. Ford’s decision to absent himself is an unmistakable snub, not just to an important city festival but to the whole gay community. When mayors march in Pride, it sends a signal of acceptance to a once-marginalized and still vulnerable minority. Even in these days of broad tolerance and legal same-sex marriage, men and women are still shunned, bullied and beaten for being gay or lesbian. Is the mayor aware of that? Does he give a damn?
Full Article
Source: Globe & Mail
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