No elected officials walked in Kingston’s Pride parade on June 13, following a decision by the Kingston Pride board to keep the event non-political.
Kingston and the Islands MP Mark Gerretsen commented on the decision in a social media post. Gerretsen said he was disappointed that elected officials were not included in an official capacity this year. While he respects the decision, he clarified the distinction between a political party and an elected official. “A party speaks for itself. An MP or any elected official represents everyone in the community. My intention was to only walk in that role,” he said in the post.
“I felt a responsibility to share this publicly, as many people would wonder why I wasn’t participating in the parade in an official capacity. It was important to me to be transparent about that, while also being clear in my continued support for Pride and the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Kingston,” Gerretsen said in a statement to The Journal.
In a statement shared with The Journal, Bee Dupuis, chair of Kingston Pride, clarified that this decision reflects community feedback. While elected officials were not allowed to “register to walk” in the parade, they emphasized that all were welcome to join as community members.
“The Board of Kingston Pride is disappointed this situation has developed into a false narrative that insinuates we banned any politicians or elected officials from participating in Kingston Pride events. We want to make one thing extremely clear: No one is ever banned from Kingston Pride,” they said. This is the second year elected officials have not been included.
“Last year, we laid out the same conditions, and several elected officials joined us in an unofficial capacity with no issues,” Dupuis said.
“The community has expressed to us that they do not want elected officials registered in the parade or community fair, as they wish to see their advocacy beyond the month of Pride in this difficult political climate,” Dupuis said.
Speaking to The Journal, Sydenham District Councillor Conny Glenn, whose ward encompasses Queen’s main campus, said she understood the decision.
“Unfortunately, when something like this gets politicized, it takes away from the primary message,” Glenn said.
While she hopes politicians will be included again, she emphasized this was “a decision that the community makes together.”
“I really think it’s important that we continue to have these conversations and that we continue to move the needle forward,” Glenn said. “Oftentimes, I think, we believe that things have been fixed or taken care of when they haven’t.”
In a statement to The Journal, Kingston and the Islands MPP Ted Hsu said he did not march in his official capacity this year.
“I do think it’s important, especially at this time, for elected officials to stand with those facing threats to their right to live and love authentically,” he said.
“While I missed being able to, once again, join our local 2SLGBTQIA+ community, I respect the decision of organizers
to do what they think is best and to keep the event non-political.”
Kingston Mayor Bryan Paterson told The Journal while he was disappointed, he chose to celebrate Pride in other ways.
Kingston Pride, however, remains concerned about where the public conversation has been centred. “We are disappointed the narrative seemed to be focused on the personal feelings of these elected officials, rather than focusing on the impact they can have on the futures of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community,” Dupuis said.
“To focus on themselves has done harm to the unpaid volunteers of the board.”
Kingston Pride remains committed to its long-term goals and grassroots origins.
“Our plans for next year and beyond remain the same. To listen and engage with our community, who make Kingston Pride special,” Dupuis said.
Tags
banned, Kingston, Politics, Pride, Pride Parade
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