Manitoba PCs remain mum on Pride parade pledge
Pride month has officially begun and, throughout the month, Pride parades will be held across the province, starting first in Winnipeg on Sunday.
Partaking in parades and Pride festivities, however, has become a political sticking point between Manitoba's official opposition and the provincial government: While the Manitoba NDP is committing every member to walk in one of Manitoba's pride parades during June, the governing Progressive Conservatives are unwilling to make a similar pledge.
The debate started on Wednesday, during Question Period in the Manitoba Legislature, when NDP MLA Lisa Naylor, the party's spokesperson for 2sLGBTQ+ issues, asked Premier Heather Stefanson whether or not she will ask party members to partake in Pride festivities this June.
"Will the Premier commit that she and every member of her caucus will walk in a Manitoba Pride parade this year?" said Naylor on Wednesday.
Premier Stefanson did not respond. Instead, the minister responsible for gender equity, Rochelle Squires, replied, saying that members of the Progressive Conservative caucus will indeed be participating in Winnipeg's Pride events on Sunday.
The rhetoric escalated when lawmakers exited the legislative chambers.
"If there was another group under threat, is there was a cultural group in this province seeing their human rights seriously threatened in this country, and on this continent, then yeah, I would expect MLAs to show up," said Naylor on Wednesday, alluding to recent and ongoing efforts in the United States and Canada to censor 2SLGBTQ+ content.
Again, Minister Squires responded on behalf of the governing Conservatives, saying a "mandate" to attend Pride isn't the best way to promote participation in the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
"I don't think that's a way to go about things, to force people to March," said Squires, "I think it's always been a choice that people have made and I believe that is the respectful approach to take."
The NDP reiterated their call to action again on Thursday, with Naylor saying elected leaders shouldn't need to be forced to show their support for the queer community but offer that willingly.
"Every MLA who represents LGBTQ+ folks across this province, as we all do, should want to and should be standing up for and representing those people in their community," said Naylor, again calling on the Premier to ask PC MLAs to engage with local Pride organizations.
Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen fielded questions on Thursday and addressed the NDP's call to action.
"When it comes to events that we and all are invited to, hundreds of events every year, and we are encouraged to attend and be in the community doing things to support people in the community," said Goertzen, who added he will not be attending Winnipeg's Pride parade.
Premier Heather Stefanson has not yet directly responded on whether or not she will encourage party members to participate in Pride events and did not respond to comment when asked by CTV News.
Premier Stefanson will be marching in the Winnipeg Pride parade on Sunday, along with other cabinet ministers and MLAs.
Political participating in Pride parades isn't as common in the Pembina Valley Pride parade.
President Peter Wohlgemut says, when the parade was held in Altona and members of the local government marched alongside organizers, it showcased a commitment to the queer community.
But, Wohlgemut adds, politicians marching in a Pride parade should come from a real desire to support the community.
"Politicians are definitely welcome," they said. "Come to the Pride event but be there for the right reasons and walk the talk, don't just do it during June."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women in Winnipeg, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Trudeau Liberals to unveil new bill Monday aimed at countering foreign interference
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be tabling legislation on Monday aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Federal officials have scheduled a technical briefing on the incoming bill for Monday afternoon.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.