You have to earn right to march in Pride Parade
Jason Kenney simply hasn’t, Mike Morrison writes.
Re: “Diversity includes all,” Editorial, Aug. 10.
Recently, the Calgary Herald published an editorial in which it declared that the Calgary Pride committee was wrong to reject the United Conservative Party’s application to march in this year’s Pride Parade.
The editorial painted the LGTBQ+ community as the villains in the story. I’m sure UCP Leader Jason Kenney loved it, since that’s what he’s always trying to do himself.
The editorial wonders whether “the entire point of the parade is to celebrate tolerance and acceptance of different lifestyles, different ways of looking at life.”
Simply put: no. At its core, Pride is an LGTBQ+ civil rights march. Would the March for Jesus parade allow the Atheist Society of Calgary to join their parade? Would the Calgary Stampede welcome PETA with open arms?
There are literally dozens of Pride related activities throughout the province; so far, Kenney has attended none of them. There are 8,760 hours in a year; why is it the UCP only feigns interest in LGTBQ+ rights for two of them?
The rules to march in the Calgary Pride parade are very clear: all political entries must demonstrate that they have “advocated for, supported and represented the community in the past 12 months.”
If the UCP can’t show proof of that, then why should they be allowed to participate? The facts speak for themselves. The UCP is the only major Canadian political party with official anti-LGTBQ+ policies.
But don’t take my word for it: listen to UCP MLA Ric McIver who, during the recent UCP convention, described the new policy exactly the way it is: “This is about outing gay kids. Don’t be called the Lake of Fire party, I’m begging you.”
The UCP then voted 57 per cent in favour of the policy that forces schools to out LGTBQ+ children.
Not once in his long career has Kenney ever voted in support of a pro-LGTBQ+ law. Not once. In fact, during a recent Macleans Live interview, he admitted to only having met with two groups to discuss LGBTQ rights since becoming UCP leader.
One of them is LGBTory, a controversial organization whose Alberta co-ordinator is running for a seat in the UCP. The other is Parents for Choice in Education, the very group that unsuccessfully tried stopping the Alberta government from banning Gay Straight Alliances in schools.
If Kenney and the UCP cared about LGTBQ+ people, then they should meet with groups that are actively helping LGTBQ+ people. He could meet with the Centre for Sexuality, Skipping Stone Foundation or Calgary Outlink, to name a few.
When you’re an ally, it’s actually easy to show your support for the LGTBQ+ community. Just ask Premier Rachel Notley.
And yet Kenney and the Calgary Herald editorial board believe the UPC should walk in the Pride Parade?
That’d be like me joining the Calgary Marathon for the final few metres and demanding a participant’s medal.
That invite Kenney keeps talking about? I’ve tried. I’ve personally invited Kenney to watch the parade with me for three years. I know Edmonton activists have done the same thing. I’ve also invited him to sit with my friends and me at the annual Premier’s Pride Brunch. I never heard back. How much are we supposed to do?
Kenney may have fooled the Calgary Herald editorial board, but I assure you that Alberta’s LGTBQ+ community and its true allies are not as naive. Alberta is a province where Pride flags are still burned and rainbow crosswalks tarred.
Calgary Pride Parade did the right thing in demanding respect and proof of support — and, finding it lacking, not extending Kenney and the UCP an invitation to march alongside us this year.