Bakery sends ‘OK to be gay’ rainbow doughnuts to UCP MLA

A Medicine Hat bakery sent UCP MLA Drew Barnes two dozen doughnuts with rainbow sprinkles and the message “it’s OK to be gay.”

McBride’s Bakery sent the delectable delivery to the member for Cypress-Medicine Hat on Tuesday, just days after the UCP came under fire for passing a controversial resolution at the party’s founding convention.

Members voted to reinstate opt-in parental consent for any subjects of a religious or sexual nature in Alberta schools — a move in opposition to recent government legislation that protected children who joined gay-straight alliances from being “outed.”

On Twitter, McBride’s Bakery said the doughnuts were sent to Barnes as a way to share an opinion.

“They were accepted graciously,” the bakery tweeted.

Barnes tweeted his thanks, calling the UCP “a diverse broad tent coalition with a variety of beliefs.”

He avoided reporters at the legislature Wednesday, but released a statement saying he was happy to receive the delivery. “I have always encouraged my constituents to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns with me and I am glad McBride’s did just that,” he said.

RED DEER COLLEGE ADDS DEGREE

Students at Red Deer College will be allowed to work toward Alberta’s first applied degree in animation and visual effects.

It’s a major milestone for the school, said a government news release Wednesday. The college was granted degree-granting status in March and this move marks its first new degree.

An initial class of 20 students will enrol in the program for September with plans to graduate in 2022.

“With the final year of the program being applied work study and independent projects, students will learn the skills needed to gain employment in a growing field,” said Jason Frizzell, dean of the school of creative arts at the college, in the release.