Jean ‘disappointed’ Calgary Pride event has banned UCP members from parade

Organizers blame party’s lack of clear policy in support of LGBTQ community

CALGARY Brian Jean says he’s disappointed that the new United Conservative Party won’t be allowed to march in this year’s Calgary Pride Parade and hopes there will be a change of heart.

Pride organizers aren’t permitting the UCP, formed in July by the vote of Wildrose and Progressive Conservative members, to take part in the Sept. 3 parade because it does “not yet have clear policy in support of the gender and sexually diverse community.”

“It’s their prerogative,” Jean, the former Wildrose leader currently seeking the leadership of the UCP, said Monday at an announcement on education policy.

“I will tell you I’m fairly disappointed. I thought it would be an opportunity to come forward and to participate in that event. I have many family members that are gay and I know the community and frankly I’m just disappointed.”

In a letter to the UCP, Pride organizers indicate there are threehour training workshops available at the Calgary Sexual Health Centre that will “increase the comfort and skill of professionals to talk about sexual health, relationships and gender and sexual diversity.”

UCP members are invited to attend the parade as spectators, and an LGBTQ community liaison has offered to accompany them so they can learn more about the community and its history.

Jean, who had applied to march in the parade, said he’s hopeful the Pride committee will revisit its decision.

“This is all about uniting people and putting aside differences and divisiveness and I’m just disappointed they took this position.”

As Wildrose leader, Jean had not previously marched in the Calgary or Edmonton Pride parades but had attended related events such as the luncheon in support of Camp fYrefly and the mayor’s Pride brunch in Edmonton.

Jean’s rival for the UCP leadership, Jason Kenney, did not march in the Calgary Pride parade during his time as a city MP.

In an email statement on Calgary Pride’s decision to bar the UCP, his campaign spokesman said that “Mr. Kenney is always happy to attend events to which he is invited. We have not received an invitation to this event.”

“On Sept. 3, he is committed to attending and speaking at several large multicultural community events to which he has been invited,” said spokesman Blaise Boehmer.

The new UCP may carry some baggage on LGBTQ issues from the past.

In the 2012 election, a Wildrose candidate’s blog post saying that gays would be condemned to the “lake of fire” helped derail the party’s campaign. This past summer, a Wildrose staffer came under attack from some party members on social media after he said he would attend Pride events in Edmonton.

The PCs faced a backlash in government over their handling of gay-straight alliances before passing legislation acceptable to all sides in early 2015.

By law, students in any school can now form a gay-straight alliance if they wish. The alliances are peer support networks designed to help young people better understand each other and to help LGBTQ students feel welcome.

Kenney has been criticized for urging that parents, in some circumstances, be told if their children attend a gay-straight alliance.

UCP leadership candidate Doug Schweitzer, who has called for the party to take a progressive stance on social issues, said he was disappointed not to be able to march in the parade but added he respects Calgary Pride’s position.

“The UCP, we’ve got a long road to build trust and bridges with all Albertans, and particularly with the LGBTQ community,” said the Calgary lawyer.

“The leadership race matters in helping us establish our values set as to what the party believes in and what it stands for and I think we’ve got to make sure we get it right.”

This is all about uniting people and putting aside differences and divisiveness and I’m just disappointed they took this position.

UCP members will select the party’s leader in October.

Jeff Callaway, who is also running to lead the party, said he had originally planned to march in the parade, but will probably go as a spectator.

“Treating people fairly and respectfully is just part of the foundation of our party, as it should be for any political party,” said Callaway.