What message is MP sending to constituents?
LETTERS
Overcast weather did not stop Pride celebrations along 3 Avenue in late June (23rd). Families old and young, children and various ethnicities, greeted the parade participants with shared enthusiasm. Along with other cities and towns across Canada, the event shows no signs of abating, which is a good thing.
As with previous years, however, there was no sign of our MP. Possibly she was participating in dragon boat festivities — a worthy venture, to be sure, and one certainly deserving of support. However, seemingly a no-show for three years would suggest, to this person at least, that her support does not extend to this small but equal group. (Having a representative in her absence is not quite the same thing.)
Making matters worse, the MP’s flyer, delivered to all local households, avoided any reference to the Pride event whatsoever. At the same time, various rural and other local initiatives were covered. Nothing wrong with the latter, of course; they are, after all, a part of Rachael Harder’s constituency and as the Globe and Mail recently reported, our MP has stated, “I was elected by women and men,” inferring, I think, that she speaks for everyone in this riding.
I would remind our MP that the LGBTQ community is also a part of her riding. Her continuing absence and failure to include this event in her flyer is sending a message — a very wrong message in my opinion. Is Pride more important than, for example, Settlers Days in Coaldale or Whoop-Up Days? Of course not, but it is at least of equal importance.
I will leave it to readers of this letter to decide exactly what message our MP is sending by her absence from said parade, or failure to include the event in her flyer.
If our MP did have a presence at one or more parades, I retract the aforementioned observation (concerning attendance) and apologize for the subsequent inference.
That said, I am still awaiting a reply from Ms. Harder following a June 13 email concerning her attendance — or not! As of today (July 15), a subsequent “acknowledgement” from her office has not yet been followed up by our representative in Ottawa.
John P. Nightingale
Lethbridge