QUAIA WILL BE ALLOWED TO MARCH
B’NAI BRITH OPPOSES
Queers Against Israeli Apartheid will march in Sunday’s Pride parade.
Pride Toronto said Friday its arm’s-length dispute resolution panel had decided that QuAIA will receive a permit to participate in the one of the city’s largest parties.
A hearing was held on Wednesday by a panel of 16 lawyers with experience in arbitration and mediation in human rights matters, according to Kevin Beaulieu, Pride Toronto’s executive director.
“Everyone recognizes that this has not been easy for people, that it’s a difficult and emotional political topic, but this does provide some clarity and some direction in what has been a controversial matter,” said Mr. Beaulieu.
Mr. Beaulieu refused to comment on whether his organization endorses the presence of QuAIA in the parade.
Last year, the group decided not to march, and only then, did Pride Toronto receive funding from the city. This year, the organization secured $123,807 ahead of its 10-day festival, despite councillors condemning the use of the term “Israeli Apartheid.”
A complaint was launched almost two weeks ago by Jewish advocacy group B’nai Brith Canada against Pride Toronto.
B’nai Brith Canada condemned the decision and is calling for the city to make next year’s funding conditional on how the parade transpires this year. Anita Bromberg, a
It has nothing to do with celebrating. It has nothing to do with educating
spokeswoman for B’nai Brith who provides legal in-house counselling, said the group will not consider an injunction against QuAIA at this time because nobody “wants that kind of tension.”
“We’re concerned that this kind of language in the middle of a parade that’s supposed to celebrate and educate is hijacking the real purposes of Pride that serves the LGBT community, and indeed the wider Toronto community,” said Ms. Bromberg. “It has nothing to do with celebrating. It certainly has nothing to do with educating because this is false propaganda at best. It misses the mark of inclusiveness. It, in fact, is excluding people who would want to celebrate this.”
She added that B’nai Brith Canada is not surprised by the decision and that the resolution process was not fair because complainants felt intimidated by the panel.
Kulanu Toronto, a Jewish LGBT organization, had also launched a complaint against Pride Toronto, but later withdrew its complaint.
“We felt that people’s minds were set and the goal was to find a way to allow QuAIA to march without having to deal with the issues raised,” said Ms. Bromberg.
Messages left for QuAIA on Friday evening were not returned.