Canada and the World
Current Events with a Canadian Perspective
Last update
19 November 2010
Federal Funding
for Gay Pride Pulled
Gays and lesbians in Canada see a pattern
in the Conservative government’s policies
On May 8, 2010, Industry Minister Tony Clement announced the annual celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) communities in Toronto would not be receiving any federal funding.
This follows on the omission of any mention of same-
Mr. Kenney had been a vocal opponent of same-
People in the LGBT communities say these and other actions taken by the Harper government are examples of systematic discrimination against them.
Economic Recovery Plan Funding
The Marquee Tourism Events program was created as part of Ottawa’s initiative to
pull Canada out of the economic recession. It is a special two-
In 2009, the Toronto Gay Pride Parade
(left) organizers received $400,000 from the program to help cover the expenses involved in running the event, which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city.
The tourists bring in millions of dollars; CTV News says that according to Ken Coolen, who organizes Vancouver’s Pride Parade, the event “brings about $100 million to local businesses annually.”
The 2010 parade in Toronto will receive nothing from Ottawa, which George Smitherman described “as a slap in the face to the community.” Smitherman is gay and a former Ontario cabinet minister.
The Toronto Star interviewed Minister Clement and reported (May 8, 2010) that he “dismissed any suggestion of bias, saying the program was reworked this year to ensure more events qualified, by limiting funding to two events in big cities because much of last year’s grants were concentrated in Toronto and Montreal.”
Stephen Harper’s Christian Right Support
Gay activists don’t buy Mr. Clement’s words for one second. They believe the government of Stephen Harper is playing to its conservative Christian base.
Toronto city councillor Kyle Rae, who is gay, leaves no doubt about how he sees the funding cut: “The federal government is discriminating against an organization that fills all the hotels in the city. And they aren’t going to fund it. What more do you need to know about this discriminatory, Neanderthal government?”
Minister Stripped of Job
Tracey Sandilands, is the executive director of Toronto Pride. She, and others, track the funding cut back to 2009.
The Marquee Tourism program was the responsibility of federal Tourism Minister Diane Ablonczy and she awarded $400,000 to the Pride festival. She had her picture taken in the company of some drag queens during the party.
She came in for heavy criticism for the funding decision and the photograph from
conservatives. A typical reaction was that of Saskatchewan MP Brad Trost. He was
quoted by David Akin of Canwest News Services (July 7, 2009) as saying: “The pro-
A few days after announcing the grant Ms. Albonczy was stripped of responsibility for the funding program; it was put under the authority of Industry Minister Tony Clement.
Sources
“Gay Rights Section Nixed for Immigrants’ Guide.” CBC News, March 2, 2010.
“Decision to Nix Pride Funding a ‘Slap in the Face.’ ” Paul Moloney and Vanessa Lu, Toronto Star, May 8, 2010.
Tourism Minister Loses Funding Program after Grant to Gay Pride Week.” The Financial Post, July 7, 2009.
Image credit: Patrick B
© Canada and the World, May 2010
All rights reserved
In her 2010 book The Armageddon Factor, Journalist Marci McDonald says Canada’s government is coming increasingly under the influence of Christian fundamentalists.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969 in Canada and the Charter of Rights and
Freedoms forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation. In 2005, same-