Pride Toronto seeks public input on community engagement, political involvement and corporate participation.
As Pride Toronto prepares for its 30th festival in June 2010 and World Pride in 2014, organizers are reflecting on past years and asking the community to comment on building strategies for the future of the annual event.
Pride Toronto is collecting public views on community involvement and engagement, educational and human rights activities, corporate funding and festival participation, including the involvement of activist political organizations in the festival through a series of outreach activities and a public comment section on their website.
Pride Toronto faced significant pressure to prevent activist political groups not focused on LGBT issues, such as Queers Against Israeli Apartheid, from participating in the 2009 parade. The organization faced equal pressure to protect freedom of expression and allow the participation of as many groups as possible, leading Pride Toronto to seek external advice.
“We turned to our legal counsel and they advised, as a not-for-profit organization, that we were unable to take a position,” said Tracey Sandilands, Executive Director of Pride Toronto. Pride Toronto issued a statement declaring neutrality and an intention to allow participation of any group which properly followed Pride’s application procedures.
“We received complaints about allowing ‘hate speech’ in the parade,” said Sandilands, “but we decided to leave it to the Toronto Police Service to interpret the law. Every year, we rely on the Toronto Police to help us deliver a successful and safe festival, and we are happy to say that their participation and helpfulness has increased over the years.”
With a significant increase in attendance and activities over recent years, Pride has worked diligently to maintain the festival’s connection with the local community, while reaching out to broader audiences. Sandilands says Pride Toronto will use public comment as part of their ongoing process of developing and revising strategies to be published in the coming months.
Visit http://www.pridetoronto.com/forums to offer your comments via our online discussion option

Hi Webbie,

As a not for profit, Pride was incorporated to provide a gay festival/celebration.  It’s curious that your lawyers told you not to take a position, because in doing so, you allowed political messaging unrelated to gay issues.  You took the position of allowing anyone to say anything at all.

Concerning “hate” speech, it is very difficult to get a charge under the weak hate crimes legislation.  You can beat up a few women, and it’s not “hate”.  You can paint swastikas on garage doors in Calgary, and it might not be hate.  The derogatory messages in our Pride parades, carried by angry demonstrators some in military garb, create a hateful/ harmful environment, inconsistent with Pride’s own values.

Woo i will surely post this information on my site.

Regards

Kerry149

Thanks for letting me know this. I am big fan of this event!