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Borderland Pride

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Hundreds Flood Emo For Pride Rally

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A couple hundred people converged on Emo Saturday to protest the decision from township leaders not to recognize June as Pride Month.

Borderland Pride co-chair Douglas Judson says they’re blown away by the support.

“The opposition we were experiencing from leaders in the community didn’t reflect the community itself,” says Judson, “I think that that was borne out by the numbers we saw and the enthusiasm of the participants.”

He tells us that they received lots of push back ahead of time to the ‘Emo Ambush’, but that anyone would be hard-pressed to say anything negative of what actually took place.

When it comes to the makeup of those who came out, Judson, who serves on Fort Frances Town Council, explains that they came from all over the northwest including Dryden, Kenora and Thunder Bay.

Borderland Pride co-chair Douglas Judson speaks to Acadia News following the group’s ‘Emo Ambush’ protest.

“They wanted to be part of sending a strong message that our communities in the northwest are places where LGBT people can have a home for themselves…can move and be accepted (for who they are).”

He says that in the end their protest may not sway political decision, but that they might have just help the community.

“I hope that for young people in the community they look at this and they feel emboldened and empowered and have identified that there are allies and organizations and labour unions and community leaders around them that want them to thrive and be successful and cared for.”

He adds that he hopes it reminds people that we don’t need to take things we find unacceptable lying down thanks to the democratic society that we live in.

With files from Colin Redston.

(Provided, Borderland Pride)

(Provided, Borderland Pride)

(Provided, Borderland Pride)

(Provided, Borderland Pride)

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Crowd Brings Pride To Emo

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A big turnout for an LGBTQ2S Pride protest in Emo Township.

Borderland Pride says they were blown away by the number of people who joined their procession through the Township yesterday afternoon.

The event, called the Emo Ambush, was in protest of Emo Township’s leaders’ refusal to declare June Pride Month.

More than 80 vehicles showed up for the event, which also included representatives from Thunder Pride, Kenora Pride, and Rainbow Alliance Dryden.

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Audio: Discrimination Complaint Filed Against Emo

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A discrimination complaint has been filed over the Township of Emo’s refusal to recognize Pride Month.

Borderland Pride Co-chair Douglas Judson says the filing with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal isn’t really about this particular municipality.

“It’s about asserting the expectations and the role of government in inclusion for all the communities where no one is asking these questions and no one is putting these resolution requests or trying to organize Pride events. It’s about sending that signal to young people.

Judson adds “We think it’s important to set the expectations for institutions and public officials and how they approach issues of equity and inclusion, especially in smaller communities.”

Judson says the complaint alleges discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, family status, and religion, which are all grounds protected by Ontario’s Human Rights Code.

Among other things, it seeks an order from the Tribunal requiring an apology from the municipality and that the mayor and two councillors undertake training at their own expense on diversity, inclusion and humans rights, with a focus on LGBTQ2 issues.

A financial award, if ordered, will be used to fund Pride and LGBTQ2 inclusion programming in the Emo area.

In addition to the municipality, the complaint is brought against Mayor Harold McQuaker, Councillor Harrold Boven, and Councillor Warren Toles.

The Northern Ontario Pride Network is involved in the filing.

Judson says “The municipality was given a copy of what was filed as a courtesy last week. But formally they won’t be served until the Tribunal vets the material and that should take probably a month or a little bit longer.”

He stresses “Certainly we remain open to reaching a resolution on some of these issues and we’ve signalled that in our material. So there’s an opportunity for the parties to pursue mediation.”

To hear more from Douglas Judson, visit the Audio link below.

https://www.facebook.com/BorderlandPride/posts/1558065247704556

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Town Hall Raises Inclusivity Issues In NWO

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Although Emo town council’s decision to not hold pride celebrations was not mentioned by name, the issue it raises of inclusivity was discussed heavily at a northwestern Ontario pride town hall.

There was plenty of participation, with many questions asked of local MPs and federal ministers.

Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP Marcus Powlowski started the online discussion off by sharing a story of growing up in Kaministiqua.

He said that when he was younger, anyone who was in any way not in the majority was treated differently by the residents of the rural community.

Health Minister Patty Hajdu shared how she recently co-authored a report on men’s mental health. She said she didn’t realize while she was writing it that she was coming at it from her own life experiences rather than a 2SLGBTIQ+ inclusive perspective.

Hajdu said she only realized, after speaking with others, that she shouldn’t have assumed the partners of men who grew up with toxic masculinity would be women.

Douglas Judson from Borderland Pride asked our two local MPs how we can help smaller communities “that may need to catch up” on inclusivity since they say they have traditional beliefs.

Powlowski said he wants to listen to the 2SLGBTIQ+ community and feels the internet has helped expand people’s perspectives around the world.

“Dryden and other small communities aren’t the same way as we were 40 years ago, we are a lot more cosmopolitan and have a lot more ethnic groups and LGBTQ members. We have come a long way being more accepting, and I think we need to continue to communicate and have some work to do,” Powlowski said.

Hajdu replied that it takes political courage to challenge a closed perspective.

“You have to have the courage to say ‘I disagree’ in politics when addressing systemic issues,” Hajdu stressed.

The health minister also said it is important to ask what it means to be a good ally, to ask others what they want from you and your position, and respecting the needs of individuals.

“Things are changing, but I don’t think they are changing fast enough. I represent small communities that are still in the ’70s and they are closed,” Hajdu said.

The health minister said rejuvenation and diversity need to take place in communities and organizations in northwestern Ontario.

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Emo Doesn’t Change Mind On Pride Month

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Borderland Pride says Emo Mayor Harold McQuaker, Councillor Harrold Boven, and Councillor Warren Toles have once again declined to show leadership on diversity and inclusion.

Emo Council denied a request Tuesday night to reconsider a previous decision to not declare June as Pride Month.

Referring to Roberts Rules of Order, none of those who rejected the initial motion wished to bring it back to the floor.

The issue came up again after Borderland Pride presented a 1,739 signature petition to Council.

Co-chair Doug Judson says he’s profoundly disappointed that certain individuals failed to live up to their community and their legal obligations to equity-seeking groups like LGBTQ2 people.

Judson adds “We are not second-class citizens and Borderland Pride will pursue all options to assert and affirm the legal entitlement of LGBTQ2 people to be treated without discrimination in small northern communities like this one.”

He says they’ve spoken with an eminent Canadian human rights lawyer to determine next steps.

Mayor Harold McQuaker stated at the meeting “I don’t think anybody is being discriminated against here. I just feel that the majority rules and that’s the way it is.”

Councillor Lincoln Dunn says refusing to support Pride Month, Council is legitimizing the bigoted homophobes in the community.

(With files from Randy Thoms. Acadia News Fort Frances)

 

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Pride Group Stunned By Support

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There’s plenty of support for a petition supporting Borderland Pride.

In less than two days, over 1,100 people have signed the petition to the Council of the Township of Emo.

The LGBTQ2A organization is asking the Council to apologize after making what Co-Chair Douglas Judson calls homophobic comments, and refusing to declare June as Pride Month. The petition also demands the Councillors take training on LGBTQ2A issues.

Borderland Pride posted on social media that they are surprised by the response they’ve received in such a short time, and have raised their goal from 1,000 to 1,500 signatures.

We have reached out to the Mayor of Emo for comment.