Mayor Tara Veer, members of the LGBTQ+ community and Central Alberta Pride Society hold up this year's Pride Week mayoral proclamation at City Hall on August 9. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

KICK-OFF TO PRIDE

WATCH: Pride Week in Central Alberta officially underway after mayoral proclamation

Aug 9, 2020 | 3:35 PM

Central Alberta Pride Week officially got started Sunday with a mayoral proclamation outside Red Deer City Hall, and the week looks to be a fun one with many events happening virtually.

Mayor Tara Veer was in attendance to read that, “The City of Red Deer is a member of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association’s Welcoming and Inclusive Communities program to build a community free of discrimination and where citizens feel free to participate in all aspects of the social, cultural and economic life.”

Veer told rdnewsNOW following the event that after the challenging year everyone has had, it is important to support groups like Central Alberta Pride Society, whose goal she describes as being to build community life and bring people together.

Given the nature of Sunday’s event, Veer was asked to look back on city council’s decision earlier this year to not pass a local conversion therapy ban. She reiterated that the City is a signatory to the Canadian Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities.

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“I recognize there are differing opinions with respect to the conversion therapy debate. Red Deer city council clarified with the provincial government whether or not conversion therapy is allowed in the province, we advocated to the provincial government, and the federal government has tabled legislation,” she pointed out. “Our resolution is on the public record demonstrating our support for the LGBTQ+ community. I understand there is some disappointment that it wasn’t dealt with through a bylaw.”

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Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood MLA Janis Irwin was also in attendance, and said that despite the UCP having claimed there is a “blanket ban” on conversion therapy, municipalities should feel empowered to enact local regulations.

“That is one of the disheartening things here in Red Deer. They had the opportunity to show that leadership and didn’t. A municipal bylaw can have a really important impact. It’s more than symbolic, and we’ve seen countless communities like Lethbridge, Spruce Grove, Wood Buffalo, Edmonton and Calgary do this,” Irwin said.

“For Red Deer to fail to move on that issue was quite troubling to be honest. Conversion therapy is a harmful and abusive practice, and I guarantee you it’s happening in the Red Deer area when it shouldnt be.”

Irwin says seeing recently the city of Airdrie respond with love to several hateful incidents related to the local rainbow path, it’s important Red Deer picks up that mantle and embraces the positivity of Pride Week.

“Raising a Pride flag means a whole lot to that young person who walks by and sees it flying proudly in a city where they may not think they’re very welcome to express their own sexuality,” she said. “We’ve seen a lot of growth over the years and Central Alberta Pride is a geat example.”

Lenny Gallant, Pride Society board chair said it was great to have the mayor attend, and he’s hopeful her presence indicates council is listening to the LGBTQ+ community’s concerns.

“Before people pass judgement, they need to research and educate themselves on what Pride means. Up until just a few years ago, same-sex couples couldn’t get married, they’re still frowned upon walking down the street, and gay men like myself can’t donate blood,” he lamented.

“We still have hate crimes and violence towards same-sex couples. There were multiple incidents last weekend in Calgary. Clearly we’re not done with the need to push the knowledge of why we have Pride, why we need to put the rainbow out there, and shove it in peoples’ faces, as they say. We don’t have the same rights and freedoms.”

Gallant noted that all local UCP MLAs were invited to the event, but declined due to scheduling conflicts.

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