Concerns that led 2019 Pride parade to be canceled still unresolved: local LGBTQ2S+ group
With the Edmonton Pride parade returning to city streets, one local LGBTQ2S+ group says it still has the same concerns that led to the cancellation of the event in 2019.
Adebayo Katiti with RaricaNow, a non-profit that houses BIPOC trans people and refugees, says he was surprised to hear the parade was coming back, alleging the parade isn't fully inclusive.
In 2019, the parade was canceled over internal politics, including issues like allowing police and military to march.
Edmonton Police Service (EPS) told CTV News Edmonton it has not confirmed whether it will participate in the Pride parade this year or not.
'The society that ran the parade and festival completely dissolved, in part due to conversations within the community about how that parade should look, who should be involved, who should make those decisions and how that parade should be paid for,' said Rob Browatze with the Edmonton Queer History Project.
The festivities planned this year are being organized by a new group, Edmonton PrideFest Association, which took over in 2022.
A spokesperson for the organization says it was not involved in the decision to cancel the parade or the discussions with RaricaNow regarding their concerns of BIPOC involvement at Pride events.
Browatze says the city and the LGBTQ2S+ community has been missing the parade but the direction of Pride parades has changed from its origins.
'The origins of pride are in protest, so there's a lot of concern and conversation around having something that is too focused on celebration and a party rather than that political protest,' Browatze told CTV News Edmonton.
'We've been isolated'
That protest is what Katiti wants front and centre at the parade, specifically trans people and marginalized groups.
'We have issues that are happening in the community, it has to be a trans march. The other issue which still stands is the inclusion of safe spaces for people in Pride,' Katiti said.
He says having safe spaces for trans people is important to honour the history of the Pride parade and the political climate surrounding trans legislation in Alberta.
Katiti says in order to have a fully-inclusive event, some non-negotiables for RaricaNow are food and security and no police or military presence in the parade.
As a trans man, Katiti says he's been a personal victim of police brutality and many trans people have been arrested for having identification that doesn't align with their gender identity.
'We've been isolated by people who are supposed to protect us, serve us.'
— Adebayo Katiti, RaricaNow
EPS says while police will be at Pride events throughout the summer, as is typical for major events, the service is 'committed to its ongoing work' to build a relationship with Edmonton's LGBTQ2S+ community.
Some examples of community outreach include providing bias awareness training to officers, hosting a Chief's Pride Breakfast on Sunday and raising the Pride flag at all EPS divisions for Pride week.
'We are still having such conversations, that you can find Pride organizing without Black trans people on them, without BIPOC trans people on board,' Katitit said.
'Inclusive Pride for everyone'
Edmonton PrideFest Associations told CTV News Edmonton it hasn't received a formal list of requests from RaricaNow for this year's parade.
While it has an understanding about their concerns of police and military presence, they weren't aware about concerns over food and security for trans attendees.
'RaricaNow was invited to participate in this year's parade, including the opportunity to host RaricaNow-led initiatives at the parade site to support the trans refugee population in Edmonton,' said Megan Normandeau, a spokesperson for Edmonton PrideFest Association.
'We continue to await their decision and look forward to collaborating with them to create an inclusive Pride event for everyone.'
The association says it reached out to all queer-led organizations that it was aware of to invite them to participate in the parade and planning discussions, with 13 applications received so far.
As for who will be allowed to march in the parade, the association says parade applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with community members and local advocates to ensure the participants 'embody the spirit of Pride.'
With the parade three months away, Katiti says there's still time for the city's LGBTQ2S+ community groups to come together and plan a festival and parade for everyone.
Browatze says looking at the history of the event, it's possible to find solutions that work for everyone.
'Keep having the conversations, keep listening to, especially, the more marginalized voices in the community that have been historically misrepresented or underrepresented in the parade and Pride in general, and just keep those conversations happening.'
With files from CTV Edmonton's Alex Antoneshyn
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
2 minutes ago
- CBC
‘Great opportunity to hit this hard,' says platoon chief about Paddy's Pond fire
Mike Hall, a platoon chief with the St. John's Regional Fire Department, says there is positive energy that crews might be able to gain momentum fighting the fire near Paddy's Pond.
CBC
2 minutes ago
- CBC
Cowichan title lands encompass multimillion-dollar mansions in Richmond, B.C.
Social Sharing The stretch of semi-rural land on No. 6 Road in Richmond, B.C., is home to blueberry farms, multimillion-dollar mansions and an 18-hole golf course. Those Metro Vancouver properties are all now encompassed by a landmark Aboriginal title claim that was successfully established by the Cowichan Nation last week. The ruling in B.C. Supreme Court confirmed Cowichan Aboriginal title and fishing rights over the stretch of land on Lulu Island next to the south arm of the Fraser River, where the nation historically had a summer village and members fished for salmon. Now it is occupied by Crown and City of Richmond holdings — as well as private properties that include a 10,600- square-foot home with 11 bathrooms and an official valuation of $7.78 million, other multimillion-dollar homes and the Country Meadows Golf Course. WATCH | UVic prof says Supreme Court needs to weigh in on case: Supreme Court needs to determine relationship between Aboriginal title and private owners: UVic prof 19 hours ago The ruling by Justice Barbara Young says the Cowichan did not seek a declaration that private titles in the area were "defective and invalid," unlike those for the land owned by the Crown and city that makes up much of the claim. But the judge ruled the province has a duty to negotiate with the nation when it comes to the private land, whose titles were granted in what she called an unjustifiable infringement of the Cowichan's Aboriginal title. Lawyer David Robbins, who represented the Cowichan in the trial that lasted more than 500 days, said Tuesday that the nation did not bring its case against private titleholders "and did not seek to invalidate their interests in this case." "It is the Crown in right of British Columbia that has the legal relationship with the holders of private fee simple interests. The Cowichan Nation has no direct relationship with those titleholders," he said. The Ministry of Attorney General said in a statement that it was "committed to protecting and upholding private property rights while advancing the critical work of reconciliation." The ministry said the number of private properties encompassed by the claim area was being assessed. Map includes mansions But a map of the Cowichan title lands that was part of the court ruling, combined with publicly available land documents, identify the mansions and other properties along Richmond's No. 6 Road, south of Blundell Road. Harry Hogler co-owns the Country Meadows Golf Course and lives across the road in a 8,900-square-foot home, featuring a fountain and a classic car in the circular driveway. Hogler declined to be interviewed but said he was aware of the ruling and was "not worried." However, B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma said on Monday that the case could have "significant unintended consequences" for private property rights in the province, and the government would appeal the ruling. That's no surprise to Robin Junger, a lawyer with McMillan LLP focused on Indigenous and environmental law. He said if the decision stands it will have "massive implications" and "could undermine the whole system of land ownership in British Columbia." "Although the court was only asked to give a 'declaration' in relation to lands held by the City of Richmond and the Government of Canada, the reasoning of the court isn't limited to those lands," he said. Junger said he believes the decision would likely be overturned on appeal and go all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. He said if he were a property owner he would not panic. Junger said a judge only goes by what parties argue in a case, adding he believes there are "reasonable grounds to pursue" an appeal on the key question of whether B.C. extinguished Aboriginal title when it issued private fee simple land titles, and whether it had the authority to do so. "If you look very closely at the decision, you'll see that the B.C. government, and in fact the Government of Canada, did not argue that these rights were extinguished. They declined to make that argument. Only the City of Richmond made that argument," he said. "So, I think there's a lot of fertile ground to follow on an appeal, and we'll see where it lands." WATCH | B.C. government to appeal ruling: Province to appeal B.C. Supreme Court ruling in favour of Cowichan Nation's fishing and land rights 2 days ago The province has announced plans to appeal last week's B.C. Supreme Court decision that found in favour of the Cowichan Nation's bid to win back fishing rights and title for a portion of its historic lands in Richmond, B.C. Claire Palmer has more. Some other residents of No. 6 Road whose homes are within the Cowichan title lands said they were aware of the ruling, while others were not. One resident arriving at a home valued at more than $4.1 million said Tuesday that he would "fight" the ruling. He declined to be identified or to give a longer interview. Nearby, an elderly woman was selling blueberries outside a large stone home. She said in Mandarin that her son owned the home but she did not think he was aware of the ruling. At one of the most expensive homes in the neighbourhood, according to B.C. Assessment, a woman who was driving out of the property said it was owned by a friend who was in China. She said she was unaware of the court ruling.
CTV News
9 minutes ago
- CTV News
Manitoba RCMP looking to identify individuals with information on stabbing
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
