‘Let's be loud, let's be proud': Regina's Queen City Pride parade celebrates another year
Queen City Curling League says its proud to contribute to the celebration of Regina's pride community. (Sierra D'Souza Butts/CTV News)
One queer sports organization says it's proud to contribute to the celebration of Regina's pride community.
'[We want] to show representation from queer sport and to show people that there's a spot for everyone in sport,' said Nathan Murray, board member of Queen City Curling League.
The non-profit group has been providing fun recreational activities for the 2SLGBTQI+ community for three years, and is now participating in the annual Queen City Pride parade.
'It's very important for inclusive sport to ensure that we have a very welcoming, open space that celebrates everyone and welcomes everyone that may not have been comfortable with sports in school in particular,' explained Nathan Markwart.
'Everyone is welcome of all skill levels and we have a great time. We have great team names, we rock out to good music, and we make sport an experience that many did not experience in school.'
The parade is one of many events planned for the month by Queen City Pride to celebrate Regina's Gender and Sexually Diverse (GSD) communities.
Expand Autoplay
1 of 12
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Sierra D'Souza Butts/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Sierra D'Souza Butts/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
Pride parade Regina
Over 100 floats attended Regina's Queen City Pride Parade on Saturday, as part of the group's 10 day pride festival. (Damian Smith/CTV News)
With over 4,000 people in attendance, co-chair Riviera Bonneau said it's opportunities like these that allow people to be themselves.
'There is an energy that comes when you walk down that middle of the parade and you see everybody decked out in rainbows, hugging and loving,' she shared.
'Everyone is so joyous. It is an incredible feeling to feel like we were part of this. That is absolutely my favorite part to see how many people because a lot of the time queer people feel like they have to be in the shadows, and when you come to an event like this you're like, no. Let's be loud, let's be proud.'
Bonneau said the parade is a great reminder of how much Regina's queer community has grown over the years.
'We celebrate the fact that in 1989, the people before us were able to march down Albert Street Bridge and remind people that queer people are here,' she explained, referring to the first pride marches that took place in the city.
'We need our rights, we have rights and freedoms, and we're here to celebrate that they fought for us and we continue to fight everyday.'
Being one of the 109 floats in this year's parade, Markwart said the organization is proud to be part of a supportive community.
'Our league and everyone here is about community building. Each and every day, we build community that are inclusive and safe spaces,' Markwart voiced.
'That's why it's important to participate in the parade and to show that pride is ongoing work each and every day, building inclusive and safe spaces for everyone to truly be themselves and celebrate.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
2 hours ago
- CBC
Halifax's long, complicated relationship with building a stadium
As Halifax council ponders a plan to transform a pop-up stadium at the Wanderers Grounds into a more permanent space, it's the latest chapter in a decade-plus long debate about building a stadium in the city. Past discussions have come with a range of price tags for taxpayers and been derailed by unforeseen circumstances, including a global pandemic. "It's a huge opportunity for us right here. Our city is truly growing and we need to get this right, but we've been talking about a stadium for way before my time on council," said Coun. Tony Mancini, who first joined council after a January 2016 byelection win. He made the comments Wednesday as municipal staff presented a plan for the so-called Wanderers Block to the city's community planning and economic development committee. The area is mostly municipal land and part of the Halifax Common. "How do we finally get to a conclusion on this stadium conversation?" said Mancini. The Halifax Wanderers professional men's soccer team has played at the site since 2019, while the Halifax Tides women's team started playing at the Wanderers Grounds this year. City staff came up with a mix of stadium options for the site that would range in size, as well as changes to facilities operated by groups such as the Halifax Lancers and the Wanderers Lawn Bowling Club. The anticipated costs ranged from $116 million to $123 million, assuming construction starts in 2029. Contingencies of 25 per cent were included in the estimates to account for things like inflation and changes made during the construction process. No action was taken Wednesday, and council will consider the plan at a future meeting. In 2023, the Wanderers suggested a stadium would cost about $40 million. They asked Halifax to build and operate the facility with the team as the lead tenant. CFL hopes While stadium talk in Halifax relates to professional soccer teams, the previous debate was anchored on bringing a CFL franchise to Halifax. A group known as Schooner Sports and Entertainment was behind the proposal and it sought municipal and provincial funding to build a 24,000-seat, $110-million stadium in Shannon Park in 2022. Besides professional football, the space would have been used for community sports and major concerts. In December 2019, Halifax council voted to give the proponents $20 million, but only if a list of conditions were met. Considering that the proponent's preferred location for a stadium was Shannon Park, it was odd that council approved the funding on the condition that the stadium be built in another approved location. The proponent's enthusiasm wasn't dampened. "We're thrilled. We thank council for their due diligence and very spirited debate. We're very excited to move forward," said SSE partner Anthony LeBlanc. By April 2020, LeBlanc had taken an executive role with the NHL's Ottawa Senators. But in his absence, other SSE officials remained bullish. "We're more optimistic than we've ever been probably on the stadium itself," said founding partner Gary Drummond in late 2020. The project soon quietly disappeared from the public conversation, while the two affiliated companies behind the venture — Schooner Sports and Entertainment and Maritime Football Limited — have had their registrations revoked in the Registry of Joint Stock Companies. 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup was played in six Canadian cities: Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Montreal and Moncton, N.B. For a time, Halifax hoped to be one of those cities, but Halifax council voted in early 2012 to withdraw its bid. The reason? A stadium was too expensive to build on its own. While the stadium cost was estimated at between $54.8 million and $71.1 million, the provincial government had not signed on to the project. The city was willing to spend $20 million on it. 2014 Commonwealth Games A different international sporting event was the motivation behind another Halifax stadium push. In 2005, Halifax won the right to be the Canadian city to bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. While hosting the games was once projected to cost $785 million, Halifax abandoned its bid in early 2007 when the projected bill reached $1.7 billion. At the time, Chris Algar, a 1999 Canada Games athlete, described the disappointment of missing out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. "They're saying we couldn't host it because we don't have the infrastructure," he said. "This is a chance to build that infrastructure. How do you suppose we're going to get it now?" Almost two decades later, Halifax is still trying to figure out the answer to that question.
CBC
3 hours ago
- CBC
From sippy cups to Stanley Cups, these First Nations fathers share the love of their children
Social Sharing Father's Day is an opportunity to honour the love and leadership that so many of our fathers, step dads, and guardians have given us in our lives. For others, it is a complicated day that can be experienced many different ways. CBC Indigenous spoke with three dads about the beauty and the hardships of fatherhood. Former Stanley Cup champion Reggie Leach, known as the Riverton Rifle, was famed for his play during his NHL career from 1970-83, and for his time with the Philadelphia Flyers during the "Broad Street Bullies" era. He's a father of two and said his greatest joys were the day his children were born and the day his son won the Stanley Cup. "I think that's the thing with our kids, you let them do what they enjoy. Cherish all the moments that you have," he said. Now Leach, 75, is a coach at the Shoot to Score hockey camps and his current boss, his son Jamie Leach, joined him on the call. Jamie, 55, is no stranger to hoisting the Stanley Cup either, winning in 1992 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Leaches are members of Berens River First Nation in Manitoba and are the first and only First Nations father and son pair to win the Stanley Cup as players. Speaking of his own son, Jamie agreed with his dad about cherishing moments. "The more and more that you get to witness — graduating high school, getting his licence, making some hockey teams that he wanted to make — it's just so nice to be a part of." What kind of fatherly advice does a Stanley Cup champion share to a fellow Stanley Cup champion? Jamie Leach shared the ice with names like Lemieux, Gretzky, and Messier, but nothing compares to the emotion that comes when he shares lessons that he learned from his dad. "He always told me whatever you do in your life, you shoot to score," said Jamie. "If you're going to do something, do the best you possibly can. You shoot to score." "Now he passes that onto his son," Reggie said with pride. Resilience But what if hockey stardom wasn't your destiny, how does a regular dad get by doing his best? Charles Bird, 48, is a father of two and grandfather of one from Black River First Nation in Manitoba. A child of residential school survivors, Bird has put a life together that his children are proud of. Bird has had sole custody of his children since 2009. His son has special needs and his daughter is studying Indigenous language at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. It wasn't the challenges that this generation presented that Bird worried about. His father struggled in the face of trauma and addiction that residential schools brought on. A promise between father and son led to Bird making better decisions. "He told me, 'Son, live a better life for yourself. Make better choices. Don't fall into addictions and don't let them overcome you," said an emotional Bird. "You can be better than that, and you will be, because I believe in you." A promise that Bird said he has held for his father to this day. The celebration of his grandson's arrival and graduating alongside his son are two events that Bird was elated to share. His son Thurston graduated from high school the same year that Bird upgraded his education through the school division's adult education department, so they were able to walk the stage together. Fatherly advice As for some advice from the dads to other dads: Reggie Leach:"Listen to your kids, listen to what they have to say to you." Jamie Leach:"Foster a relationship with your children where they can come to you with anything."
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Oilers a step behind focused Panthers in Stanley Cup Game 5
Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch says the team got a good start in Game 5 but didn't capitalize on their early chances. They simply weren't sharp. Well, except for Connor McDavid, who led his team's attack, scored its first goal and generated the most scoring chances for his squad. The Edmonton Oilers, while coming out of their dressing room with jump to begin the first and second periods, were off their game in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night. A smidge, yes. This is the National Hockey League, after all. The top level of the fastest game on ice. But passes failed to find their mark for the Oilers. Pucks refused to settle down for them. Shots missed their mark. On the other side, the visiting Florida Panthers played their championship-calibre playbook to perfection. Sticks in lanes. Forechecking par excellence. Skill demonstrated adeptly by the likes of Brad Marchand, who scored twice, and Sam Bennett, who scored his 15th goal of the playoffs and was as dangerous as if not more so than McDavid, the NHL's top superstar, on this night. Oilers vs. Panthers Florida Panthers' goalie Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save as Aaron Ekblad (5) and Edmonton Oilers Connor McDavid (97) battle in front during third period of Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup final in Edmonton, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (JASON FRANSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS) And jumping on chances, which was all the difference in Game 5, Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said after the game. 'It was a tight checking game all the way through,' Nugent-Hopkins told reporters in the dressing room after the game. 'They took advantage of some opportunities, and at the end of the day, we didn't, and it ends up being the difference.' 'They're a good, sound defensive team. They don't make any mistakes.' — Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch A game of inches. Both head coaches described the small margins of error that make the difference in a game played at this level, certainly in the championship final series. Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said Saturday's Game 5 was the type of game in which he'd like his side 'to open up a little bit.' But, again, the opponent is the champs known for its air-tight defensive play. And they were on that game all night. 'They're not going to open up very much,' Knoblauch admitted after the game. 'They're a good, sound defensive team. They don't make any mistakes. We just had to try and execute a few more plays to open things up.' Oilers vs. Panthers Florida Panthers celebrate the win over the Edmonton Oilers at the end of Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup final in Edmonton, Saturday, June 14, 2025. (JASON FRANSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS) Panthers head coach Paul Maurice described his team's success in Game 5 as 'the smallest thing,' saying the Oilers were right there with them but that his players managed to stay on top of their assignments. 'it's two feet of ice taken, a good stick, close support,' Maurice told media. 'These are small margins, everything that happens on the ice. The danger of that team is always there. You've got to be a foot better, two feet better, a little better stick, all those small things ... 'I don't think there was an egregious difference (Saturday night in Game 5.) The final score doesn't tell the story. There are so many close plays are posted. It's a lot tighter than final score wants you to believe.' Nugent-Hopkins said the Oilers will 'stay confident, stay positive and take a look to see we can correct anything.' 'We had some looks, for sure, but maybe (we need to) find a way to generate some second, third looks quickly and pull them out of their formation a little bit more,' he said. Game 6 is scheduled for Tuesday in Sunrise, Fla.
