[URBAN NOTE] "Ford a no-show at Pride flag raiser"

[rfmcdonald]

I'm linking to the Toronto Sun's coverage of Rob Ford's Pride issues (written by Don Peat) since it strikes me as significant that even the dominant right-wing tabloid newspaper isn't very supportive of Ford's sustained non-participation in one of the biggest civic events of the year. (I really do like the fact that GLBT issues are this mainstreamed in the metropolis that I live in, you know.)

Ford didn’t join almost 30 city councillors, provincial and federal politicians and hundreds of residents on City Hall’s green roof to raise the rainbow flag and kickoff this week’s Pride Toronto festivities.

Councillor Janet Davis said Ford should have been there.

“He should be in the parade on July 1, he should be here today,” Davis told reporters. “The residents of Toronto and the LGBT community should have answers for why he’s not here. It’s his job.”

Davis said there was nothing more important than being on the roof of City Hall Monday for the Pride flag raising.

“It’s a very important event and I want to know why he’s not here. I think that’s a reasonable question we should be asking,” she said. “He’s the mayor of this city, this is one of the largest public events this city has, raising the flag says clearly Toronto is a city that values diversity.”

The mayor said Friday he wasn’t attending the flag raising due to another commitment. But both Ford and his staff have been tight-lipped about what that other commitment was.

Councillor Shelley Carroll read the Pride week proclamation signed by Ford.

The crowd laughed at and then booed when Carroll read out Ford’s name but cheered when she mentioned city council.

Virgin Radio brought a cardboard cutout of the mayor to the event.

[. . .]

Kevin Beaulieu, executive director of Pride Toronto, said the most important thing for organizers was the community turnout.

“On a day like today I can’t complain about anything because the community was here, we raised the flag, many of elected representatives were here and I think that’s a wonderful kickoff to Pride,” Beaulieu said.