Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make history in Halifax on Saturday, becoming the first sitting prime minister to march in the Nova Scotia capital’s Pride Parade.
Trudeau announced earlier this week he would be attending, tweeting “See you there!” shortly after Halifax Pride revealed the news on Twitter.
READ MORE: Plan route carefully if you want to see this weekend’s Halifax Pride Parade
Trudeau was in southern Nova Scotia visiting a summer camp for kids in Shelburne, N.S., before visiting Kejimkujik National Park with his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau and his children.
But Trudeau added he’d like to be the last “first” prime minister to attend Pride.
“[I’m] very much looking forward to getting that over with, so there aren’t any more ‘firsts’ and that it just be expected that politicians of all different parties, including prime ministers, when their schedules allow, march in pride parades across the country,” he said.
About 100,000 expected
It’s estimated approximately 100,000 people will attend Halifax’s 30th Pride Parade, and Trudeau’s attendance could mean even more people lining both sides of the street.
Morgan Manzer, chair of Pride, said he’s hopeful that attention will also be given to community groups in the parade and said they’d use the prime minister’s presence will give them the opportunity to encourage him to “move progress forward” for the community.
READ MORE: Justin Trudeau to march in Halifax Pride Parade
But Manzer recognizes this year has not been without controversy.
Earlier this year, Halifax Regional Police chose not to participate in the 2017 parade “in consideration of a national debate about police participation in pride parades.”
“We’ve taken several concrete steps to make Pride more inclusive, more diverse and hear more voices of the needs of members of our community,” Manzer said. “Halifax Pride is meant to be a platform to share the stories and lived experiences of members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.”
Trudeau marching in the parade won’t be the only first for the event. The Wabanaki Two Spirit Alliance, which represents Indigenous people from across Atlantic Canada, will be marching as well and, in fact, will be leading the entire march through the city.
John R. Sylliboy, with the alliance, said their participation means a recognition of how the community has grown.
“They’re saying, ‘You know what, we recognize that we’re a diverse representation. We’re no longer just that LGBT. We’re more than that’,” Sylliboy said.
WATCH: The Halifax Pride Festival kicks off its 30th year with a number of celebrations and events beginning July 20th.
“We recognize that the Halifax Pride festival does take place on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people,” Manzer said.
Pride says there have been some concerns within the community about the commercialization of the festival, but the events are still about commemoration and protest — the historic root of the event.
“We are taking concrete steps to better understand the motives and intent of why people are participating in our festival and working collaboratively with them to continue to make sure they’re taking steps to move progress forward,” Manzer explained.
For people heading to the parade, Halifax Pride, as well as the City of Halifax, are advising people to give themselves plenty of time as several detours are in place, as well as the closure of the MacDonald Bridge.
READ MORE: Tens of thousands of people line streets for Halifax Pride Parade
Halifax’s Pride Parade marks day two of the entire festival. For an entire list of festival events, you can visit Pride’s website.
—With files from Steve Silva, Global News
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