It’s taking on a life of it’s very own. A festival overshadowed by one man missing from its parade.
His Worship Don Atchison confirmed on Wednesday to Global News that he has chosen not be part of this year’s pride parade citing his father’s birthday as the reason why.
“I think there’s lots of priorities in life and I can tell you right now my father is celebrating his 90th birthday and I think my dad’s 90th birthday takes priority over everything,” said Saskatoon’s mayor.
“If people have a problem with me celebrating my dad’s 90th birthday too bad. He’s a great man and he deserves that day too,” he added.
READ MORE: Mayor confirms he will not be attending 2016 Pride Parade
It’s a move by the mayor that’s been controversial and has not only stirred up a lot of opinions but emotions as well. For over a decade, he has declined to participate in the parade opting to attend different events leading up to the big finale.
“He’s never attended the pride parade whatsoever. We have invited him 13 out of the 14 years he has been sitting in office,” said Danny Papadatos, chair of the Saskatoon Pride Festival.
Global News has now learned of constructive conversations that have been taking place within city hall walls to see what can be done to bring the two sides closer together.
The discussions come just days in advance of our city’s 24th Annual Pride Week set to kick off on June 3.
“Should they have started early, should they have started 14 years ago probably but the point is there they are starting,” said Papadatos.
Two weeks ago, Papadatos says he sat down one-on-one with a member of the mayor’s team, an olive branch to see what meaningful measures could be taken to mend the relationship.
Although Papadatos didn’t want to discuss specifics of the closed-door meeting, one suggestion that surfaced was sexual diversity and gender identity training and not just for the mayor.
“Going into an election year, I would love to see that as something that is offered to the entire council and for them to really take a stand point and say I want to know more about this community that is such a strong component and pulse of the city.”
Papadatos says there were no stipulations surrounding this request and that with lines of communication opening up this can only mean great things for the city, the festival and our community.
“There was a conversation saying these are some things that might benefit the relationship between our communities.”
It is also not intended to be an insult in anyway towards Mayor Atchison or council.
“Diversity training, it’s not just a matter of just him, everybody needs it,” Papadatos said.
“I challenge everybody to dig a little deeper and find out who we are as a community and come and celebrate with us, we want everybody to come and I think that’s the most important thing to take back from all of this.”
On Friday afternoon, a meeting was scheduled with Papadatos, a member of OUT Saskatoon, a communications person for the City of Saskatoon and the mayor.
City officials would not appear on camera but confirmed that his worship planned to meet with the diversity group at some point to talk, in the hopes of creating a dialogue as he does with many other groups and find a common ground.