President of Calgary Pride Jason Kingsley says conservative politicians are welcome to take part in next weekend’s parade as spectators, but not enough is known about the nascent United Conservative Party‘s approach to LGBTQ issues for members to be included in the march. Pride is also sticking by its decision that police only attend out of uniform.
READ MORE: United Conservative Party’s application to participate in Calgary Pride parade rejected
The new party’s interim board passed a resolution this week affirming support for LGBTQ rights and promising to promote and embrace the community in the party.
“It’s a great first step to see them put something like that out there,” Calgary Pride president Jason Kingsley said following the official raising of the Pride flag outside the government’s office in downtown Calgary on Friday.
“However, we still look forward to continuing the conversation over the next year to see how that’s going to be reflected in their platform and their policy going forward.”
Christine Way, director of issues management for the United Conservatives, said party members, including interim leader Nathan Cooper, plan to attend the Sept. 3 parade as spectators.
“While we are disappointed to not be participating this year, we respect the organizing committee’s decision,” she said.
A spokesperson for the UCP told Global News Friday the board had no further comment on the issue.
Party leadership contender Jason Kenney, a former federal cabinet minister, said earlier this week that he wouldn’t be attending the parade because he wasn’t invited.
READ MORE: Jason Kenney offered help to set up meeting with gay-straight groups after k.d. lang exchange
Kingsley said the only politician who receives a formal invite to the parade is the premier and Kenney is welcome to attend alongside an LGBTQ liaison.
Kingsley said he’d rather politicians who don’t back up their support for LGBTQ rights with policy stay home on the day of the parade.
“It’s not a marketing mechanism,” he said following the official raising of the Pride flag outside the government’s southern Alberta office in downtown Calgary on Friday.
“It’s not OK to come and say that they support — and march and garner public opinion in that manner — and then not support policy and legislation when it matters.”
LGBTQ advocates have offered to set up a meeting between Kenney and students who belong to gay-straight alliances at school. The clubs are meant to foster understanding, help gay kids feel less isolated and reduce bullying and harassment.
A spokesperson declined to comment on whether Kenney will accept the offer.
Alberta Culture Minister Ricardo Miranda, who is openly gay, said the silence is telling.
“It’s rather interesting to see somebody who wants to be the leader in this province who is not taking the time to understand the issue, who is not actually taking the time to sit down with the community and hear what the community has to say,” he said at the flag-raising.
Meantime, Kingsley released a joint statement Friday with Calgary Police Chief Roger Chaffin and Mayor Naheed Nenshi related to Pride’s July request that police march in the parade out of uniform.
READ MORE: Calgary Pride 2017 – organizers tell police not to wear uniforms at parade
It said the mayor’s office held a meeting with representatives from Calgary Pride, the Calgary Police Service (CPS), including Chaffin, the Chief’s Gender and Sexually Diverse Advisory Committee as well as members of LGBTQ+ community and the Calgary Police Commission (CPC).
The goal of the meeting was for further collaboration—not to change Pride’s decision with respect to police participation in the parade, it said.
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“I’m pleased that we’ve had the opportunity to continue discussions focused on creating impactful and inclusive solutions to positively enhance the relationship with all members of Calgary’s gender and sexually diverse community,” Kingsley said in the statement. “There is clearly a desire on all sides to work together and find ways to develop the relationship between all segments of the GSD community and we’re proud to be a part of a long-term, positive outcome for everyone.”
READ MORE: Calgary councillor threatens to boycott 2017 Pride parade over police uniforms – ‘We’re not Toronto’
Chaffin also expressed his desire for ongoing conversations with the LGBTQ community so as to “find ways to improve our relationship and address their concerns.”
The mayor emphasized the importance of ongoing communication.
“It’s crucial that we have an open dialogue and I’m encouraged that Calgary Pride and CPS, with support from the Calgary Police Commission and the mayor’s office, are committed to building on this relationship to better serve all Calgarians,” Nenshi said in the statement.
Watch below from July 26: There’s an emotional debate happening in Calgary over Pride’s decision to exclude uniformed Calgary police officers from participating in the 2017 parade. Nancy Hixt reports.
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