Premier Ford says he will attend Pride events, but not the parade

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. – Premier Doug Ford says he will attend Pride events this month, even though he won’t be at the signature Toronto parade.

Ford says he won’t go to the Toronto Pride parade because of a decision to prevent uniformed police officers from marching in it.

But, he says, he has no problem going to Pride events, saying it’s great for people to gather and it is a real boost to the economy.

Ford says when he was involved with the family label business he donated printing to Pride, but he says he can’t figure out why they don’t want police there.

Pride members narrowly voted earlier this year to indefinitely bar uniformed officers from the parade – police can still march, just not in uniform.

Uniformed officers were first banned from the parade in 2017 over concerns of racial profiling.

They were banned again in 2018 over criticism the force had not taken seriously the disappearances of several men with ties to the city’s gay village, who turned out to be the victims of a serial killer.