we should've known!

about this time last year, i posted this blog about conservative tourism ministry diane ablonczy being "disciplined" for contributing $400'000.oo to to toronto pride at the behest of MP brad trost.

fast forward one year and we have threats to cut pride funding, then actual pride funding cuts, a huge pride controversy, and a pride victory.

here's the post from last year, as a reminder that funding cuts don't come out of nowhere and we have to be more vigilant.


"an interesting choice of words."


"PRIDE GRANT A POKE IN THE EYE"

apparently a conservative mp from saskatchewan, brad trost, got all pissy this week because the conservatives supported pride week at a federal level.

tourism ministry diane ablonczy has been "disciplined" for contributing $400'000.oo to to toronto pride.

according to trost, "the pro-life and the pro-family community should know and understand the the tourism funding money that went to the gay pride parade in toronto was not government policy, was not supported by... a large majority of the mp's."1

bitch, please.

bitch, PLEASE.

does he even have any clue how much tourism pride week in toronto brings to this country? this isn't a case of toronto reaping all of the benefits, people from all over the world come to canada for pride festivities and this douchebag has the audacity to claim that it shouldn't be supported by the government?!

tracey sandilands, the exec. director of pride toronto pointed out that $397'500.00 of the contribution went towards items such as "improved access for disabled people, infrastructure spending and 'top calibre' entertainment."2

so what is he complaining about? a lot of the gays at pride have families, probably some of them vote conservative even.

and, apparently the toronto pride application was so amazing that the tourism minister insisted on coming to toronto to present the cheque. her appearance "with transvestites" inflamed a lot of tempers apparently.

stephen harper should be thanking his fucking lucky stars that this woman decided to do what she did. toronto pride provides a HUGE stimulus to the city, the province, and the country and it would serve the conservatives well not to come across as such goddamned bigots once in awhile.

i can guarantee that if brad trost spent five minutes with my friend chad he would change his tune pretty quickly, tear off his shirt, rub on some glitter, and have a dance off with a hundred other sweaty, proud men."