The Toronto Police have decided not to march in the 2017 Toronto Pride parade, a decision that has some city officials worried.
In a statement released earlier today, Mayor John Tory said he was "frustrated and disappointed with the current situation," But he remains hopeful that Pride Toronto and the police can come to some sort of agreement for future participation.
Here is my statement on @TorontoPolice participation in Pride. http://pic.twitter.com/zObp4Ul03B
— John Tory (@JohnTory) February 10, 2017
Ward 27 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam had a more urgent and alarming message.
"The decision does not come without concerns and in the near future we most likely will be faced with a recurring challenge – a threat to revoke the City of Toronto's funding for the festival," she said in a statement.
My statement on Pride Toronto and the Toronto Police. https://t.co/dh0ILrx76J #CanQueer #LGBTQ2S
— Kristyn Wong-Tam (@kristynwongtam) February 10, 2017
"I recognize that this would not have been an easy decision for [police chief Mark Saunders]. Whether or not the TPS should be involved in the parade in the longer term is an open discussion, but Chief Saunders' decision explicitly provides the community with space in 2017 to address the issue without the constraint of a June deadline," she says.
In 2016 the city gave $260,000 in funding to Pride Toronto.
Wong-Tam didn't address the threat to remove funding any further, but like the police and Mayor Tory, she urged all parties involved to work on rebuilding relationships.
by Phil Villeneuve via blogTO
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