Toronto City Council is currently discussing whether or not it should withhold Pride's annual $260,000 grant since police aren't allowed to march in uniform during the widely attended parade.
Today, however, Metrolinx announced that GO Transit safety officers would not wear uniforms while participating in the parade to avoid being confused with police.
The fact that a single Toronto city councillor wants to withhold funding from Pride Toronto is an embarrassment to the city.
— Sarah Dasha (@heradasha) May 26, 2017
This was a safety decision born out "out of an abundance of caution," said Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins, reports CBC News.
@TorontoStar @PrideToronto Congratulations GO for understanding that Pride isn't all about you.
— Andy Buday (@Hurka) May 26, 2017
TTC officers won't be marching in uniform either, but they'll don plain clothes in solidarity with the police. As the Toronto Star writes, fare inspectors and special constables came to this decision themselves.
After last year's parade, Pride and its members voted to accept all of Black Lives Matter Toronto's demands, which includes banning police from appearing in uniform at the parade.
Pride months kicks off next week, on June 1.
Correction: An earlier version of this post indicated that TTC fare collectors won't march in uniform for Pride, when in fact it is fare inspectors who have made that decision.
by Staff via blogTO
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