It was as fabulous as I knew it would be, just even bigger than I imagined.
Downtown Toronto was given a jolt of extra colour on Sunday as more than 1 million people, some toting rainbow flags, marched the city’s streets for the 33rd annual Pride Parade.
Crowds of revellers lined the parade route behind barricades as they cheered on participants -- many of them wearing colourful and festive outfits that have become a hallmark of the internationally renowned parade.
Because imagine squeezing the entire population of Calgary into a narrow ten block area, and you can get an idea of what it was like to be there. I've never seen so many people in my life eh?
Or such a stunning high-energy display of pride and diversity...
Not just all the glorious colours of humanity, or all cultures and backgrounds, on parade.
But all ages as well...
With the older ones getting the biggest cheers for all the years they suffered.
And for our precious queer youth it must have been like a dream...
For as someone from Calgary said in the Star today: in Calgary you feel like your tolerated, here you feel like you're ACCEPTED. So their future looks brighter than ever.
It was also great to see the politicians join the party.
Tom Mulcair with his supersoaker...
And Justin Trudeau with Kathleen Wynne...
Although as you can see in this photo, Wynne had to be accompanied by plainclothes police officers, after some maniac threatened her and those attending the Pride Parade.
I heard about the threat before I left for the parade with Sébastien and a group of gay and straight friends. But it only made me more determined to be there...
And it did remind me of those I didn't see at the parade; the disgusting Con bigots of Canada.
Rob Ford skipped the parade for the third year in a row, so did Ontario PC leader Tim Hudak. And of course there were no signs of any members of Stephen Harper's bigot gang.
But then they weren't missed, they are not welcome in the beating heart of Canada's megalopolis. And as I pointed out last night those creepy Cons are only hurting themselves.
Like the Republicans in the United States their bigotry prevents them from reaching out beyond their rabid base. Even as that base withers and DIES.
Even as more and more Canadians, including some of their own supporters, won't even CONSIDER voting for them in the next election.
The online survey found that 51.5 per cent of Canadians would not consider voting for the Conservatives, compared to 36.4 per cent seven months earlier. The survey shows there's been a significant decline in the number of "people the Conservatives can try to grab, over the last number of months, and it speaks to the tough job that the Conservatives have," Nanos said.
So the writing is on the wall for the Cons. They're running out of history, they are yesterday's men, bigot juices pouring out of every orifice, heading for extinction.
Because believe me, I saw Canada's future today. It was awesome...
And it doesn't include the Cons.
And on this Canada Day it made me believe that this big beautiful young country that I love so much can be truly great again. An example to the world rather than a pariah nation.
And no sooner had I thought that, something amazing happened eh?
I was sitting on the balcony of my uncle's place, relaxing after such a wild day, when suddenly without warning, the barge in the bay erupted before my eyes.
To celebrate Canada's birthday !!!!
And this is a little of what it looked like...
Yup. It was a fabulous day.
And can you imagine the fireworks show we're going to have the day the Cons are DEFEATED?
The future belongs to us, and our beautiful country.
Happy Canada Day everybody !!!
Click here to recommend this post at Progressive Bloggers.
14 comments:
The Cons held their own version in a huge closet in Calgary.
And in other news the world now seems to understand Herren Harper, and he will soon be verboten.
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/06/24/oh_canada
I could only get info thru media but am thrilled that the Pride Parade was such a success. What wonderful pictures! Harper and co just look more and more ridiculous by ignoring it. They didn't just insult the gay community but their families, friends and supporters. The majority of us. So keep it up Steve so we will be guaranteed your defeat in 2015.
The Cons even used a tory blue stage on Parl Hill today for the Canada Day festivities. I wonder if they forgot that Canada's colour's are red and white. But the people didn't forget. The Hill was a sea of red and white. And we won't forget in 15. The last 2 days are strong signs of that but we have to keep fighting.
Cathy
Hope you enjoyed this year's Pride Parade, Simon. I know my younger brother was there in the crowd somewhere....although it wouldn't surprise me if was in the parade itself :)
hi Steve...no...no...the only Pride parades the Cons hold are when they gather to grovel before Boss Harper and tell him how proud they are to have him as a leader. Although I'm sure when Jason Kenney leads the chanting circle it must look a bit like a drag show... ;)
hi Steve...I love Andrew Nikiforuk's work, especially since he is the only MSM writer to make the connection between Harper's extreme religious views and his total disregard for the environment. But I'm not worried about the world. Most civilized countries now regard as virtual pariahs. I just wish more Canadians understood the real Harper, and why he is such a threat to this country...and the planet. But we are making progress, and the Herring Harper will be kippered... ;)
hi Cathy...It was an amazing success. As I said in my post I have never seen so many people. They lengthened the parade route to try to stretch the crowd out, but it was still packed on both sides for as far as you could see five to ten-people deep. But what's amazing is that hundreds of thousands also partied in the village and there were no ugly scenes of drunken behaviour or violence. Just all kind of people and families having a fun time.
As for the Parliament show festivities I watched part of the show and I quite liked it. It was sweet and so Canadian. But yes, I could not ignore the blue background, and Steve's absurd militarism. Oh well, today they're trying to paint the roses blue, tomorrow they'll be singing the blues... ;)
hi Way Way Up...I really enjoyed the parade. You know we talk a lot about diversity in Canada, even though so many still live in separate worlds. But what I saw at this mammoth event was a glimpse of the real diversity that could bind us together and make us a real power house one day. At one point I was standing behind an Asian-Canadian couple. He was standing there with his camera. She was sitting in a collapsible chair massively pregnant. And I thought this is GREAT. Until the thought came into my head, if she goes into labour, and Seb and I have to deliver a baby on the sidewalk in the middle of this sea of humanity, they'll have to take me away on a stretcher as well... ;)
But yeah, it was great, and I hope your brother had a good a time as I did...
Now, now, Simon.
Steve's absotively positutely right about the big closet and don't be jealous just because harpo and henney-kenney look better in chintz than some others do.
Not very cricket, ay what? ;-)
Glad you got a chance to live and enjoy the Canada you know exists somewhere under the stolen elections, cynical harpercon press and all the other bullshit.
One-million people partying and no violence. We need more PRIDE in this country.
I'd like to add that free the people has a stimulating effect on the economy and if the conservatives arnt on board then they are lost in their devices. Real progress would be religeous fractions taking part or get busy fighting Halloween. Come out come out who ever we are and join a brand new day
hi thwap...yes I must say it did make me feel good about this country. I'bve never lost hope in it, but the sight of all those people having a peaceful good time together, gave me new hope for the future. And believe me brother we WILL be proud of this country again...
hi anonymous... nicely said. The festival does have a very big effect on the city's economy. And a brand new day is coming...
I'll be honest about the Conservatives, though: what seems to generally happen in Canadian federal politics is that one party makes it big and stays in power for a number of years (ex. Brian Mulroney's Conservatives from about the mid-'80s to mid-90s) and then falls big-time to its rival. It's a bit like a Greek tragedy: greatness, then a fall. So I wouldn't be surprised if Harper loses to the Liberals (I'll also be honest in that I think the NDP's position as official Opposition was a fluke). Then the Liberals will be in power for some more years and lose to the Conservatives. Same thing with Toronto municipal politics. We have a liberal mayor for a few years, then a more conservative one, and so on and so forth. So a Liberal victory wouldn't really be anything new.
Emily
Post a Comment