Sudbury Pride decides not to hold a march following backlash over police presence
CBC
Fierté Sudbury Pride is backtracking on an earlier decision to go ahead with its annual march as some have expressed concerns over police involvement in the event.
The presence of law enforcement is required to obtain an event permit from the city as the chosen route requires some traffic control.
Last year's march was scrapped for similar reasons – but the board of the non-profit wanted to bring the event back this year as a way to increase 2SLGBTQ+ visibility amid a rise of hate across the country.
That decision, however, prompted some backlash, with several community members sharing their negative experiences with law enforcement at a Fierté Sudbury Pride meeting earlier in May.
The chair of the organization, Nathan Kanasawe, says the debate over whether to hold a march if it involves the police opened up opportunities for the community to get together.
"I feel like I've talked to more people in the last couple weeks than I have [since] becoming the chair," he said.
"So I think that it was really important for it all to happen this way."
The 2SLGBTQ+ community could still decide to organize a march, but it would not be hosted by Fierté Sudbury Pride, which will instead be focusing on its other pride week programming.
Kanasawe says conversations about police at pride events are complicated, with everyone having different experiences with law enforcement.
"There are some people that never have negative experiences with police, and other people will regularly have [one]," he said, adding he had both positive and negative experiences in Sudbury and elsewhere.
Kanasawe says the decision not to hold the march ultimately boils down to what is fair and equitable. He's hoping the 2SLGBTQ+ folks will use this as a moment to come together.
"We want people to show up. I want to show up and feel connected and part of the community," he said.
Three board members have left their roles in the weeks after the return of the march was announced.
The organization's financial lead, Matthew Morin, resigned on Monday. He believes Sudbury Pride should have gone ahead with the march – even if police have to be present at intersections.
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