This week saw an incredible story emerge in Toronto where the membership of Toronto Pride voted 163 to 161 to ban police from participation in Pride. The vote itself was marred in some controversy as the Executive Director of Toronto Pride waved off allegations of stacking the membership and refused to step down despite public demands from members of Toronto Pride.

The Board of Directors of Toronto Pride recommended to members that the Police be able to participate, and this comes on the heel of the Executive Director having issued an invite, and Pride Toronto receiving a substantial grant of $450,000 from Public Safety Canada to improve the relationship between the police and the LGBT community. The invitation and the funds raised questions of Pride Toronto, and a note to the members of Pride Toronto revealed that the decision to ban uniformed officers, and other factors such as internal reorganization lead to a ‘gap’ which include mainly mounting debt. It also noted that they were unable to re-establish all of their sponsor relationships, and noted any further threats to its funding would impact it’s ability to operate.

The membership of Toronto Pride however voted in a binding resolution to prohibit the uniformed participation of the Toronto Police Service (TPS). TPS for their part noted that they will be continuing to work on the relationship. The Mayor of Toronto however, was disappointed, and unwilling to accept that as Toronto Pride’s final position on the issue.

Queer News will continue to follow the story.