Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

'Is it we're gay?'

by Aaron Wherry on Wednesday, July 22, 2009 12:12pm - 20 Comments

Suzanne Girard poses the question of the day.

“To be told that there is no money, when there is. They have $100 million put aside; they chose not to give to Divers/Cité. The reasons … we don’t know. Is it we’re gay? Is it we’re Montrealers? We’re Québécois? It’s incredible they would decide at this late date, five days before our event starts,” said Girard.

Girard said the Divers/Cité festival, in its 17th year, provides vital economic stimulus. ”Per capita, we bring in more tourism than any other festival in Canada. And you can ask any Montreal taxi driver, the hotels … about our impact on Montreal … we are a niche market, we are an extremely important tourism event,” said Girard.

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John D

No, it's that you're so gay.
George Costanza

You're all waaaay overplaying these alleged gay issues. Empirically speaking, there are more Canadians who register various degrees of disapproval of discomfort with homosexuality than support the Tories in the first place, so this is basically a growth issue for them. All of these stories might get the Queensway crowd excited, but most Canadians don't and won't care.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Silly_Walks Silly_Walks

It's OK to be a bigot if a lot of other people are!
http://intensedebate.com/people/TJCook TJCook

"Empirically speaking, there are more Canadians who register various degrees of disapproval of discomfort with homosexuality than support the Tories in the first place"

Really? Do you have any data to back that up, or is "empirically speaking" just a figure of speech?

John D

Of course there is data, they have registered these disapprovals.

http://intensedebate.com/people/NotStephen Not Stephen Colbert

Without a doubt, the Disapproval Registry was the worst thing the Chrétien Liberals ever did.

George Costanza

If you'd ever researched Canadian public opinion you'd know that it wasn't a figure of speech. Its a fact. Do some homework.

http://www.canadianrosebud.blogspot.com rockfish

Gay Quebecers, the Cons are just not into you…
http://intensedebate.com/people/Stewart_Smith Stewart_Smith

The correct answer is yes and no.
No, this parade already receives funds from the government, this particular request was for additional stimulus funds to raise the profile of the event for tourism. So the Conservatives are comfortable supporting gay events (although the publicity around this issue may make bring some opposition from the core Christianist groups that form the financial backbone of the party for this ongoing funding).
Yes, it is because you are gay and the Toronto parade attracted the attention of said Christianist groups.
So really there are two issues: 1) in principle the Conservatives are willing to support gay events, but they abandon those principles when the $ talks.
2) The Conservatives do not appreciate that whatever the strategic goals are for spending or not spending $155,000 of taxpayer money, leaving the decision to 96 hours before the event is fiscal moronitude.

http://twitter.com/larrylarry @larrylarry

Are you even aware what Diver-cite is? It actually does not have a parade. It's not even "Pride", persay. It's a celebration of art and culture, targeted to the LGBTQ community, but open to all.
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/ottawasteph ottawasteph

"Fiscal moronitude." I love it!

Perhaps the problem is that they didn't ask for more than one million dollars, like other event organizers did. Their CED-Q funding is a bit over 100K and they asked for a bit over 100K under the MTEP for more acts. They were told that they met the critera and everything's a go. Harper Gov pulls the rug out from under them days before the event begins. I wonder how they will pay these performers now. Perhaps they will uninvite any, if at all, CPC representation from the Parade.

http://intensedebate.com/people/UnionStn UnionStn

Is this the same Suzanne Girard that was defending the Conservatives 2 weeks ago?
"Personally as an organization, we have been treated very fairly and on an even footing with everybody else," Girard said in an interview. "We've had to work hard, but like everybody else. We live in a great country in that we can do this, even if it is a Conservative government."
http://intensedebate.com/people/robert_mccl6309 Robert McClelland

Is it we're gay? Is it we're Montrealers? We're Québécois?

I have a suspicion it's because the Conservatives needed something to knock Koring's revelations off the radar.

http://intensedebate.com/people/SirJohn_Eh SirJohn_Eh

Oh my, well nevermind all that – where's Iggy??? What big words did he use today?? Why hasn't he solved all our problems and won every vote there is – plus Sudans??
I'm afraid that its gonna take absolute utter ridicule of Canadians and those wearing flag patches on their packs before we pay attention and all get out to vote.

http://www.ontario.ca civil servant

"per se"
http://intensedebate.com/people/jolyon jolyon

'good government' is an oxymoron and can't be achieved, as far as I am concerned.
http://www.intensedebate.com/people/jolyon jolyon

"Is it we’re gay? Is it we’re Montrealers?"

Quelle surprise! Yes, the cons gave you two years of funding in advance which is an obvious sign that they dislike homosexuals, Montrealers and tourists. Whatever will they do next?

Anon

Provide good government? Dare to dream…

http://www.intensedebate.com/people/jolyon jolyon

'good government' is an oxymoron and can't be achieved.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Jack_Mitchell Jack Mitchell

The corollary being that only morons should be in Government . . . No wonder you're a CPC fan.