Premier Christy Clark takes a pass on the Pride parade

by Charlie Smith on Aug 1, 2011 at 9:59 am
Christy Clark wore pink to a previous Pride parade, but she was nowhere to be seen yesterday in the West End.
Stephen Hui

Yesterday, I wrote a post about the politicians I saw in the 2011 Vancouver Pride parade.

One of the commenters pointed out that she didn't see a single B.C. Liberal MLA, and then declared, "Shame on them."

I never saw any of them, either, even though Vancouver has six B.C. Liberal MLAs—Christy Clark, Colin Hansen, Moira Stilwell, Margaret MacDiarmid, Mary McNeil, and Kash Heed.

As a broadcaster, Clark made a name for herself as an opponent of bullying, urging people to wear pink on Anti-Bullying Day. She wore pink herself when she climbed aboard the CKNW Radio float in 2009.

This year's Pride parade offered her an opportunity as premier to reinforce that message. I'm left wondering why she didn't show up, given that she represents Vancouver-Point Grey. The MP for that area and her former cabinet colleague, Joyce Murray, marched in the parade.

Did Clark not want to alienate the religious right, which is being wooed by the B.C. Conservatives? Was she afraid of being booed by the crowd? Was she ill? Or just taking the day off with her kid?

Maybe it was a combination of all of the above. Or perhaps Clark and some of those other B.C. Liberal MLAs did march in the parade, and I just missed them. That's a slim possibility, given that this event lasted for hours.

But I find it interesting that when Toronto mayor Rob Ford took a pass on the annual Pride march in his city, it became a major news story in Ontario. In comparison, Clark appears to have gotten off relatively unscathed.

Special coverage

Vancouver Pride 2011

Comments (26) Add New Comment
Stephen Elliott-Buckley
Aug 1, 2011 at 10:33 am
Does this mean "Families First" just means "Heterosexual Families First"?
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Talia
Aug 1, 2011 at 10:58 am
@Stephen, yes, that's exactly what it means.

Did the premier do anything leading up to the parade, other events etc.?

Rob Ford in Toronto wasn't at the flag raising, wasn't at the parade. He could easily have been at the flag raising - he was hiding inside City Hall instead.
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WinkDinkerson
Aug 1, 2011 at 11:24 am
Christy's political ass belongs to the Conservative party now. Yes, the Liberal Party of B.C. is really just the Conservative party. Probably won't be long before the name changes to Conservative.
In the meantime, in the dimly lit rooms of Conservative caucus meetings the memo says 'stay away from anything gay'. Of course, the memo was written by the big guy at the top in Ottawa...
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Standing Water BA LLD MBA
Aug 1, 2011 at 11:31 am
How about Family First?

"I can make my solemn act of dedication with a whole Empire listening. I should like to make that dedication now. It is very simple.

I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong."
Princess Elizabeth's 21st Birthday Message

Oh, for the days when everyone was part of one family---even if it takes a war to do that, it's probably better than the loathsome tripe we suffer under now, one part of the Imperial Family biting against another, trying to take its share of the pie.

As to the article, maybe she didn't want to. You know, "true north strong and free"? Free meaning free to go to the Pride Parade, to not go to the Pride Parade, without having to provide some sort of justification?
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Mr. Jones
Aug 1, 2011 at 12:40 pm
Like a lot of families she probably didn't want to expose her young son to the offensive sexuality of some of the parade participants. Perfectly understandable.
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Carrot
Aug 1, 2011 at 1:26 pm
so where was Gregor?
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Charlie Smith
Aug 1, 2011 at 1:33 pm
Gregor was marching with the Vancouver Police Department:

http://www.straight.com/article-413607/vancouver/videos-hedy-fry-adrian-...

Charlie Smith
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Rich Neo-Con Politicians Hate
Aug 1, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Neo-Cons give the BC Fiberals their marching orders from the Harpo Government in Ottawa.

That means NO Gays & dark skinned people, Black, Brown & Yellow.

YOUTUBE HARPO GOVERNMENT 3...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qItqs4HO6hc
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Duplicity
Aug 1, 2011 at 2:10 pm
Was she keeping up the BC Liberal long weekend traditions?

http://lailayuile.com/2011/07/26/surrey-mayor-dianne-watts-named-as-defe...
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Brent
Aug 1, 2011 at 2:19 pm
Why should politicians be forced to attend this event? What if they don't agree with all that it stands for? We are still allowed to have our own viewpoints are we not, even if free speech seems to have all but vanished nowadays?
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Melissa Ann
Aug 1, 2011 at 3:12 pm
Politicians being chastized for NOT attending events is becoming incredibly tired. Supporting an event or cause isn't about showing up to a gigantic street festival once a year, public figure or not. Any negative derived from Christy's absence is empty speculation and assumption.
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dread nugent
Aug 1, 2011 at 5:32 pm
Maybe Christy .. being the hot little tamale she is .... was tired of getting hit on by Libby Davies... not that there is anything wrong with that ..... but how many times can you say NO politely????

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Chet
Aug 1, 2011 at 6:27 pm
there's a bad joke in there, but i think i'll leave it.
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Sarah Martin
Aug 1, 2011 at 6:54 pm
Christy Clark does whatever is best for her political career. She is B.C.'s NANCY GRACE - god forbid she is elected.

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GOT
Aug 1, 2011 at 7:16 pm
oh...so it's not really a parade about gay and lesbian pride; it's a parade about finding out who's on your side, and specifically making a point about which important people are -or are not - on your side? Hmmm...ever see an Orange parade in a Catholic neighbourhood? Guess I knew that it wasn't just people marching because they were proud to be Protestant, it was about making people who weren't marching (i.e. not Protestant) feel inferior, marginalized, vulnerable and threatened. I like parades that are celebrations of human accomplishment, not parades that are about creating more divisiveness. I'm sure most gay people would say they themselves have felt inferior, marginalized, vulnerable and threatened in the past ...so why start pointing the finger at others just because they weren't in your parade? I know it's Vancouver, but how about just trying to have FUN and, oh yeah! showing some pride in what you're accomplishing?
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mary harrington
Aug 1, 2011 at 8:48 pm
why doesnt the pride parade vgo to Babylon and really get lost and leave those silent gay's / lesbian's alone . dont you think it's all about vulgarity .
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Michael111
Aug 2, 2011 at 12:35 am
Why? Did you want to villainize her? Why? Does it say in her contract she has to attend or order one of her stall? Everyone gets freedom our courts give it away, go watch a few trials or read your own papers. All the court are busy. How many in BC? What do you mean crime doesn't pay? They can afford all the luxuries in jail. And I hear they want to unionize. Their going professional. I wonder when they will strike?
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cias
Aug 2, 2011 at 9:56 am
I also wasn't there. I thought it was just because I had other things I wanted to do. I didn't realize I hated gays.
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kidrawk
Aug 2, 2011 at 12:03 pm
@cias: Now you know.
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Michael_K
Aug 2, 2011 at 4:58 pm
"Why should politicians be forced to attend this event?"

Well by that logic, why should politicians go to any public event? We should just hide them in a closet and only pull them out when we need them.

"What if they don't agree with all that it stands for?"

And they shouldn't go into politics. When they get elected they get elected to represent ALL the people. They attend these events not as a private person but as a public figure. Whatever they PERSONALLY think about it does not factor in, they give that right up once they assume office. Much like a soldier cannot chose when to obey an order and when not so politicians can't chose when they like to do their job and when not.

"We are still allowed to have our own viewpoints are we not, [”¦]?

As a private person they can have any opinion and viewpoint they like, when they become elected though and take part (or are supposed to take part) in an event as the elected official then no, they do not get to have their own viewpoints.
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