Six delegates to compete in Mr. Gay Canada 2012

Who will be Canada's next role model for gay rights?

We'll find out when six candidates compete for the title of Mr. Gay Canada over the course of a three-day event held February 9 to 11 in Whistler, B.C. It'll coincide with the WinterPride Festival, and is also part of an OUTtv reality TV series (to air in the spring).

The judges are searching for a representative who will help to advance gay rights on both a national and global level, develop greater awareness and understanding of homophobia, and help make the world a more inclusive place for everyone.

The competition will be held both indoors and outdoors, and include physical tests and interviews.

The winner will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Johannesburg, South Africa to represent Canada in the Mr. Gay World 2012 competition, which takes place April 4 to 8.

The candidates are:

• not-for-profit executive director Calan Breckon, who has been involved with the Diversity Project, the Vancouver Queer Film Festival, and North American Outgames
• lifeguard and educator Ryan Clayton, whose community involvement includes cochairing the City of Vancouver LGBTQ Civic Committee and helping to create the Purple Letter Campaign
• marketer and blogger Brian Webb, who has been involved with Vancouver Pride 2010 and 2011, Toronto Pride 2011, Okanagan Pride 2011, Salt Spring Island Pride 2011, and YouthGLo
• youth worker and Oasis server Jeremy Long, who has been involved with YouthCo AIDS Society
• independent environmental consultant and international tour leader Thomas Egli, who is a UBC Bachelor of Science graduate in ecology and environmental biology
• federal government worker Rick Renaud, who has been the president of Pride CK and director of London Pride.

Check out full details about the contestants at the Mr. Gay Canada website, where online readers can also vote for the people's choice award.

You can follow Craig Takeuchi on Twitter at twitter.com/cinecraig. You can also follow the Straight's LGBT coverage on Twitter at twitter.com/StraightLGBT.