Borderland Pride 'profoundly disappointed' over lack of support from Emo council

A Pride organization basedin the Rainy River District of northwestern Ontario is expressing continued disappointment with lack of support from leadership in a small town in the area.

Thisweek, organizers of Borderland Pride presented town council in Emo with a petition, asking it to reverse a previous decision not to declare June Pride Month. However, the petition, which now has over 1,700 signatures, failed to sway the council.

• 'Renewed meaning': Borderland Pride launches campaign to show support for LGBTQ community
• Pride Lives Here: Big plans for Pride Month in Thunder Bay

"We're pretty profoundly disappointed," said Doug Judson, co-chair of Borderland Pride.

"It's a fairly profound abdication of leadership to not be willing to accept and understand that there are real barriers facing an equity seeking group in your community," he said, noting that lack of support and resources can be especially big problems for LGBTQ people in small rural communities.

"So it was certainly very distressing. I really want to commend the two councillorsthat spoke in support of what we're trying todo at the meeting."

Although the majority of the signatures on the petition are from people living outside of the small community - a fact noted by Emo mayor Harold McQuaker - it should have sent a strong message, regardless, said Judson.

"We tried to demonstrate to the council that there is widespread support for what we're trying to achieve from across northwestern Ontario. So there were several hundred signatures from the immediately surrounding communities in the Rainy River District, and several hundred from the wider region," he said.

The council vote was a "majority rules" decision, McQuakersaid, and was not meant to discriminate.

Judson said theorganization has also dealt with some additional"disheartening" incidents in recent days. He said several of their Pride lawn signs have gone missing, prompting it to recommend that people take their signs inside at night.

However, he said there has also been high demand for signs from throughout the region from people wanting to show support. Its 'Pride Lives Here' campaign has been embraced by Pride organizations in both Kenora and Thunder Bay.