The town of Westlock, Alberta, will lose its seven-months-old Pride-colored crosswalk, and its Pride flags this summer, following a plebiscite that passed with less than 51% in favor. The full story ...
Pride Month a success for Alberta towns this year, despite an increase in backlash | CBC News Edmonton | Ariel Fournier:
July 4, 2023 - "On a sunny evening last week, a crowd of revellers celebrating Pride Month in Westlock, Alta., painted a rainbow crosswalk for the first time in the town's history. Despite some worries that the event could be disrupted by protests, it went off without a hitch....
"The crosswalk project had been proposed by the Thunder Alliance, a group that supports members of the LGBTQ community at R.F. Staples Secondary School in the town 90 kilometres north of Edmonton [Alberta's capital]. In May, councillors voted unanimously to support painting the crosswalk on 106th Street, between Westlock's town hall and the Royal Canadian Legion. But at a council meeting June 12, some people showed up to voice angry objections....
"'We did receive a lot more pushback than we anticipated,' Heidi Mills, a school social worker and a lead teacher with the Thunder Alliance, said at the crosswalk-painting event. 'Despite all of the hate that we've received, look at this crowd,' she said, gesturing to the group of more than 200 people. 'It's giving me goosebumps right now.'"
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-pride-backlash-towns-1.6895610
Alberta town proposes bylaw to restrict Pride flags, crosswalks | Western Standard | Jen Hodgson:
November 29, 2023 - "The Westlock, AB city council has moved to restrict Pride flags and crosswalks in favour of displaying only municipal, provincial and federal insignia. The crosswalks and sidewalks would return to simple white paint on grey pavement. On Monday, Westlock town council decided to let the residents vote on the potential bylaw, which will take place in February.
"The decision came after a group of residents brought a petition to council in September decrying the Pride colours painted on town infrastructure, which was done in June by the 'gay-straight alliance' at local high school R.F. Staples Secondary. The painting initiative was endorsed by city officials at the time. Deputy Mayor Murtaza Jamaly told CTV News they 'thought it was a great opportunity to demonstrate we are an inclusive and welcoming community'....
"At the council meeting Monday, Jamaly said roughly 10% of the town's population, which is 4,921 people, signed the petition.... 'There wasn't a way that we could find ourselves passing that at council's table,' he said. 'Therefore under the legislative process, it goes to a plebiscite vote.'"
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/news/alberta-town-proposes-bylaw-to-restrict-pride-flags-crosswalks/50618
Town north of Edmonton could ban Pride crosswalks, flags | CityNews | November 28, 2023:
Irwin demands Westlock support Pride flags, crosswalks | Western Standard | Jonathan Bradley:
November 30, 2023 - "Alberta NDP MLA Janis Irwin (Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood) said Westlock, AB, needs to keep allowing Pride flags and rainbow crosswalks. 'Banning a Pride flag or rainbow crosswalk won’t make queer and trans people go away,' tweeted Irwin on Wednesday. 'But it will send a message that they’re less safe to be who they are in your community.' Irwin went on to say she remembers the day Westlock painted a rainbow crosswalk and how powerful it was to see people uniting....
"Stonewall Riots survivor Fred Sargeant said there 'are absurd tweets and then there's laughably absurd tweets.... No one is less safe because a distracting crosswalk is gone,' said Sargeant.... Queens’ Speech host Clive Simpson called Irwin 'f*cking ridiculous.' 'Some of us managed to survive the times when there were NO RAINBOW FLAGS ANYWHERE,' said Simpson."
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/alberta/irwin-demands-westlock-support-pride-flags-crosswalks/50646
Trudeau says Poilievre waging culture war with gender ideology | Western Standard | Jonathan Bradley:
February 22, 2024 - "Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and conservative politicians of attacking transgender people to deflect from their success at creating division, anger and toxicity. 'They’re quick with slogans and buzzwords and culture wars,' said Trudeau at a Wednesday press conference in Edmonton. 'But they’re not doing the work of actually rolling up their sleeves and delivering 330 housing units here.'”
Read more: https://www.westernstandard.news/alberta/watch-trudeau-says-poilievre-waging-culture-war-with-gender-ideology/52624
BREAKING: Westlock votes to ban Pride crosswalks, other flags by 24 votes | Town and Country Today | Kristine Jean:
February 22, 2024 - "Westlock residents have voted to ban Pride crosswalks and allow the town to only fly flags representative of the municipal, provincial, or federal governments. Hundreds of local citizens went to the polls Thurs. Feb. 22 and voted to support bylaw 2023-14 in a plebiscite.... A total of 663 residents voted yes to ban Pride crosswalks and flags, while a total of 639 residents voted no to the bylaw, a difference of just 24 votes....
"Westlock Mayor Jon Kramer said in a press release that council did not support the proposed bylaw and felt it went against council's commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. 'This plebiscite is binding, and as such, the bylaw does restrict how we are able to show this commitment. However, we will continue to find ways to embrace those in our community who need a helping hand, including marginalized groups..... That won’t stop, it will just take on a different form. We know the Town of Westlock is a welcoming community and that will not change.'"
Read more: https://www.townandcountrytoday.com/westlock-news/breaking-westlock-votes-to-ban-pride-crosswalks-other-flags-by-24-votes-8345490
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