Pride this year has much to celebrate again with community, activism, arts and culture. As we enjoy Toronto Pride and its theme of 'can't stop, won't stop', we also acknowledge the festivals and marches throughtout the province and the dedication of june as pride month in the United States, along with new rights for federal workers and states moving quickly on gay marriage.. California's mishap excepted..

The Green Party will have a strong prescence as usual in Toronto. You'll hear from us that the federal Party had the first (only?) openly gay party leader, and were first to support gay marriage, as policy in 1996. Our members were right on the ball and ahead of the game.

But this isn't time to rest. The Party must keep ahead of the curve on queer issues, and let the other parties move ahead with legislation that is Green policy - as happens on so many issues - though preferably with elected Greens soon at the table. We need to be expressing these issues by writing strong new policy because there is still much to do. A panel this week on international human rights for trans people asked if we had really Started the work in Ontario (not just can't stop, won't stop). With gender identity and expression still not in the Ontario human rights code, high suicide, depression and homelessness rates among queer and questioning youth, struggles for proper health care and identity, widespread intolerance through much of the province.. Where do we go from here? We Greens can't stop on what's collectively been achieved. We must work to create new party policies to support rights for queer and questioning youth to those facing difficulties in retirement homes, and people of marginalized communities. We won't stop until people are not treated unequally based on who they are or how they express themselves.

Get involved by contacting us to move rights and dignity forward in all of our values, as well as provincial policies and funding.
And be sure to join us and our leadeship in Sunday's parade!

Darcy Higgins
Policy Coordinator
Green Party of Ontario