/
1x
Advertisement
Proudly Canadian, obsessively Toronto. Subscribe to Toronto Life!
City News

The Beaches Easter Parade bans politicians

By Steve Kupferman
Copy link
(Image: Bunny: daveynin ; Ford: Christopher Drost)
(Image: Bunny: daveynin; Ford: Christopher Drost)

The Beaches Easter Parade has occasionally, weirdly, been a magnet for political trouble. Former councillor Sandra Bussin was pilloried in the press for using part of her office budget to buy a bunny suit for use in the parade, and in 2012 Rob Ford is believed to have injured his back while performing his annual photo-op ritual: tossing candy to kids on the sidelines.

This year, according to the Sun, the parade’s organizer, the Toronto Beaches Lions Club, is taking preemptive action: with the 2014 mayoral election in full swing, all politicians are banned from marching.

“We’ve just found it too hard to manage because they don’t adhere to our rules,” parade director Keith Begley told the Sun. Politicians will still be allowed to work the crowd if they wish, but they won’t be permitted to participate in the actual festivities. Begley denies that the decision was made specifically to avoid an awkward encounter with the mayor (who has shown up for the past four years), but the timing suggests Ford was a major factor. This is the first post-crack-scandal Easter.

NEVER MISS A TORONTO LIFE STORY

Sign up for This City, our free newsletter about everything that matters right now in Toronto politics, sports, business, culture, society and more.

By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Big Stories

Inside the rise and fall of the Vaulter Bandit, the 21st century’s most notorious bank robber
Deep Dives

Inside the rise and fall of the Vaulter Bandit, the 21st century’s most notorious bank robber

Inside the Latest Issue

The June issue of Toronto Life features our annual ranking of the best new restaurants. Plus, our obsessive coverage of everything that matters now in the city.