Rob Ford says he won’t be marching in this year’s Pride Parade—somehow, we’re not shocked
We’re curious to see how this one plays out in the polls: today, the mayor’s office announced that Rob Ford won’t be marching in this year’s Pride Parade. For more than a decade, the city’s mayors have appeared in the annual event—Barbara Hall, Mel Lastman and David Miller all marched—but apparently Ford has other plans that weekend (turns out he leaves town on the gayest day of the year, every year). Of course, given Ford’s previous relationship with Pride, none of this should really come as a surprise.
According to the Toronto Star, Ford will be at the family cottage instead of standing alongside Toronto’s gay community on July 3:
“I’m going up north, no. I’ll be up at the cottage,” he said.
“You know what? It’s been a tradition with my family going back. We’ve been in Huntsville for the past 30 (years), as long as I remember, since I’m a little boy. We always used to go up north to our cottage and I’m carrying on the tradition that my father had.
“Last year I was there (at the cottage) during the campaign. We’re there every year and we’re going to continue there.”
We suspect the Ford family probably has one of those cottages that explodes unless it’s used the same weekend, every year, forever and always (sort of like the bus in Speed, except with deck chairs). But even if Ford didn’t already have a, let’s say, touchy relationship with Toronto’s gay community, it’s difficult to imagine him marching comfortably in any downtown parade. That said, this is a major event in the city, and even Ford’s friendliest allies in the press—namely, the Toronto Sun’s Sue-Ann Levy—are urging him to march, and we’re pretty sure she won’t be the only one disappointed with his decision.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/city/rob-ford-pride/&title=Rob Ford says he won’t be marching in this year’s Pride Parade—somehow, we’re not shocked&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/rob-ford.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_75481" align="alignleft" width="400" caption="Neither the mayor nor his finger puppet will be at Pride (Image: Shaun Merritt)"][/caption]
We’re curious to see how this one plays out in the polls: today, the mayor’s office announced that Rob Ford won’t be marching in this year’s Pride Parade. For more than a decade, the city’s mayors have appeared in the annual event—Barbara Hall, Mel Lastman and David Miller all marched—but apparently Ford has other plans that weekend (turns out he leaves town on the gayest day of the year, every year). Of course, given Ford’s previous relationship with Pride, none of this should really come as a surprise.
According to the Toronto Star, Ford will be at the family cottage instead of standing alongside Toronto’s gay community on July 3:
“I’m going up north, no. I’ll be up at the cottage,” he said.
“You know what? It’s been a tradition with my family going back. We’ve been in Huntsville for the past 30 (years), as long as I remember, since I’m a little boy. We always used to go up north to our cottage and I’m carrying on the tradition that my father had.
“Last year I was there (at the cottage) during the campaign. We’re there every year and we’re going to continue there.”
We suspect the Ford family probably has one of those cottages that explodes unless it’s used the same weekend, every year, forever and always (sort of like the bus in Speed, except with deck chairs). But even if Ford didn’t already have a, let’s say, touchy relationship with Toronto’s gay community, it’s difficult to imagine him marching comfortably in any downtown parade. That said, this is a major event in the city, and even Ford’s friendliest allies in the press—namely, the Toronto Sun’s Sue-Ann Levy—are urging him to march, and we’re pretty sure she won’t be the only one disappointed with his decision.
• Ford to skip Pride parade for cottage [Toronto Star]){kind=link}
I don’t care if he comes. In fact, I prefer it. We don’t like him, and he don’t like us. Let’s keep it this way so there’s no illusion for some gays who think he’s great. I don’t normally go to Pride, but I may go to the parade this year to boo Doug Ford for trying to have it both ways for his bro.
He’s not only a liar, he’s a very bad liar. His behaviour is shameful in my opinion. He should realize (oh wait a second, it IS Rob Ford) that he is the Mayor of all of Toronto, and as such he should be there for, at the very least, part of the event. Make an appearance at annnnny of the events!!!
LOL, now his Mother is saying it’s the only time that they can be together! Oh puleaaaaaaaaaaase….spare us. Who needs a comic book when you have the Fords, LOLLLL>
Is anyone surprised by this?
I may just be trolling but there are some good points in this article.
http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2011/06/23/barbara-kay-rob-fords-sin-against-the-catechism-of-gender-correctness/
I’d leave town and go to my cottage too, if I had one. Why should he be obligated to take part in this disgusting spectacle? You already got federal funding for your massive public display of indecency, now you’re bitching about every politician not throwing themselves at the feet of the gay “community”? All you queers ever do is whine and bitch.
I’m with Janko on this. All the gays do is complain. why would you want straight people coming to your gay functions? wouldnt you just prefer all the gays to get together and have your party alone? without anyone straight there? why do you need the mayor there anyways…if straight people had a function would we want a gay to show up? Not really. Like go be gay at your big bash and leave the mayor alone. He doesnt have to show up at ANY function if he doesnt want to. I dont work weekends why should he?