A stand-in for the Mayor Rob Ford was shouted down during a ceremonial flag-raising for Pride Toronto on Monday afternoon.Mr. Ford has come under intense criticism for plans to skip the Pride parade, an event previous mayors have made a point of attending.
There was speculation he would tamp down the acrimony by showing up to the flag-raising unannounced, but he attended in autograph only.
Hecklers jeered city council speaker Frances Nunziata as she read out a mayoral proclamation marking the start of Toronto's Pride festivities.
“Where's the mayor? We want the mayor,” shouted several in attendance at Nathan Phillips Square. “Sit down Frances.”
The plucky speaker, who was attending on behalf of the mayor, could not be heard over the jeers. She picked up her speech only after openly gay Councillor Kristen Wong-Tam stepped in.
“I'm waiting too, my friends, I'm waiting too,” Ms. Wong-Tam told the crowd, before asking for calm.
The protesters eventually quieted their voices but not their sentiments.
“It's a token gesture, but if he had just come here today it would have calmed things down and put out the fire a bit,” said Richard Warner, after yelling “Shame on the mayor.”
After the ceremony, Ms. Nunziata said the cat-calling didn't faze her. “I accept bullying, I get that all the time as speaker of council,” she said. “I'm here, I'm representing the mayor, I'm representing the city of Toronto and that's what matters.”
The mayor's office could not say where he was during the event.
Ms. Wong-Tam doubted the mayor's absence would overshadow the rest of the event.
“The Pride parade is larger than you and me and everyone else,” she said.
Origin
Source: Globe & Mail
No comments:
Post a Comment