2017 Pride season kicks off in the Prairies

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Winnipeg and Edmonton – June 12, 2017 – UFCW Canada activists recently kicked off the 2017 Pride season in the Prairies, marching loud and proud at Pride parades in Winnipeg and Edmonton.

 In Winnipeg, UFCW Canada Local 832 activists joined thousands of parade-goers who came out on June 4 to participate in Pride celebrations throughout the city’s core. At the parade, UFCW 832 members, officers, and staff handed out UFCW 832 Pride flags and Frisbees to onlookers while marching through the streets of downtown Winnipeg. The parade served as the culmination of the city’s week-long Pride festivities and also marked the 30^th anniversary of Pride celebrations in Winnipeg. Prior to the June 4 parade, UFCW 832 activists participated in the city’s first-ever Two-Spirit Powwow, held on May 26 at The Forks. 

“We celebrate Pride to let our members from the LGBTQ community know that they are not alone and that their union stands in solidarity with them,” says Jeff Traeger, the President of UFCW Canada Local 832. “As trade unionists and as stewards of our community, it is integral for us to not only service the membership, but also work towards building a more inclusive and welcoming society, and that is why Pride is so important,” he adds. 

In Edmonton, UFCW Canada Local 401 and Local 1118 activists took to the streets on June 10 in a colourful parade that kicked off the 37th Annual Edmonton Pride Festival. Thousands of parade-goers marched through the streets of Edmonton to celebrate the diversity and unity of the city’s LGBTQ community. Activists also handed out t-shirts and Frisbees to participants as part of their advocacy for safe and inclusive workplaces and communities.   

“UFCW Local 401 has always been a social justice union, and we take this responsibility very seriously,” says Doug O’ Halloran, the President of UFCW Canada Local 401. “Part of that focus involves attending Pride parades to show our solidarity with the LGBTQ community, and to denounce homophobia,” he adds. “We must work hard every day to ensure that our sisters and brothers in the LGBTQ community are protected from hatred and ridicule, and Pride plays a big role in that advancing that work.”   

As Canada's most progressive union, UFCW Canada plays a leading role in advocating for full equality and opportunity for our LGBTQ sisters and brothers. Find out more at ufcw.ca/pride.