Jon Burnside (Ward 26) will support a motion by Councillor John Campbell (Ward 4) to de-fund the Pride Parade over the decision to exclude a police float from the annual LGBTQ event. Mr. Burnside told the CBC Monday that it’s Pride’s business if it wishes to exclude police but “part of my job is to decide on funding and I think that [the ban on police] not only sends the wrong message, it’s counter-productive.” In speaking about the proposed motion, Councillor Campbell said he concluded that Pride has been “bullied” by Black Lives Matter and thus has given up its claim on the usual $260,000 of free taxpayer money for the parade. Campbell said he’s had verbal expressions of support for his motion from Councillors: Mark Grimes, Justin Di Ciano, Glenn De Baeremaeker and Stephen Holyday as well as Mr. Burnside.
