Day 213 – Pride

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July 31, 2016 – That’s the leader of my country, the second Trudeau to hold the position, and the first sitting Prime Minster to march in Vancouver’s Pride Parade and he clearly has absolutely no reservations about doing so.

How cool is he!?!

I am proud to be Canadian, and I am proud to call him our leader.

We didn’t go to the fireworks last night because I’m not a crowd kind of person.

Yeah.

So instead we ride our bicycles across Lion’s Gate and through Stanley Park to land ourselves at the corner of Denman/Davie/Pacific to stand for three hours of Pride Parade…..along with 500,000 of our closest friends, cheering, waving, dancing along with them all 🙂

Oh, and Justin Trudeau, our Prime Minister.

I can’t think of an other leader that we’ve had, in my memory, who would have held the same honestly happy and free expression. Our previous leader wouldn’t have been caught dead here, and if he had been walking, he would have had a pained and strained expression and his security would have been suited and keeping everyone at a significant distance. A stuffed potato.There only for the votes, not because of any acceptance or belief in an inclusive society.

But not Justin.

He’s been here before, a few times, but this is the first time he marched as Prime Minister here, in this parade.

It’s not a terribly good shot because I didn’t see him coming. I was too busy enjoying the float ahead of him and it wasn’t until I saw about 50 photographers walking backwards that it occurred to me something important was in front of their lenses, and there he was, with Sophie and their children, in the thick of it and absolutely full of joy.

I remember when the Pride Parade drew losers from out of town, coming with intent to gay-bash, full of hate and excited about the potential for blood. It was so disappointing that people could be so hateful, so cruel, so malevolent towards others.

Why do some people care if others have a different sexual orientation? Why should it even matter?

It was Justin’s own father, our former Prime Minister between 1968 & 1979 and again between 1980 & 1984, who, while Justice Minister, introduced a controversial Omnibus bill in the House of Commons that called for changes to the Criminal Code of Canada. Trudeau famously made an appeal for the decriminalization of ‘homosexual acts’ performed in private, telling reporters that “there is no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation” and that “what’s done in private between adults doesn’t concern the Criminal Code.”

That was a Prime Minister I could get behind. He was edgy, and savvy, and not afraid to speak his mind. He pushed for things that should be pushed for, and he made our country a better place for it. A more inclusive place.

And now we are here.

Pierre Elliot Trudeau’s son, Justin, with similar principles, if perhaps not yet as fierce….give him time.

Almost a quarter of the population of Greater Vancouver, almost the entire population of Vancouver proper, 500,000 people, crammed into the West End, and nothing but smiles and laughter and happiness wherever you looked. And our Country’s leader in the thick of it, with a smile to light up the town on his face.

It is what a world without judgement could look like.

I’m proud of what Vancouver has become in the 29 years we’ve lived here.

I’m glad we rode down here for the day, it was awesome!

And now I have another 516 photos to sort through on my camera……