Pride flag raising at Ottawa City Hall kicks off Capital Pride week
Posted Aug 23, 2021 01:34:00 PM.
Day two of Capital Pride is set to include Mayor Jim Watson raising the Pride flag at City Hall.
Two years ago Ottawa's mayor came out to his residents as gay in a local newspaper op-ed.
When reflecting on his decision last year the mayor said, “There’s still homophobia in our community and discrimination against trans people. At the end of the day, hopefully – in a small way – I can act as a role model.”
The mayor will be raising the flag at noon on Monday, August 23.
Capital Pride Executive Director Osmel Maynes explained to CityNews' Ottawa Sam Laprade and Jason White, on the second annual CityNews Ottawa Pride Week Special on Sunday, August 22, that the best thing someone can do to show support is to listen.
Other guests on the Ottawa Pride Week Special included:
- Dale McDermott, COO of Canada's LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce
- Eric Dawson Duncan, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry MP
- Kelly Brant, The Lookout Bar owner
- Jennifer Crawford, executive director of Kemptville Pride
- Al Ramsay, national manager, LGBTQ2+ business development at TD (Pride sponsor)
- Sophie Smith-Dore, Arnprior Pride co-facilitator
Listen to the full episode of the CityNews Ottawa Pride Week Special with Sam Laprade and Jason White here:
Capital Pride runs from August 22 to August 29, 2021.
