The small town of Emo, in northwest Ontario, has been fined for refusing to acknowledge the sexual minority movement during Pride Month. The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has ruled the township of Emo must pay Borderland Pride $15,000 – $10,000 from the township and $5,000 from Emo mayor Harold McQuaker after refusing to proclaim Pride Month back in 2020, reported CBC."Borderland Pride requested Emo to declare June as Pride Month and display a rainbow flag for one week but the township refused, resulting in a years-long process in which the tribunal ruled against the township," wrote CBC.Doug Judson, a lawyer in Fort Frances and board member of Borderland Pride, said he's happy the issue has been resolved, reported CBC. "We didn't pursue this because of the money. We pursued this because we were treated in a discriminatory fashion by a municipal government, and municipalities have obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code not to discriminate in the provision of a service," said Judson."The tribunal's decision affirms that. That is the important thing we were seeking here was validation that as 2SLGBTQA plus people, we're entitled to treatment without discrimination when we try to seek services from our local government." .In addition to fines, the tribunal ordered McQuaker and the Chief Administrative Officer of Emo to undergo reeducation — the "Human Rights 101" course offered by the Ontario Human Rights Commission within 30 days, reported CBC.An Alberta town is dealing with a similar situation. Barrhead is planning a binding referendum on a bylaw that would ban Pride flags and crosswalks, reported CTV."If passed, the Neutral Space Bylaw would ban decorations, designs or colours on crosswalks on public spaces, requiring they be painted the standard white stripped 'continental' pattern or 'ladder' pattern between two parallel lines," wrote CTV."The bylaw would also disallow the displaying of flags supporting political, social or religious movements and commercial entities."The town of Westlock, Alberta, voted in February to ban Pride crosswalks and flags."Hundreds of local citizens went to the polls on February 22 and voted to support bylaw 2023–14 in a plebiscite that was spurred by a successful petition from members of the community last fall," reported Town and Country Today. "A total of 663 residents voted yes to ban Pride crosswalks and flags, while a total of 639 residents voted no to the bylaw, a difference of just 24 votes."
