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‘You shouldn’t be afraid to show who you are’: La Ronge Pride Parade draws crowd

Jun 16, 2018 | 3:00 PM

‘Love is love’ was the message of the second annual La Ronge Pride Parade, according to head organizer Jordan McPhail.

“This year the Pride theme is true colours throughout Saskatchewan,” he said. “That’s something we really wanted to show off. You shouldn’t be afraid to show who you are and it’s all the same love.”

 

 

Close to 50 people participated in the parade, which travelled along La Ronge Ave., while dozens of others lined the street to watch them go by. Members of the La Ronge Regional Fire Department were also on hand to show their support, as well as La Ronge Mayor Ron Woytowich and Cumberland NDP MLA Doyle Vermette.

McPhail said it’s important for the town to partake in Pride events as it sends an inspirational message to the community. He would also like to see more northern communities begin Pride parades of their own, adding La Loche is currently the most northerly location to hold one. In the coming years, he hopes to see parades in the far North and smaller communities as well.

“You’ll be surprised how many people will show up to the parade,” McPhail said. “Put it out there. The message is a great message and we’d like to see more small communities bare that torch as well.”

La Ronge resident Garth Venne attended the parade both years and said it’s important for residents to show support for the LGBTQ2+ community.

“This lets people know it’s welcome in La Ronge,” he said.

 

derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno