Colin Ratushniak places a pride flag on the table at a Air Ronge council meeting. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

pride month

Air Ronge council unanimously supports rainbow crosswalk

Jun 20, 2019 | 11:44 AM

A rainbow crosswalk will be installed in front of Air Ronge’s Gordon Denny Community School.

The decision was announced at a regular council meeting Wednesday where a delegation requested the pride flag to be raised somehow in the village. With the lack of any municipal flagpoles, council passed a resolution that a crosswalk would be painted, and June will be recognized annually as Pride Month in Air Ronge.

“We want to have a rainbow crosswalk right in front of our elementary school in the community,” said Deputy-Mayor Julie Baschuk. “I’ve spoken with the principal already and they are in support. Our goal is we will have the kids, any community members and of course yourselves, to be involved with the painting. All of that will be at the expense of our community.”

In the village’s resolution, council wrote June 28, 2019, will commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall Riots, which is recognized as the genesis of the LGBTQ2S movement. The riots were in response to a police raid during the early morning hours that day at the Stonewall Inn in New York City.

“The use of any individuals rights and resources to combat discrimination, victimization and marginalization, as well as supporting and participating in your community, its events and organizations is paramount in maintaining a healthy and vibrant community,” the resolution states. “Therefore, it is resolved that the Northern Village of Air Ronge does hereby recognize and respect Pride in the LGBTQ2S community in Air Ronge and our region.”

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The delegation who presented was the same as who appeared at a regular La Ronge council meeting last week. The pride flag was raised in La Ronge for one month after councillors decided to do so with a 6-1 vote. In the near future, the Lac La Ronge Indian Band is also expected to be asked to raise the pride flag.

Colin Ratushniak is a delegate who spoke to Air Ronge council and he explained many LGBTQ youth move to large cities and leave their communities to find acceptance and safe spaces. He noted the local LBGTQ community is diverse and consists of people from different races, ages and sexualities. Ratushniak also mentioned if raising the pride flag saves only one life, then it is worth it.

“I guess that’s what really melts my heart is our young people and what we said at the end, if we can save just one life,” Mayor Gordon Stomp said. “We’re definitely in favour of what you’re doing here today and what you’re presenting to us. We have a little bit of a dilemma with no flagpole, but we are looking at options because we need to have some flag representation. This will not be a problem next time.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno