Gays, Lesbians Take Over La Ronde

La Ronde

From The Montreal Gazette:

MONTREAL – Montreal's lesbians, gays, bisexuals and trans people are about to get thrown for a loop, literally.

La Ronde is hosting its inaugural night-time party for the city's LGBT community tonight from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Billed as an event for members of the LGBT community and their friends, Out at La Ronde will feature DJ Corey Craig, singers Ultra Naté and Sylvia Tosun, 75 drag queens, a Michael Jackson impersonator, roller coasters, popcorn and barbe-à-papa.

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Quebec To Table Wide-Ranging Anti-Homophobia Action Plan This Fall

Inspired by the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Quebec Parliament Building was built between 1877 and 1886, just outside of the walls of the old city.

From The Canadian Press:

MONTREAL — Revellers at Montreal's gay pride parade had one more reason to celebrate on Sunday: Quebec's wide-ranging action plan against homophobia, years in the making, is expected to be tabled this fall.

"It's a big step," said Jasmin Roy, spokesman for Montreal Pride.

He said the gay and lesbian community expects the new plan will lead to "enormous" results in the fight against discrimination.

"That's why we're marching: to say that finally, this year, Quebec will have a policy against homophobia."

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Gay Pride On Display

MONTREAL, QUE: August 15, 2009-- Claudine Simard (R) gets a remouvable tatoo put or her arm by Marc-AndrÈ Julien during the LGBTA Community Day taking on Ste Catherine on Saturday August 15, 2009. Photograph by: Pierre Obendrauf, The Gazette

From The Montreal Gazette:

Marc-André Julien affixes a temporary tattoo on the arm of Claudine Simard during the LGBTA Community Day on Ste. Catherine St. E. yesterday, part of gay pride festivities that continue today with the annual parade starting at 1 p.m. at the corner of de Lorimier Ave. and René Lévesque Blvd. View our map of gay rights around the world.

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Update: Rainbow carpet rolled out for Pride -- CTV

Tories Reject Funding For Montreal Gay Festival

Two of the many colourful participants get up close and personal ahead of the annual gay pride parade in Montreal, on Sunday, August 17, 2008. (Graham Hughes / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

From The Globe And Mail:

OTTAWA -- A gay and lesbian arts festival that was told it met all government criteria under a new tourism stimulus program learned Tuesday it was rejected for funding.

The news arrived at Montreal's Divers-Cite a few weeks after tension swept the Conservative caucus over funding for Toronto's Pride week, and just days before the beginning of their event.

The directors of Divers-Cite had actually sprung to the defence of Stephen Harper's government earlier this month, telling The Canadian Press that the Conservatives had never treated them differently. Some in the gay community attacked them for their comments.

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