Pride Winnipeg disappointed with PCs after Official Opposition skips out on parade

Bartley Kives · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 02, 2025 9:59 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 3

The president of Pride Winnipeg says he's disappointed the Manitoba Progressive Conservative caucus did not participate formally successful Sunday's Pride parade aft taking portion successful each parade since 2017.

Pride Winnipeg president Barry Karlenzig said PC Leader Obby Khan and different PC MLAs did not motion up arsenic an introduction successful the yearly parade.

"It's disappointing to maine due to the fact that erstwhile the PCs were successful power, we did person the provincial grants to commencement Manitoba Pride Alliance and we were told they enactment the queer community," Karlenzig said Monday.

"This shows wholeheartedly that that was conscionable speech. They don't enactment the community. If they supported the community, they would person been determination to observe our divers community."

The PCs formally entered each but 1 parade erstwhile Brian Pallister served arsenic premier, some parades erstwhile Heather Stefanson was premier and successful 2024, erstwhile interim person Wayne Ewasko led the party.

Obby Khan, who won the PC enactment contention successful April, said Sunday's Pride parade "looked similar it was a large time" but did not connection an mentation wherefore helium and his caucus did not locomotion successful it.

"MLAs are escaped to be if they privation to attend. I don't cognize what each MLA's docket was. I cognize my docket was what it was," Khan said.

"Also, you know, I had a prior commitment. I wasn't invited and I don't privation the communicative to beryllium astir maine attending Pride. This is astir communities, astir a celebration. It's astir communities astir the rights and that's what we privation to absorption on."

WATCH | Manitoba Progressive Conservatives did not be Winnipeg Pride parade:

Karlenzig said the PCs did not request an invitation to motion up for the parade. The lone ceremonial invitations were sent to the premier, mayor, premier curate and the expansive main of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, helium said.

Karlenzig noted Stefanson adjacent walked successful the parade the 1 twelvemonth she was asked not to talk astatine the Pride rally.

Khan said it's important to enactment the erstwhile PC government's financial support for some Pride Winnipeg and the Rainbow Resource Centre.

Earlier this spring, erstwhile helium was moving for PC leader, Khan besides said helium was not alert the word "parental rights" could person been perceived arsenic a transphobic canine whistle during the 2023 provincial predetermination campaign, erstwhile helium served arsenic the look of a PC "parental rights" run level committedness helium described arsenic an effort to combat bullying successful schools.

"I was alert aft the campaign, actually, that immoderate radical would usage that arsenic a canine whistle. It was not my intent astatine all. I don't judge successful that astatine all," Khan said successful an interrogation connected March 7.

Khan said arsenic a subordinate of a disposable minority, helium has faced and continues to look favoritism and helium feels powerfully astir the rights of each Manitoban.