Pride parade funded - Conservatives in a tizzy - Ablonczy demoted

[CaptainCrunch]

I wonder how many members of the gay community actually want to be attached to Bruno's definition of a gay male?

[ben voyonsdonc]

I've marched in two Pride parades. Dressed as ***gasp*** ME!...in jeans and a shirt like I wear every day. If you look carefully at the pictures on page three behind the certainly flamboyantly dressed people, you'll notice that there are many people dressed in jeans and a shirt like I was. Yes, we are not glamourous because we don't stand out at the parade and aren't on the evening news but that doesn't mean we don't exist. Pride events are about people being comfortable with who they are...no matter who they are. Yes, there are some people who push the boundaries in terms of taboos but they exist in all cultures - gay and straight. Don't paint everyone with the same brush.

Pride events are huge moneymakers for every city that has them. They bring in tourists from other regions who spend lots of money on hotels, food, booze and souvenirs. In tough economic times, isn't this type of event that we should be supporting?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by KTrain

Yup, that's why the Canadian Tourism Industry are the ones who gave them the money. They're a part of the Federal government.

Here's a list of the other events that were funded by the government.

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/dsib-to...g/qq00166.html

I'm not talking about the Federal Government Tourism industry, I used that term incorrectly. I'm talking about the actual businesses in Toronto that benefit from the parade being the ones that fund it. I'm talking to retail stores, restaurants, hotels, travel agencies that book transport, the airlines and others as example. Not the government.

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

The key words there are "for the city". If the city of Toronto wants to sponsor an event featuring assless chaps, then they can do it themselves but why should federal money go towards something that benefits one city?

So what should the Canadian Tourism Industry spend their money on then? They spread the millions of dollars around to events all over the country. That helps the local economies which then helps the country as a whole.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by KTrain

So what should the Canadian Tourism Industry spend their money on then? They spread the millions of dollars around to events all over the country. That helps the local economies which then helps the country as a whole.

I'm almost totally free enterpise when it comes to that kind of stuff. I think that the regional businesses that directly benefit should be the ones that support tourism and promotion.

Then again, I don't really believe in mass stimulus dollars.

I wouldn't have problems with funding for the GPP, I have no problems with supporting diversity, however I believe that the amount given is excessive in a time when the government is running into deficits because of Stimulus spending. I would be interested in seeing the total cost of the GPP versus dollars raised through the government and private donations and float costs.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by KTrain

Yup, that's why the Canadian Tourism Industry are the ones who gave them the money. They're a part of the Federal government.

Here's a list of the other events that were funded by the government.

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/dsib-to...g/qq00166.html

It might just be me but southern Ontario and Quebec seem a little too well represented in that list compared to the rest of the country.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by KTrain

So what should the Canadian Tourism Industry spend their money on then?

Promoting Canada itself abroad. Use that money to advertise in the US and overseas. Develop an identity for Canada that will draw tourists here.

[CaptainCrunch]

a lot of those events should really be self sustaining.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I wonder how many members of the gay community actually want to be attached to Bruno's definition of a gay male?

I haven't seen the movie, but I assume Bruno is a broad caricature, and the movie is more about exposing what other people think about homosexuality.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

Pride events are about people being comfortable with who they are...no matter who they are.

So if people are bigoted white klansmen, you have no problem with them being comfortable marching in the parade wearing a white robe and hood while carrying a burning cross in one hand and a noose in the other?

[KTrain]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

It might just be me but southern Ontario and Quebec seem a little too well represented in that list compared to the rest of the country.

They also have a huge majority of the population of Canada located there. So they get more money.

I'm born and raised Albertan but I've gotten over the inferiority complex many Albertans have about Ontario and Quebec. They have the most voters, so the government is going to pander to them. Not much we can do about it unless we change the way our government is run. We have an Albertan in there now and he doesn't seem to be doing much about it.

[ben voyonsdonc]

$400,000 to support an event that has 500,000 to 1,000,000 attendees? That's a pittance and a great ROI for the government. Tons of money is spent there combined with the promotion of cultural and social awareness.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by troutman

I haven't seen the movie, but I assume Bruno is a broad caricature, and the movie is more about exposing what other people think about homosexuality.

I think your your assumption is wrong. I think if thats a true assumption its unfair, the movie is about exposing people to what amounts to the worst perceptions of homosexuals. This would be equivalent to me making a movie where I put on black face paint and confront people as a violent crack smoking pimping multiple time convicted member of the black panthers for laughs.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

So if people are bigoted white klansmen, you have no problem with them being comfortable marching in the parade wearing a white robe and hood while carrying a burning cross in one hand and a noose in the other?

No...because gay pride parades are not about trying to be superior to anybody. Its about trying to be equal. See the difference? Promotion of equality...not superiority.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by KTrain

They also have a huge majority of the population of Canada located there. So they get more money.

So you don't have an issue with Quebec City getting more funding dollars then Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver combined?

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by ben voyonsdonc

$400,000 to support an event that has 500,000 to 1,000,000 attendees? That's a pittance and a great ROI for the government. Tons of money is spent there and promotion development of culture and social awareness.

So charge the attendees a $1 and you don't have to worry about govenment spending.

If they really want to go the parade and its import to them then why not support it.

Its the same to me with the stampeded, if its generating so much money for local businesses then the businesses should have no problem raising 1.9 million for it.

Let tourism Canada work on educating the world about the benefits of visiting Canada as a whole not on support regional events.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

It might just be me but southern Ontario and Quebec seem a little too well represented in that list compared to the rest of the country.

Exactly. $3,050,550 divided amongst Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
$23,530,499 given to the rest of Canada (primarily Ontario and Quebec).

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Exactly. $3,050,550 divided amongst Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver.
$23,530,499 given to the rest of Canada (primarily Ontario and Quebec).

That's actually fairly proportional to population. Vancouver + Calgary + Edmonton = ~12.5% of the country's population.

$3,050,550 is roughly 13% of the total.

[ben voyonsdonc]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

So charge the attendees a $1 and you don't have to worry about govenment spending.

If they really want to go the parade and its import to them then why not support it.

Its the same to me with the stampeded, if its generating so much money for local businesses then the businesses should have no problem raising 1.9 million for it.

Let tourism Canada work on educating the world about the benefits of visiting Canada as a whole not on support regional events.

Toronto Pride is a national event - it is the biggest Pride in Canada (I believe that its the 2nd biggest in NA) and generates tremendous intra and international tourism. $400,000 to support an event that generates a $100,000,000 annual economic benefit? C'mon...that only makes good economic sense. The most diehard conservative would know that. If you could get that return on investment, would you say no?

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

That's actually fairly proportional to population. Vancouver + Calgary + Edmonton = ~12.5% of the country's population.

$3,050,550 is roughly 13% of the total.

Actually $3,050,550 divided by $26,581,049 x 100 is 11.4764%