culture
Scene: Pride Week Proclaimed in Toronto
"Welcome to your City Hall," cheers Kristyn Wong-Tam, as the City of Toronto officially marks Pride Week.
WHERE: City Hall
WHEN: June 25, noon
WHAT: To much cheering and applause, June 22–July 1 was proclaimed Pride Week 2012 in Toronto at a City Hall flag-raising ceremony today. Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Ward 27, Toronto Centre-Rosedale) opened proceedings with acknowledgements of key leaders in the community; she then turned the mic over to her colleague Shelley Carroll (Ward 33, Don Valley East) who read the official proclamation—issued, as all City proclamations are, in the name of the mayor. Though his absence rankled some (his office refused to answer questions about what engagement was keeping him), participants’ spirits weren’t noticeably dampened—nor was the exuberance of Mr. V’s kindergarten class, who waved little rainbow flags anytime someone mentioned them. (Mr. V is the kiwi in the photo above.) The Clinton Street Public School students had been learning “about different kinds of families,” their teacher’s assistant, Mrs. Barbuto, told us, and they saw lots of great examples today at City Hall.
