Toronto City Council Puts Pride Parade With a QuAIA Component on Double Secret Probation

Just kidding, of course. Only one city councilor--James Pasternak--seems willing to speak out about this year's infestation of Zionhass:

Pasternak...says the Pride parade “will be watched” closely this year, and he warns that if the Queers Against Israeli Apartheid (QuAIA) group marches, funding for WorldPride will be at risk.

“If QuAIA marches again this year, there will be stronger resolve on council,” he says. “It’s assumed that the same demonization will take place for WorldPride, so it could affect the funding for that.”

Pasternak, who won’t confirm whether he plans to march in the city council contingent this year, says QuAIA has no place in the Pride parade.

“Unfortunately, Pride’s brand is constantly being tarnished by letting QuAIA march,” he says. “I can’t figure out why they want to come under such scrutiny and waste council’s time by aligning with people who are clearly targeting people based on national and religious background.”

Spoken by someone who understands what QuAIA is really up to. Now, a word from someone who either doesn't get it, or who gets it but who doesn't care:

But Pride co-chair Francisco Alvarez says QuAIA is not the first activist group with an international cause. It’s just the most high-profile. Over the years there have been various groups that have marched in the Pride parade in protest of countless anti-gay positions that are political and religious, such as homophobia in the Vatican, Catholic school boards, fundamentalist Islam and evangelicals in Africa.  

“In the past there’s been groups against policies in South Africa; this year it could be Russia,” he says. “Controversial issues will always be there.”

Pasternak says he has never heard any complaints about any other groups protesting international politics or anti-gay religions.

“It’s important that we prevent groups that are just there to disrupt, demonize and bully,” he says. “We’re worried that QuAIA plans to turn WorldPride into an international hate-fest by bringing anti-Israel protesters to the city to hijack the parade. That will be a major embarrassment.”

Alvarez says Pride will allow any group to march that is not in violation of the city’s anti-discrimination policy.

For the past two years, the city manager has determined that PT does not contravene city policy, and any further complaints should be directed to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. 

Take a complaint about Zionhass (one of society's few acceptable hatreds) to the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal? Oy vey! That's like taking a complaint about Stalin to, well, Stalin. And, as adamant as Pasternak seems to sound, there are two words to describe the threat to withhold funds from WorldPride depending on what QuAIA does or doesn't do: hollow and toothless.