Justin Trudeau first Canadian prime minister to attend Pride parade
Event organisers say this may be the first time any sitting leader has attended such an event.
Justin Trudeau will attend this year’s Pride parade in Toronto – making him the first Canadian prime minister to do so.
However, this will not be the leader’s first time at the event.
Trudeau has attended Pride parades in Toronto and Vancouver for years – but never as leader of the country.
He tweeted that he looked forward to being there again, “this time as PM.”
Pride Toronto’s executive director Mathieu Chantelois shared his excitement over Trudeau’s involvement.
“[It’s] big news in Canada but big news around the world,” Chantelois told BuzzFeed.
“Not only because he is probably the sexiest politician alive but also because there has never been a leader of a country to walk in a parade, at least not that we know of.”
Chantelois said he spoke to Trudeau recently at his office in Ottawa, where he was “very surprised” and “very excited” to hear he would be the first Canadian prime minister to take part.
“It’s a nice way to make history,” Chantelois said.
He went on to praise Trudeau’s clear understanding and commitment to issues facing the LGBT community in Canada – and across the world.
“When we met him in his office, he was really serious about talking about trans rights, about equal rights, about immigration, about gay men donating blood,” Chantelois said.
“All these things are very important topics for him.”
Trudeau has shown himself as a keen supporter of equal rights since being sworn into office.
In November, the government promised to take in a substantial amount of gay refugees from war-torn Syria.
Amid security concerns, the country does not plan to accept unaccompanied males – but it will make an exception for gay people, who face persecution in Syria from both the government and the terrorist group known as Islamic State.
The pledge to accept refugees was a cornerstone of the commitments by new PM Trudeau.
The keen LGBT ally also demonstrated his commitment to equality by naming a diverse, gender-balanced cabinet.
The Toronto Pride Parade takes place July 3.
