Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is trading blame with pro-Palestinian protesters over the cancellation of this year’s Pride parade.
Sutcliffe called it “deeply regrettable that a small group of activists chose to block the parade” on Sunday.
The Ottawa chapter of Queers for Palestine brought the march to a halt by blocking the parade route on Wellington Street. They issued a list of demands including two addressed to Capital Pride, both relating to the movement to boycott Israel.
But two other demands were directed at the mayor. The protesters called on him to apologize for withdrawing from the 2024 parade — a decision the mayor made following a controversial pro-Palestinian statement from Capital Pride that year. The group also called on him to stand with oppressed people including Palestinians.
“I don’t feel any sort of apology is warranted,” Sutcliffe said told reporters Monday.
He said he heard about the blockade and the demands, but said it wouldn’t have been “appropriate” to simply give in to the protesters in order to resume the parade.
“I don’t think we should ever be in a situation where someone can block an event or a parade, especially Capital Pride, make a bunch of demands, and unless those demands are met, then the parade or the event doesn’t go ahead,” Sutcliffe said.
“Because what’s next? What’s the list of demands going to be next time?”
Mayor had option to leave, activist says
Emily Quaille, a member of the Ottawa chapter of Queers for Palestine, said Sutcliffe could have defused the situation in another way: He could have left the parade.
“I said to the mayor through Capital Pride to please come talk to us, to apologize, to at least hear us, find a resolution, or he can leave,” she said. “He chose a third option, which is to sit there and force Capital Pride or me to make that choice of what to do.”
She said Sutcliffe can’t be a 2SLGBTQ+ ally if he chooses to boycott the parade one year and return the next without an apology, with his decision hinging on Capital Pride’s stance on the war in Gaza.
“I do not understand why a straight man with the considerable amount of power that he has is pretending to be an ally, yet operating as the opposite of an ally,” she said. “He is dictating to us our values, and what we should stand beside.
“The Queer community is saying Pro-Palestinian values are our values,” Quaille added. “We stand against oppression of all people.”
Capital Pride issued a statement last year condemning both the Oct. 7 massacre of Israelis and Israel’s response, which it called an “endless and brutal campaign” that has slaughtered innocent Palestinians.
Capital Pride also committed to recognize “the ongoing genocide against Palestinians.” Sutcliffe, the City of Ottawa and several organizations pulled out of the parade in response.
That statement disappeared from the Capital Pride website in advance of this year’s event. Quaille said that was a factor in her group’s decision to disrupt the parade. To her, it signalled the parade was bowing to outside pressure.
Sutcliffe said he won’t apologize for attending a parade that’s supposed to be about respect and inclusion. He said he’s always been a supporter of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and always will be.
“I don’t think there should ever be a point where people are saying, ‘We’re not going to let the parade go ahead unless certain people leave,'” he said.
Organizers need plan for future disruptions, mayor says
Quaille said Capital Pride verbally committed to meeting the demands directed at it, so the mayor’s refusal to negotiate or leave remained a main sticking point.
However, she lamented that Capital Pride still hasn’t publicly committed to the demands, which called for a town hall on the boycott, divestment and sanction movement, and a commitment to the academic and cultural boycott of Israel.
“I am not sure why that still hasn’t happened Monday afternoon,” she said. “So I would consider our demands to Capital Pride are still not met.”
According to Quaille, there was still another solution on the table. She said she agreed to stop the blockade and march down Bank Street, though Capital Pride announced the parade’s cancellation before she could organize her group behind such a move.
Capital Pride did not make anyone available for an interview Monday. In its statement announcing the cancellation on Sunday, it said Queers for Palestine “refused to have a meaningful conversation about how to move forward” and was “unwilling to engage in a good faith conversation.”
Sutcliffe said Capital Pride will have to work to prevent a repeat of this year’s disruption.
“I know a lot of people were disappointed with the outcome yesterday. I’ve connected with many people who were planning to participate and excited about participating,” he said.
“I think Capital Pride has to make sure that next year’s event that there is a plan for how it’s going to proceed and how they can assure participants that if they show up and gather and invest in the event that it’s going to proceed.”