News of
Jack Layton’s health crisis came just as NDP MP Libby Davies was ready to
celebrate Pride in Vancouver. I caught up with Davies after the caucus meeting
this morning.
Q: Vancouver
Pride and Outgames are this week. What are your plans for that, despite the
interruption?
A: I was
planning on going to the opening on Monday at city hall, but then because of
Jack’s press conference, and, of course, there was a lot of media right
afterward, I had to stay at my office and deal with that for the rest of the
day. But I did talk to people who were there who told me it was just wonderful.
And, of course, this is Pride Week, and there are so many activities going on. I’m
hoping to make it back to Vancouver so that I can go to the Dyke March on
Saturday. In fact, a few weeks ago, there was a wonderful fundraiser for the
Dyke March, which had run into some financial difficulties, so myself – federal
– Mable Elmore – provincial – and Ellen Woodsworth – civic – three out women.
We cohosted a wonderful fundraiser, and I missed it because we were in the
House debating the back-to-work legislation, so I’m really happy that the Dyke
March is going ahead in my community along Commercial Dr. There’s so many
events. There’s the human rights conference that’s underway.
Q: Which
is part of the Outgames.
A: Yes,
and I had gone to the international one in Copenhagen two years ago, and really
it’s a marvellous event. It’s one of those places where you can just go up to
anybody, and you feel like you just know them. That sense of solidarity – I’ve
never experienced it before, because I’d never gone to a full LGBT conference
other than that one in Copenhagen, and it was just a wonderful feeling where
you could just literally go up to anybody, and you had this instant bond, no
matter whether they were from Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America,
wherever. I know Randall Garrison went to the human rights conference briefly
yesterday, before he came to Ottawa. And then I’m going to go to the Q Ball on
Saturday night, which is a big gala event where they induct various amazing people
into the Queer Hall of Fame, and so that’s going to be a very nice event. And
then, of course, Sunday is the big day. I have been in the Pride parade where it’s
poured with rain, but mostly it’s a stunningly sunny day, and you walk along
Denman and then Beach Ave with thousands and thousands of people, and it’s
an outpouring.
I’ve often said that to me, the Pride parade reminds me of what
the Peace Walk in Vancouver used to be, in the 1980s, where upwards of 50,000
people would come out. The expression of love and positive feeling toward each
other is what I find incredible at the Pride parade, and it’s fun. People have
got spray water guns, and things happen spontaneously, and the NDP will have a
big contingent in the Pride parade this year. Jack has often been in the past – he won’t be there this year, and I’m going to be thinking of him when I go in
the Pride parade. Over many decades, he’s been a great friend of the queer community,
and going back to when he was the chair of the Toronto Board of Health, and
Toronto city councillor, at the FCM [Federation of Canadian Municipalities], so
I’m going to be thinking of Jack when I walk in that Pride parade this year.