Patricia Ginn addresses council in Prince Edward County during its Committee of the Whole meeting on June 27, 2019. (Photo: Amanda Smith/Quinte News)
A rally was held on June 16 at St. Gregory’s Catholic Church following the publication of a bulletin that advised parishioners to not participate in Pride month activities.
Daisy Fraser-Boychuk, was also a part of the deputation and she asked council for some monetary support to show Prince Edward County as a welcoming and inclusive community.
She asked for $1,000 from this budget year for design work and printing costs for a visual campaign in which storefront window signage signifies spaces as safe and inclusive.
The deputation also had a few requests they’d like to see in place over the next 18 months.
They’d like to see an ad-hoc committee be recognized as a formal working group along with a designated committee or staff member, by the end of 2019, develop a draft Diversity and Inclusion Charter for Prince Edward County, that not only includes people of sexual and gender minorities, but community members of colour and those with differences in ability, class, culture, religion, and age. By the end of March 2020, present the Charter for consideration and approval to committee. By the end of September 2020, review or create Picton policies in regards to harassment and discrimination against 2SLGBTQIA+people to ensure that they are in line with the new Diversity and Inclusive Charter. Develop a strategic plan and a 2020 budget allocation to present the Charter and schedule the educational components that will include a range of educational activities, such as reviewing, creating and presenting workshops for County staff, businesses, faith-based communities, schools, first responders, and community services such as the Prince Edward County Youth Centre (which does not currently have funding for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth).
Fraser-Boychuk told council according to the 2015 National Youth Risk Study, 40% of queer youth have seriously considered suicide. Transgender teens, according to a recent study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics, have similarly staggering rates of suicide.
They believe that this would promote a greater understanding of the issues facing 2SLGBTQIA+ people and will reaffirm their value to this community.
Ginn says they believe the time is now and the actions of June 16 led to this moment and the timeline reflects what is achievable.
She says there is still one more thing they’d like to see Prince Edward County take on.
For now Ginn says they want to leave council with something they can “chew on” and make happen before working towards being a sanctuary community.
She says these are big steps towards mending bridges.
Ginn stated in her deputation: the simple personal political action that Daisy and I took was to stand on the steps of the church and welcome the faithful member of the congregation to mass. Almost all of the people we spoke to were warm and kind in their welcome. I say almost because a very small number of people objected to our presence. During our time standing on the steps of the church, we were intimidated, harassed and bullied. On several occasions we were ordered to step down from the steps of the church by two men who were not members of the congregation but brought in by the church to keep protesters off the property. When the intimidation and bullying tactics failed, they became very aggressive and ultimately went to get the police. Officer Hoskins from the local OPP Detachment rose to the occasion and handled the situation peacefully and respectfully while enforcing the law, the law that states that we too were covered under Section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The intimidation continued while we were in church, where I was photographed while in prayer, that photograph was posted on an anti-choice web page, a violation of my privacy and safety.
No decision was made as to if council would be bringing forward a report on this matter at a future date.
