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Amaranth Moves Towards First Pride Month Proclamation

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AMARANTH MOVING TOWARDS FIRST PRIDE MONTH PROCLAMATION

Amaranth is moving towards its first proclamation for Pride Month, which did not accompany the raising of the Pride Flag this year. 

On July 21, 2021, Amaranth Council received a request from the town’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Community Advisory Committee regarding Pride Month next June, asking for the flag raising and proclamation. The motion was referred back to the committee for approval of edits to the wording of the proclamation. Moreover, Amaranth council resolved to place four “Hate has no home here” signs throughout the township for a period of one month starting August 11.

The submitted proclamation for Pride Month of 2022 reads as follows:

Whereas, every year, cities all around the world celebrate the diversity that strengthens our Town to commemorate and support sexual and gender minorities’ liberation; and Whereas, Pride Month is a positive stance against discrimination and violence towards 2SLGBTQ+ people to promote their self-affirmation, dignity, equality rights, increase their visibility as a social group, build community, and celebrate sexual diversity and gender variance; and Whereas, the rainbow flag is the most-recognized LGBTQ symbol, designed in 1978; and Whereas, Pride Month in Amaranth is an opportunity to prevent discrimination and promote awareness and acceptance of every human person and to promote the development of harmonious relationships amongst all members of the community; and Whereas, we support an inclusive and respectful community where all citizens can live, work and play in a safe and secure environment; and Now Therefore, I, Mayor Bob Currie and the members of the Council of the Township of Amaranth, do hereby proclaim June 2022 as “Pride Month” in the Township of Amaranth.

Mayor Bob Currie requested a change to the proclamation. Currie asserted that, in his 41-year tenure of being on committees, he had never seen it where one person was mentioned in a motion. This is not true when it comes to proclamations. On June 10, 2021, Dufferin County Warden Darren White’s name was included when proclaiming Indigenous History Month in Dufferin. On July 8, 2021, Acting Warden John Creelman’s name was incorporated into the county’s proclamation for Emancipation Day. As Mayor of Amaranth, Bob Currie is a Dufferin County Councillor, and has been in attendance for county proclamations. What wording is omitted is ‘and the members of the council.’ Proclamations made by the Mayors of Melancthon Township and the Towns of Mono, Shelburne, and Orangeville are formatted similarly to Dufferin County. Furthermore, although Currie was not named directly, the Mayor was the subject of a motion back in August 2020 where fellow councillors attempted to revoke his delegated powers and restrict him from attending the municipal office.

Currie wanted the last phrase of the statement to be changed to “Now Therefore, all members of the Council of the Township of Amaranth, do hereby proclaim June 2022 as ‘Pride Month’ in the Township of Amaranth.”

Chief Administrative Officer Nicole Martin advised that they refer the proclamation back to Amaranth’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Community Advisory Committee to see if they found the changes acceptable. Council acted upon the CAO’s recommendation.

On a related note, council granted Amaranth resident Carol Lee Hubert’s request to have “Hate Has No Home Here” signs placed in front of the Township Office, in addition to Waldemar Park, Devonleigh Park, and the Amaranth Country Estates Park. Hubert’s stated purpose behind the submission was to be a ‘strong message to Dufferin residents that Amaranth values all people.’ The four signs will be up for one month, starting August 11.

“One of the little flags on it had something to do with children, I forget what it said,” said Mayor Bob Currie. “Love for children or whatever.”

Amaranth’s Deputy Mayor Chris Gerrits responded that it was “Every Child Matters,” a slogan meant to increase public awareness of the Indigenous children forced into the residential school system.

“If that’s the case, I definitely support that,” said Mayor Currie. “I think that must also include abortion, because every aborted fetus is a living soul.”

Although all council members supported the message displayed on the signs, some councillors were not fans of this style of signage. Council discussed an unsuccessful attempt to ban them entirely several years ago, including those erected during elections. Brief talks occurred around having the number of ‘Hate Has No Home Here’ signs reduced or converting a sign into a flag to be flown at the township, but Currie challenged these suggestions.

“The way it is now, it’s going to cost us nothing,” declared Mayor Currie. “To me, it gives you a good feeling for the municipality to see these signs.” 

References – Amaranth Moves Towards First Pride Month Proclamation

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