5 of 6 mayoral candidates say they'd walk in the Pride parade. Don Atchison has dodged the question twice

Five of six Saskatoon mayoral candidates say they would participate in future Pride parades as mayor, while the latest person to enter the race former mayor Don Atchison has dodged the question twice since launching his re-election bid last week.

Atchison, who served as mayor from 2003 to 2016, never attended a Pride parade as mayor. In 2016, he said he could not make that year's parade because it conflicted with his father's 90th birthday.

"It's not surprising," said Krystal Nieckar, acting executive director of OUTSaskatoon, of Atchison dodging the question in 2020.

"It is very similar behaviour that we've seen in the past."

Nieckarpreviously worked for Pride Saskatoon and said Atchison was invited to past parades.

• Saskatoon Mayor Don Atchison not participating in Pride Parade

"It's 2020," Nieckarsaid. "We need to see different things. We need people who will be elected officials of our city celebrating our community."

Atchison's responses so far

Atchison was asked about attending future Pride paradesfollowing his 2020 launch speech on Friday.

"We're here today to talk about policies, not parades, and I can tell you that I've been at the flag raising in 2016 and so those are discussions or talks that we may have somewhere else down the line," he said.

Atchison was asked the same question Monday on CBC's Saskatoon Morning.

"I'm going to be talking about the policies for the city of Saskatoon and the parade is another story," Atchison said.

"I've been to the flag raising in 2016 and those are bridges that we'll cross down the road, but this election is about policies."

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Mike McCoy, co-chair of Saskatoon Pride Festival, said the organization noted Atchison's "reluctance/refusal" to address the question. He said Atchison seemed to trivialize the question "by saying that he was speaking about 'policies' during the campaign and the rest would 'be looked into' later."

"Not committing to participating in something as symbolic as the annual Pride Parade can only be construed as a lack of understanding of the importance of the mayor's role in creating a welcoming community for all, or a wish to dodge the issue altogether," McCoy said.

What other candidates said

Mayor Charlie Clark and several current city councillors have participated in recent Prideparades.

Clark said he will continue to do so.

"I know how important it is to demonstrate our commitment to making Saskatoon a community that is safe and inclusive for everyone," Clark said. "We have thousands of people who are LGBTQ2S contributing to our city in all facets of life. This makes us stronger as a community."

"Yes, of course," fellow candidate Rob Norris said. "Jennifer Campeauand I were the first Sask. PartyMLAs to go in the Pride parade in Saskatoonand I've tried diligently, both in office and out of office, to make sure I'm participating and supporting in any way that I can."

Norris went on to criticize Atchison for his recent responses.

"Ten years ago, it might have been interesting to be coy or ambiguous in an answer. It's time to get off the fence and actually state your claim very clearly," Norris said.

"For sure I would," candidate Cary Tarasoff said of participating the parade. "Why wouldn't I?"

Mark Zielke, another candidate,said he would "absolutely" attend.

"Inclusion of all means respecting all people," Zielke said. "Having this posed as a political conversation shows how much more work we need to do to step out and make it possible to realize a city that's truly 'community' rather then 'us and them.'"

Zubair Shiekh said it's a "really complex" question and that he respects all communities, including Pride parade participants.

"For sure, if I'm available, I would love to go shoulder-to-shoulder with them," Sheikhsaid.

Candidate report card planned

Nieckar said OUTSaskatoon hasn't decided yet which mayoral candidate to endorse in the Nov. 9 municipal election,but that it'splanning to issue a report card on candidates.

"What we're looking for from a mayoral candidate is someone who's affirming and acknowledges the LGBTQ community, someone that takes action, someone that focuses on providing equitable supports for the community," she said.

McCoy of Saskatoon Pride Festival congratulated Clark and Norris for participating in this year's virtual Pride parade.

He cited Clark as "a constant supporter of diversity and inclusion policies in the past" and said Norris "has articulated his support in the past."