As Montreal Pride wraps up, board VP says much progress made on inclusiveness

Montreal Pride wraps up As Montreal Pride wraps up a week of events and celebrations, Moe Hamandi talks about the issues still facing the city’s LGBTQ2S+ community.

MONTREAL — The annual Montreal Pride festivities may be coming to an end on Sunday, but advocacy for all the groups that have members in the city's LGBTQIA2+ community must continue year-round, the event's board of directors vice-president said on Saturday.

Speaking to CTV News, Moe Hamandi acknowledged that Pride had issues with representation in the past, particuarly during the 2017 parade.

“We learned from the past. We are a new board with a new vision since 2020,” he said. “It's very important for me... to listen to all of my community before anything else. And I think the mission of each person on the board, from all communities and all races, all cultures, all origins, all sexual orientations, that he, she, they are listening to them.”

Hamandi said one priority for this year's Pride was to ensure Indigenous people were given proper representation.

“It's very important to us to make sure we are giving them a voice, especially two-spirit people in our community,” he said.

This year, the annual Pride Parade will not be held due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, a march will begin at 1 p.m. at Jeanne-Mance Park. A moment of silence will be held at 2:30 p.m. to honour the victims of HIV/AIDS and homophobia.