Canada’s Prime Minister makes history by marching in Pride parade
Pic: Pride Toronto / 416 Kings
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has become the first head of state to march in a Pride parade while in office.
Trudeau, who’s been dubbed the “world’s hottest prime minister,” was the centre of attention at the 36th annual Toronto Pride Parade on Sunday, posing for selfies with participants and spectators.
“We’re celebrating Pride in Toronto; the freedom to be who you are and to love who you love…” said an enthusiastic Trudeau while surrounded by a cheering crowd at the event.
Dressed in white pants and a light pink shirt, he was joined by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, Toronto Mayor John Tory and tens of thousands of participants.
Earlier in the day, Trudeau attended an outdoor church service in the city’s gay village and sang along with the crowd to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way.
The prime minister also revealed that the federal government is looking at how to best implement gender-neutral identification documents.
Trudeau, 44, has previously taken part in Toronto Pride but that was before he assumed the position of prime minister in November last year.
Although he’s Catholic, Trudeau supports marriage equality and the right to abortion. He is married to Sophie Grégoire and the couple have three children.
Oh for a little civilisation !
It is great that Justin Trudeau marched in the gay march in Canada, but it is not true that he is the first head of state to march in a gay march. Our Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg marched in the Pride in Bergen in June last year, and was the first head of state in this country to march in a pride march, but I am not sure she was the first one globally, remember countries like Iceland, Belgium and Luxembourg have had openly gay heads of state, as far back as 2009, who I am suspecting they participated in pride marches in their country, while they were heads of state.