Under clear blue skies, thousands of participants, including Local 1000A staff, members and activists, took to the streets of downtown Ottawa on August 26, 2012 to celebrate the Capital Pride Parade. Decked out in UFCW gold T-shirts, they danced and waved flags as they made their way through the downtown core.
“It was a fabulous day," said Local 1000A President Pearl Sawyer. “I am so proud of our members and their commitment and dedication to celebrating diversity and in particular, the LGBTQ community. We still have a long way to go but I know, with our participation in the Capital Pride Parade, we helped make a difference.”
Jackie Graticola, a Local 1000A activist from Ottawa and a Pride Advisory Group member, helped organize the local union’s participation in the event.
“It was absolutely fantastic,” Graticola said. “It was a perfect day and I was delighted to see everyone come together.”
Graticola said Local 1000A, by participating in the parade, helped raise awareness among local union members and the larger community of its support of the LGBTQ community and its Pride Advisory Group.
Caroline Brisebois, president of Local 1000A’s Ottawa Division and a member of Local 1000A’s executive board, provided assistance to Graticola in organizing the local union’s participation.
“The turnout was great and everyone had fun,” Brisebois said.
The Capital Pride Parade was the second major event for Local 1000A's Pride Advisory Group. Local 1000A had participated in the Toronto Pride Parade, an event that draws more than a million participants, earlier this summer.
