Vancouver’s 32nd annual Pride Parade controversy-free

Despite rumours about a protest that would criticize a controversial policy upheld by Canadian Blood Services, this year’s Pride Parade kept up its image of rainbows and lollipops.

By Matt DiMera [contributor]

If controversy makes for good news, then the 2010 Vancouver Pride Parade was set to be a veritable goldmine of journalistic potential.

For the past few months, rumours had been circulating that Canadian Blood Services was to have a presence in this year’s Pride parade.  CBS has long been at odds with the LGBTQ community because of its policy banning gay men from donating blood.  An attempt by CBS to polish their tarnished image behind enemy lines would most definitely be newsworthy.

On a second controversial front, a group calling itself Vancouver Queers Against Israeli Apartheid registered to march.

Earlier this year, a reportedly-unaffiliated Toronto group going by a similar name generated countless headlines after they were banned from Toronto’s Pride parade.  That decision was eventually reversed after months of community backlash.

Surely, the Vancouver group would garner similar attention.

But on the day of the parade, there was not an inkling of controversy to be found. There was no Blood Services float or information booth at the after-parade festival. The rumours of CBS trying to reconnect with the LGBTQ community, were just that, rumours.

The Vancouver Queers Against Israeli Apartheid marched in a group several dozen-strong.  Several of their contingent masked their faces and identities with fashionably-matching pink bandanas, but they walked peacefully and without incident.
Parade participants of all ages included civic, provincial, and federal politicians, political parties, religious groups, non-profits, theatre companies, athletic teams, activists and corporations, among many others. Each group marching past the throngs of spectators, elicited fresh waves of cheering, applause and wide-faced smiles.

When the final tally was in, there were almost 150 floats and marching groups and an estimated crowd of 600,000 spectators.

There may not have been controversy, but what was found wasn’t any less newsworthy.