The mayor met with the organizers on Monday night and an agreement was reached for an independent investigation.
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An investigation is underway into the events that led to the last-minute cancellation of the Montreal Pride parade on Sunday, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office has confirmed.
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Mayor Valérie Plante met with Montreal Pride organizers Monday night. Also present at the meeting were members of the mayor’s cabinet, as well as Montreal Pride director Simon Gamache and Moe Hamandi, chairman of the board of directors.
“The purpose of the meeting was to ensure the success of the next edition of the event and also to restore public confidence in the organization and its partners,” city spokeswoman Catherine Cadotte told the Montreal Gazette on Tuesday.
“To do this, the mayor made her expectations very clear. She called for an independent investigation to shed light and answers on the circumstances of the decisions that led to the parade’s cancellation, but also to have recommendations on how we can rebuild trust towards the (Montreal Pride) organization.”
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An agreement in principle was reached on Monday night, the details of which have not yet been finalized. The person who will lead the investigation will be named in the coming days, according to Cadotte.
The investigation will also seek to “understand how we got here,” Cadotte said. “The analysis could examine the decision (to cancel the parade) but also the decision process.”
The investigation will go further and look at the structure and day-to-day functioning of the organization.
“It would be an analysis of how Montreal Pride is governed and its relationships with its partners, of its communication process and its finances,” Cadotte said.
Plante recognizes that Montreal Pride is an important celebration for the LGBTQ+ community and all Montrealers, according to Cadotte. The Montreal Pride Parade and its affiliated events contribute to Montreal’s reputation and are a testament to the city’s diversity.
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“It’s a rare opportunity to celebrate the rights of the LGBTQ+ community,” Cadotte said. “As such, it is important that public trust is restored.”
The mayor hopes the investigation will lead to “clear and concrete recommendations” on how to proceed in the future. The mayor’s cabinet will propose candidates to lead the investigation starting this week.
“It’s important that the person has the necessary credentials, but also understands and is sensitive to the realities of LGBTQ+ communities,” Cadotte said.
The objective, he emphasized, is “to ensure that the appropriate mechanisms are established so that the next editions of Montreal Pride are a success that lives up to the expectations of Montrealers.”
This story will be updated.
