On Sunday, August 24, LGBT activists in Canada’s capital were all geared up for that most sacred of secular religious processionals, the “Pride” parade. But the Ottawa chapter of “Queers for Palestine” had other plans. As the march approached Wellington Street, Queers for Palestine blocked the parade route.
Those who attend the National March for Life are used to this sort of thing – masked communists have blockaded pro-lifers marching to Parliament Hill, abortion protestors yelling obscenities, even topless Femen activists rushing clergy on the stage. But LGBT marchers are used to strutting about as if they own the place (they pretty much do) and thus the Queers blockade provoked a furious circular firing squad of angry progressives.
The LGBT march was cancelled at 3 p.m., reportedly leaving 7,000 people from over 175 groups with nothing to do except go home and put their clothes back on.
As is their wont, Queers for Palestine delivered a list of demands to Capital Pride, including a call for boycotting Israel, and two demands for Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. They demanded that Sutcliffe publicly apologize for staying away from the 2024 LGBT parade over a pro-Palestine statement delivered by the organizers, and they demanded that he make a statement declaring that he stands with all oppressed people, including Palestinians.
“I don’t feel any sort of apology is warranted,” Sutcliffe told the media. “I don’t think we should ever be in a situation where someone can block an event or a parade, especially Capital Pride, make a bunch of demands, and unless those demands are met, then the parade or the event doesn’t go ahead. Because what’s next? What’s the list of demands going to be next time?”
The mayor, you’ll notice, was “especially” offended that Capital Pride had been blasphemed in this manner.
Emily Quaille of Queers for Palestine, conversely, blamed the mayor for the cancellation triggered by their blockade. If he’d just done everything they asked for and groveled like he was supposed to, she explained, everything would have gone excellently:
I said to the mayor through Capital Pride to please come talk to us, to apologize, to at least hear us, find a resolution, or he can leave. He chose a third option, which is to sit there and force Capital Pride or me make that choice of what to do.
Anyone who does not find that exchange hilarious must have a heart of stone. The mayor, because he refused to do what we said, forced us to do what we did. This is the language of activists who are used to getting precisely what they want from politicians and are bewildered when leaders worry at the bridle. That’s not how it is supposed to work in Canada, in 2025, and especially (gasp) at Capital Pride!
If the mayor doesn’t smarten up, Queers for Palestine warned, then he doesn’t get to be our friend anymore. “I do not understand why a straight man with the considerable amount of power that he has is pretending to be an ally, yet operating as the opposite of an ally,” Quaille said. “He is dictating to us our values, and what we should stand beside. The Queer community is saying Pro-Palestinian values are our values. We stand against oppression of all people.” Sutcliffe, of course, didn’t dictate anything, but that is beside the point.
Quaille says that their demands have still not been meant. Capital Pride responded by saying that Queers for Palestine “refused to have a meaningful conversation about how to move forward” and was “unwilling to engage in a good faith conversation.” Either way, Queers for Palestine cancelled Capital Pride, and the same scenario is likely to unfold again next year.
It bears mentioning that the Queers may be for Palestine, but Palestine is very much not for the Queers. Those who identify as LGBT are routinely murdered in the Palestinian territories. Sutcliffe, for his part, says that he is for the LGBTs, even if the LGBTs aren’t for him. According to the CBC: “He said he’s always been a supporter of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and always will be.” So there.
