A town in Alberta has passed a bylaw barring political displays like rainbow crosswalks and other flags from being displayed on public property following a vote on Thursday.
Residents of Westlock, a town of 5,000 about an hour’s drive northwest from Edmonton, narrowly passed the motion with 50.9% of voters supporting the push for neutrality.
The people have spoken.
Now you and @R_Boissonnault can stick to ruining Edmonton and quit with your failed attempts to colonize the culture of rural Alberta with your progressive nonsense. https://t.co/5qtifEbSmx
— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) February 23, 2024
The ballot question asked voters they agreed with three statements:
- Only federal, provincial and municipal flags may be flown on flagpoles on Town of Westlock municipal property.
- All crosswalks in the Town of Westlock must be the standard white striped pattern between two parallel white lines.
- The existing rainbow coloured crosswalk in the Town of Westlock be removed.
With 1,302 votes cast, 663 supported the bylaw while 639 opposed.
A longtime Ottawa Pride attendee says he can “understand” why people might think the parade’s sexualized nature is “excessive.”
“I think it’s wonderful,” he tells Rebel News reporter Robert Kraychik.https://t.co/Ix2jbKcSlH. pic.twitter.com/SK22Sd5Vax
— Yanky 🇺🇲 (@Yanky_Pollak) August 28, 2023
The bylaw vote was not supported by local councillors, who had previously unanimously backed the introduction of the town’s first rainbow sidewalk which was painted in June 2023. That decision faced pushback from residents who felt officials were bringing “contentious issues” to public spaces that are expected to remain politically neutral.
A petition was launched by the Westlock Neutrality Team, led by Stephanie Bakker, which called on the town to ensure “crosswalks and flags on public property remain neutral.”
.@SueAnnLevy joins The @EzraLevant Show, where she explains how Pride Toronto has wasted taxpayer funds from grants it was given by the federal government.
Visit Rebel News for more on this story: https://t.co/rDyzzoXw57 pic.twitter.com/LvaaR9TOdf
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) February 3, 2024
With councillors and Mayor John Kramer campaigning against the petition, Bakker said “people are feeling a bit bullied” by the local leaders’ claims “that they’re doing it out of compassion and caring and wanting to make the town inclusive,” CBC reported.
“We’re having a vote on neutrality and the irony is this council can’t even be neutral,” said a supporter of the Westlock Neutrality in a comment to the state broadcaster last week.
Montreal’s Pride festival took over the city’s main streets with families and young children present. Throughout the day, Alexa Lavoie saw performances that were highly sexualized, and she asked those present what they thought.
MORE by @ThevoiceAlexa: https://t.co/SQTnmgDmhq pic.twitter.com/nERG3ksJQe
— Rebel News Québec (@RebelNews_QC) August 16, 2023
Mayor Kramer, meanwhile, told CBC that “When diversity makes a home in your community, we believe there’s both an incredible opportunity and also a responsibility to respond proactively in an inclusive way.”
Following the defeat on the binding vote, Kramer reiterated his commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. “That won’t stop, it will just take on a different form,” he said in a press release.