2020-06-05 Meeting

Pride Meeting

Present: Adam Reid, Jess Smith / Vice Chair; Kevin Kindred, Morgan Manzer; Tim Callahan-Cross Kevin Lemieux, Mario Coluluzzi, Rusty Edwards, Oriol Salvador, Brenda Bagnell, Chris Cochrane, Garry Dart, John R Sylliboy, Doug Fevens, Dwayne, Aaron Shenkman, Elise Tremblay, Chris Pelrine, Cole Dorfschmidt, Patrick Maubert, Nan McFadgen, Cat MacKeighan, Laura Russel.

Morgan Manzer: intro

Adam: Dates are the same. 11 days of advocacy and celebration Festival: July 16 - 26. The Parade itself is cancelled.

This festival has the ability to bring people together in a way we need right now. Let's make this festival one to remember!

Evening Shows: mix of pre-taped and live: Musicians, drag, comedy and more.

Deadline for video submissions will be early July. Training is required and will be starting next week.

There will be training for anyone who wants to submit a video or host an online event etc.

Outdoor activities: we'll be identifying appropriately safe outdoor events: socially distant yoga, kite flying, picnics etc.

We'll do a flag raising but it won't be a big public event.

We'll be sharing the safety plan as it develops; public health recommendations will be changing and we'll be changing with it.

Tentative schedule

Morning meditation. Public health session at 10:00am every day. Spiritual, physical.

Noon hour panel series, each day at noon.

Social distanced outdoor events: yoga, pilates, picnic, and "extramurals" -- active living activities: bike rides, runs, aerobics, on weekday evenings.

About Black Lives Matter: we support this and support the ending of prejudice.

Event organizers will be getting the support as in previous years: we'll be doing an online calendar of events. There won't be a printed guide, it'll all be online. This means there won't be a hard deadline - but you should still get your event in early.

June 22: Calendar will open for you to submit your events.

Emergency Events Support Program: request up to $300 to support your event. There'll be a simple form for this, deadline will be June 24.

June 9: call for volunteers will be sent out.

Sponsors: deadline for sponsors will close near the end of the month.

Q: Will we be planning any kind of a vigil? A: it is definitely on our radar. Possibly - a small event in Raymond Taavel park or a bigger socially-distant event in a large space.

Q: Are we looking at ways to access other public channels outside of online? Not sure, if eastlink tv or anything similar? There will be people who do not use internet.

Q: Is there a physical place to use for any activities? Like the Garrison grounds? Let's say if we wanted to drum? A: Yes. The Garrison Grounds is the space we've been looking at for outdoor events, drumming would fit there.

Q: In past years, Pride post-parade party was held on the Commons, is that an option that can be explored? A: It could be. It will have to fit with recommendations from public health officials. So yes - if we can do it safely.