Toronto’s Rob Ford and Calgary’s Naheed Nenshi: A tale of two mayors

When, oh when, are we all going to grow-up? As a gay man, I have never been to a Pride Parade. A little too loud and crass for my taste. I don't really care if the mayor of whatever city decides not to go. Treat us equally under the law and let's leave it at that!....

Wow two people from two different cities, from two different parts of the country, from two different backgrounds have two different opinions. What are the odds?

I am a lesbian and I am proud to be canadian and i am proud to be a kind loving person my sexual preference is not my source of pride. Neither mayor is wrong in attending or not attending.

So what are they going to say about Ford when he chooses his family over the Caribana Festival, now renamed Jambana? People should mind their own business...

If I were gay, I would be completely embarrassed by the select few idiots who make the gay community look bad by making such a fuss over something like this. The pride parade used to be about gays standing up for equal rights, now it is simply an excuse to act like a retard in public.

Yahoo, you're becoming the Jerry Springer of internet information. Thank you for constantly setting low standards in journalism.

every person has a right to stand for what they think is right, not what people want them to be.

Mayor Ford, regardless of his position to represent all the people, should be respected for his personal and family decisions. Get over it! Allow him to be mayor on issues that affect the efficient running of the city - not parades!

Things must be going well in the country as well as Toronto if this is what we are debating.

What a story! How come the activity of a city Mayor should be "appreciated" as efficient related ONLY to the fact that he/she participates to a gay parade?
The former Toronto Mayor David Miller (very appreciate by media because his main activity was to participate at all the gay parades) has neglected his main Mayoral duties, weakened dangerously the Toronto Economy by increasing foolishness the taxes and throwing in wind all the taxpayers money!
How come the media - which have to be impartial and promote the real work of a Mayor has arrived to "promote" only the gay virtues and judge a Mayor work and achievements ONLY if he was or not at the guy parade? Why the Toronto Mayor Bob Ford have to spend important funds of taxpayers money to ''finance and support'' the gay parade, than to repair the disastrous Toronto infrastructure of streets, highways, sidewalks inherited from his predecessor David Miller?
What is the fuss to compare the Calgary Mayor mentality to participate at all gay parades, with the honest, passionate and taking good care of taxpayer's money mentality of Mayor Bob Ford?
This is a shame, and BRAVO to Mayor Bob Ford for his courage and determination to do not be intimidated by any partisan groups (including gay parade) and to put an end once for all at this unfair media pressure which in quest of so called "news" has transformed the Toronto Mayoral activity in a real circus!
The Mayor Bob Ford it's the Mayor of 5 millions of Torontonians and not ONLY of a few hundred guy peoples and their desuete parade!

The gay population of Canada has the freedom to live their lives as they choose but they do not have the right to demand that everyone else be super pro gay. They are a small portion of the population but are always complaining and trying to justify themselves and push themselves on the rest of us. Mayor Ford may just not be into the whole gay thing, did you ever think of that. Maybe watching a lot of people acting in a way that the rest of us don't do ourselves is not Ford's think. It's certainly not my thing. Gays have freedom and rights in this country and why are they complaining for more. If you gays out there don't want us Straights trying to make you straight like us then stop trying to make us into gaylords like you.

There is a Toronto Star article about him where he says he is heterosexual. It seems that because he is openly non-discriminatory against gays that he is therefore deemed gay. As for Rob Ford, he clearly said he had other previous family commitments. A family tradition that has continued for decades in his family. That does NOT constitute discrimination in any way. Unless someone can demonstrate that he had no other commitments then STFU. It seems that what this article is saying is that once you are mayor you MUST attend the gay pride parade irrespective of any other commitments. That is unreasonable. It's not like he cut funding or attempted to stop the parade in any way. Nor did he voice any opinions against the parade. Nor did he try to deter anyone else from attending. He simply did not attend due to other commitments. This article is probably about the Globe and Mail trying to get people to buy their product by stirring up controversy.

Perhaps Ford would have attended if the parade was a little more serious about gay pride and less about getting your freak on in the middle of the street.

Mr. Ford does not have to prove that he is a good mayor or person by attending a gay pride parade. everyone forgets what great work or accomplishments ford has done all because he decided to be with his family on this day. all the people who got offended should just grow up and shut up already.

Brian Burke, whose deceased son was gay, said that it was entirely Ford's business to attend or not attend the parade. A poor article with a pretense of being objective. I guess according to the esteemed Mr Hume Toronto has a majority of rednecks. Go figure.

I think Rob Ford is doing a great job. I hope he don't have to kiss ass to be reelected

OK I have heard about enough of this Ford thing.Who cares if he goes to the parade or not?? Many gay people don't attend the parade......I think that the Santa Claus parade would be far more important to attend.Children do not belong anywhere near the prancing of queers and queens dancing naked on the streets,and yes they do !!
Who cares if your gay !! Do you see a heterosexual parade for married couples.
Your sexuality belongs to you and your partner.....not to be displayed in public like a circus show (which it is).Everyone is smoking dope and getting drunk.....I don't blame Ford for not wanting to be involved.....he did the right thing....he spent the weekend with his family,thats what long weekends are for !!

I lived in Toronto for 15 years...Great City!!...I have been to a lot of great festivals and events, but I have never been to the gay parade. I don't have any respect for >anyone< who shoves
their sexuality in your face!

From the editorial: "a model of the kind of acceptance that Pride events are meant to exemplify". Wrong - in the current climate they are meant to DEMAND approval, participation and abundant blessing. When will the gays stop these demands on the rest of us??

When it comes to the Gay community, it's there way or no way. Don't comply with their ideologues, and your labelled as a homophobe. Ford chose not to attend. Take it for what it is. His choice.