How mayoral hopefuls are attracting attention during pride weekend
Joe Pantalone handing out condoms
Kris Scheuer
Mayoral candidate Joe Pantalone is handing out these condoms during Toronto's pride parade.
This weekend marks the 30th annual Pride Parade in Toronto.
Mayoral candidates will be out in full force wooing voters and getting press.
Mayoral candidate Joe Pantalone sent out a press release today that he’ll be handing out condoms July 4. Sure, why not? Safe sex and all.
But the text was a little funny that accompanied his reasoning. Read it for yourself and tell me what you think.
“When you know you’re safe, you’re free to enjoy yourself,” Pantalone’s presser stated. “That’s the attitude of a responsible lover. And as a responsible Mayor, it will be Joe’s attitude to Toronto. It’s why he and his campaign will distribute ‘Not Your Average Joe’ condoms at this year’s Pride Parade – to remind celebrants that it’s when we take care of each other that we can most enjoy each other’s company.”
“A condom provides protection against infection; a Pantalone mayoralty will be an effective prophylactic against diseases like rampant privatization, service cuts, transit delays, and divisive politics,” he wrote. “You already take care of your body; on election day, be sure to take care of your city, by voting Joe.”
What do you think? Brilliant, silly or outrageous?Mayoral candidate George Smitherman, a married gay man and recent father, will be participating in the Pride and Remembrance 5K Run on Sat July 3. He’ll have a booth at the parade on Saturday and on Sunday a tailgate party at 4:30 at Harold Town Parkette across from 820 Church St.
Councillors Rob Ford and Giorgio Mammoliti, who are both mayoral candidates, have a motion (going to city council July 7) to retroactively revoke a $126,370 grant plus $170,000 in clean-up and policing for this year’s Pride Parade because of Pride Toronto’s reversal of its decision regarding Queers Against Israeli Apartheid. At first Pride Toronto banned the group and then reversed the decision and will allow QAIA to march as long as they sign an agreement to abide by the city’s anti-discrimination funding.
Kris Scheuer 
I think that it will turn more potential voters off than any he may gain.
Stupid move. I passed his website onto some people I know and the response was a good laugh to outrage.
Joe who does not have a chance. He knows it.
Nussy,
so if you were Joe Pantalone’s campaign manager you would have advised him against the tongue in cheek promotion during Pride?
By the way, I was downtown yesterday walking Church St looking at all the booths for politicians. Not just for mayor but also some of the 13 candidates running for council in Ward 27. And ward candidate Joel Dick and his volunteers handed out stickers that said, “I like D..K” that men and women were proudly wearing.
Apparently Joel Dick’s stickers and t-shirts were a hit, according to his press after the fact.
Here’s his press statement from July 6.
The ‘I like dick’ sticker was a popular item at Pride last weekend, so popular that it drew the attention of the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives. Both the sticker and the T-shirt will be added to the collection at the Archives.
“I wanted to have fun with my last name,” stated Joel Dick, candidate for city council in Ward 27. “Pride gave me that opportunity.”
Joel and his team handed out more than 5,000 stickers with requests for more.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and met many wonderful people. I am especially honoured that the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives feel the sticker and T-shirt are worth preserving,” added Joel.
A strong supporter of Pride for over 10 years, Joel noted that, if elected, he will continue to be a strong voice of support of future Pride celebrations.