Pride Winnipeg needs volunteers days before festival start

Pride Winnipeg is putting out a call for volunteers days before the launch of its 30th festival.

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"It's still pretty dire," said Pride Winnipeg president Jonathan Niemczak.

Niemczak said the entire organization is run by volunteers and a new extended parade route this year has increased the need for helping hands.

"Without volunteers, there wouldn't be a pride festival," Niemczak said.

Pride is looking for volunteers to help with clean up and take down on the festival's busiest day — June 4.

That's when the Pride parade is expected to draw thousands to the Manitoba Legislature and The Forks and streets in between.

Police participation 'a delicate issue'

Niemczak said Pride Winnipeg will be releasing its decision shortly about police participation in the festival.

The organization, like others across the country, has surveyed the LGBT community asking about participants' lived experience with police and asks if they think police should be able to march in the parade.

Police participation in Pride festivals has been brought into question in other cities like Vancouver and Toronto following calls from marginalized groups asking police to withdraw from parades.

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Niemczak said Pride Winnipeg has never had an issue with police on the day of the festival's parade, but some community members have raised concerns about their interactions with police outside of the festival.

"There have definitely been based off our survey, ongoing concerns within the community with the police," he said.

Levi Foy is co-founder of Like That, a program at Sunshine House which gives people — including those from marginalized communities — a space to explore their gender and sexual identity. He said many involved in the program have characterised their interactions with police as "unhealthy."

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"When we have had discussions about police and safety there are stories of harassment, abuse, and negligence on the part of police," Foy said.

Niemczak said Pride will continue to have tough conversations around the sensitive issue.

"It is quite a delicate issue and we are trying to handle it as respectfully as we can."

Pride runs from May 26-June 4. Volunteers are being asked to sign up online.