Smiths Falls Pride event 'a long time coming'

It was an emotional moment for James Ae Perkins as he watched the rainbow flag raised over his home town of Smiths Falls, Ont., in preparation for the community's first-ever Pride parade this weekend. 

"Growing up in Smiths Falls, living here my whole life, it almost brought a tear to my eye," Perkins, chair of Smiths Falls Pride, told CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning. "It's been a long time coming."

The town will hold a one-day event Saturday, featuring a parade, a potluck and a dance at a local park. 

Full support from council 

Perkins, who is also the co-owner of Smith Falls restaurant Two Guys For Lunch, spearheaded the organizing efforts, beginning with a speech to town councillors about the need for a local Pride celebration.

I would have felt so good in my heart to know there were others in the community who shared my thoughts so that I wasn't alone.- James Ae Perkins, Smiths Falls Pride

"I spoke to them about the importance of accepting diversity [and] that flying the flag in Smiths Falls shows our residents, and people driving through, that Smiths Falls council supports diversity and frowns upon ignorance and bigotry," Perkins said. 

Perkins received full support from council, but said before he spoke one councillor questioned him about the need for such an event.

"I thought long and hard about it. The LGBTQ+ community has long had a hard time being visual. It wasn't a long ago that it was illegal to be gay," he said. 

"As a teenage James... I would have felt so good in my heart to know there were others in the community who shared my thoughts so that I wasn't alone."

The parade begins beside town hall at 5 p.m. and ends next to the water tower, where other Pride events will take place.