Hundreds in Saskatoon march in solidarity with Women's March on Washington
'I want to move forward and not backward,' says Saskatoon march participant
Demonstrators wore pink "pussyhats" and carried signs quoting Beyoncé in a crowd of hundreds that gathered in Saskatoon to show solidarity with the Women's March on Washington on Saturday.
Men, women and children carrying signs and flags gathered outside Saskatoon City Hall at about 10 a.m. CST.
At around the same time, hundreds of thousands of people were reported at the main event protesting Donald Trump's election in Washington, D.C.
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In Saskatoon, there were speeches by elected officials including NDP MLA Danielle Chartier and city councillor Hilary Gough.
Local politicians join demonstration
Gough, who was elected to council for the first time in October last year, said she had reason to be optimistic about the future of women's rights.
"I feel really hopeful, and I know that word has been said a lot already today, but I think we'll just keep saying it because … I have the honour of sitting on the first majority female city council here in Saskatoon," she said.
Chartier, who described herself as a proud feminist, issued a call to action to the crowd.
"Are you ready to fight together, not just against someone, but for something?" the Saskatoon Riversdale MLA asked the crowd.
"For gender justice, for economic justice, for racial justice, for environmental justice?"
'Pussyhats' and pink signs
The march kicked off after 10:30 a.m. CST, trailing down Fourth Avenue S. before curling into the downtown core.
Like many people participating in solidarity marches around the world, Stacey Tates wore what participants are calling a "pussyhat" as she marshalled the march through the streets of Saskatoon.
The knitted hats with cat ears, part of a movement that aims to take back ownership of the word "pussy," were a response to a Donald Trump comment about groping women.
"It's sad that we have to deal with something like this again," she said.
"We've gone through a suffrage movement, and it's kind of like a second suffrage movement, but it's historical and it's something that we will be able to tell our children and our grandchildren."
Joanne Dubbin marched with a bright pink sign decorated with a rainbow and the slogan "we stand united."
She said she was not only marching for women but for her grandsons, because she was concerned about the new leadership south of the border.
Human rights, leadership concerns
"I want them to grow up in a world where there is inclusion for all people," said Dubbin.
"I want to move forward and not backward."
Equality for women wasn't the only reason people said they were marching in Saskatoon. They also cited concerns about human rights, marginalization of minorities and possible impacts of the Trump presidency on the Canadian economy.
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Some members of the crowd said they worried Trump's leadership style could become more prevalent in Canada.
Daniel Ethier, who joined his girlfriend at the Saskatoon march, cited the current Conservative Party leadership race as an example.
"There's a lot of ideas getting thrown around which I do not support whatsoever, and I don't like … the direction anyone is heading towards American Republicanism," he said.
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