Members of Hawkes committee announced on eve of Pride Toronto AGM

Roughly three months after the concept was first broached, Pride Toronto (PT) has announced the names of the members of its Community Advisory Panel.

The list of nine — not seven, as previously reported — includes several lawyers, a member of the Ontario Human Rights Commission and a staffer at the Toronto Police Service.

As we’ve reported previously:

The panel came about as part of PT’s June resolution to rescind its censorious ban on the phrase “Israeli apartheid”
in this year’s Pride parade. Made up of “LGBTTIQQ2SA leaders and
friends,” the panel is to “consult with the community” and make
recommendations “regarding Pride Toronto’s ongoing working relationship

with the broader LGBTTIQQ2SA communities.”

519 Church Street Community Centre executive director Maura Lawless
consulted with an unnamed group of community organization executive
directors in compiling the list of would-be panellists. Hawkes says he
also consulted with MPP Glen Murray, mayoral candidate George
Smitherman and Ward 27 city Councillor Kyle Rae.

Here’s the final list: Brent Hawkes (chair), Doug Elliott, Michael Went, Lorraine Weinrib, Angela Robertson, Nicki Ward, Andre Goh, Kavita Joshi and Raja Khouri. Their full bios are available here.

(Photo of Michael Went, centre)

Marcus McCann

Marcus McCann is an employment and human rights lawyer, member of Queers Crash the Beat, and a part owner of Glad Day Bookshop. Before becoming a lawyer, he was the managing editor of Xtra in Toronto and Ottawa.

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