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The Calgary Stampede has reportedly been barred from participating in the annual Pride Parade for the “foreseeable future”, due to the sexual abuse of members of the Young Canadians by a former staffer.
According to reports by CTV News Calgary, “Calgary Pride organizers said individuals in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who were abused by former Young Canadians staffer Philip Heerema expressed that the Stampede’s participation in the 2023 parade negatively impacted them, in an emailed statement Wednesday.”
In the emailed statement, Calgary Pride manager Anna Kinderwater said some members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ approached the organization after last year’s parade about the abuse they experienced by Heerema while participating in the Young Canadians School of Performing Arts as a youth.
The group performs nightly at the Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show. The school is operated by the Calgary Stampede Foundation.
Kinderwater said in the statement “After several months of investigation, we provided ample notice to Calgary Stampede declining their involvement in our parade for the foreseeable future, with accompanying suggestions for change and repair to improve their standing with us and the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community.”
In another emailed statement, CTV News Calgary reports that the Calgary Stampede said “we will continue to work with Calgary Pride to address concerns raised by the community. The Calgary Stampede supports the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and we marched in the 2023 Pride Parade to show that support.”
“We will continue to show our support whether it’s at our annual Pride Day at Nashville North, a future Pride Parade or any other events that we are part of.”
Meanwhile, Calgary Pride has also barred political parties from participating in this year’s Parade. However, politicians and political party representatives are encouraged to attend and support the community members.
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