Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 07, 2014, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE A17 winnipegfreepress. com CANADA WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2014 A 17 5 MINUTES FROM POINTE WEST AUTOPARK We repair all makes & models. FREE LOANER VEHICLES K s . www. winnipegcollision. com 783- 0094 5236 Portage Ave. lli i FAX US YOUR MPI CLAIM 204- 775- 0491 Do Winnipeg Collision is? y ou know where AC CIDENT ! WHY WOULD YOU WAIT WEEKS TO HAVE YOUR VEHICLE REPAIRED AT YOUR CURRENT BODY SHOP? DON'T WAIT! I GUARANTEE YOUR VEHICLE WILL BE OUR # 1 PRIORITY! CALL US TO BOOK TODAY Walt Morris President and Owner Michelle Gervais Ronalda Launder You have won a Double Pass to Endless Love Call Rae- Ann @ 204- 697- 7224 to claim your prize before noon, Feb 12/ 14. For more information contact Michelle at the Winnipeg Free Press Phone: ( 204) 697- 7215 or michelle. racicot@ freepress. mb. ca Looking for extra cash to pay down bills? Become a part- time carrier for the Winnipeg Free Press! �� Earn $ 650 to $ 750 per month �� Average Route: Monday through Saturday, 3: 30 A. M. to 6: 00 A. M. ( 2.5 - 3 hours daily) �� Gas allowance per kilometers used ( over and above your earnings!) �� Easy Money ormation c 20 email: racico �� Optional Carrier Insurance �� Great way to get in shape �� Perfect job for students �� Must have a vehicle and valid driver's license in order to apply AWD101A 1750 44338 aprefontaine@ landau. ca 204- 772- 2411 Winnipeg, MB R3G3H1 555 Empress St Landau Lincoln Sales Limited PSYCHOLOGY WORKS FOR GRIEF Manitoba Psychological Society Visit us at www. mps. ca T ORONTO - Toronto's scandalplagued mayor and his bombastic older brother are back in the spotlight after making controversial comments about the city's prominent gay pride festival. Mayor Rob Ford has often been at odds with Toronto's gay community for his long- standing refusal to take part in the gay pride parade that marches through the downtown each summer. Those tensions - which eased slightly after the mayor attended a flag- raising ceremony last summer - flared up again Thursday after both Fords made eyebrow- raising remarks about this year's World Pride parade. Rob Ford got the ball rolling on Wednesday night at a debate for mayoral hopefuls running in October's municipal election. When asked if he would attend the parade, Ford was unequivocal in his response. " I'm not going to go to the pride parade," he told the audience. " I've never been to a pride parade. So I'm not going to change the way I am." In the past, Ford had said his refusal to attend the parade was due to a family tradition of spending the Canada Day long weekend at the cottage. He has resolutely stayed away from the festival's headline event since taking office in 2011, though he did attend a flag- raising ceremony at city hall to launch last year's festivities. The mayor's remarks prompted criticism from the public and at least one fellow city councillor - Shelley Carroll - who accused him of " thinly veiled homophobia." In what has become a tradition in its own right, his brother stepped out to field the criticism and fanned the flames of controversy with remarks of his own. Coun. Doug Ford denied either he or his brother were homophobic, but then described the event as " middle- aged men with pot bellies running down the street buck naked." Doug Ford went on to say the event is one that some, including him, may feel uncomfortable participating in with their children. Both he and his brother have homosexual friends and understand the festival has potential to bring in valuable tourism dollars, said Doug Ford, but he went on to offer a personal criticism of the flagship parade. " Do I condone men running down the middle of Yonge Street buck naked? Absolutely not. Maybe there are some people in this city that approve of that. Maybe they can bring their kids down to watch this." Doug Ford said his support for the event would be more enthusiastic if people would " clothe themselves." Condemnation from the city's gay community was swift and vocal. Helen Kennedy, executive director of gay rights advocacy group Egale Canada, said the mayor's unwillingness to attend the parade shows about as much respect for the community as its members now have for him. " There's nothing thinly veiled about it. It's overt homophobia," she said. "... At this stage, I don't think the community would want him to appear at the pride parade. Really, there's no added value to having him." Many people took to Twitter to castigate the pair for comments they described as ignorant and out of date. One user wrote that if Doug Ford had ever attended the parade he would know that " there are more parents and children than naked men." - The Canadian Press Fords under fire again over pride parade Mayor, brother stoke controversy with comments on gay festival By Michelle McQuigge CHRIS YOUNG / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, joking with a civic official in this file photo, is still refusing to attend a pride parade. A_ 21_ Feb- 07- 14_ FP_ 01. indd A17 2/ 6/ 14 9: 24: 12 PM ;