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Rob Ford, The Pride Parade And Twitter Reaction To The Toronto Mayor's Decision To Skip It

First Posted: 06/23/11 08:34 AM ET   Updated: 08/23/11 06:12 AM ET

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is under fire this morning on all fronts after he announced he would skip Toronto's Pride parade in favour of a weekend at the cottage. Ford would be the first mayor of the mega-city to miss the event, which draws an estimated million people to the city's core each year for a celebration of gay life in Toronto, the Toronto Sun reports.

The reaction has been swift and passionate on Twitter. Here are some of the Tweets we saw this morning.

Natalie Alcoba
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Natalie Alcoba
Doug Ford says criticism of Mayor missing Pride parade pure politics. \"Rob doesn\'t care if someone is gay, straight, purple, pink, white\"
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Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is under fire this morning on all fronts after he announced he would skip Toronto's Pride parade in favour of a weekend at the cottage. Ford would be the first mayor of the mega...
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is under fire this morning on all fronts after he announced he would skip Toronto's Pride parade in favour of a weekend at the cottage. Ford would be the first mayor of the mega...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
thenicerguy
39 Fans
03:27 PM on 07/01/2011
Hey, when did Toronto elect Auric Goldfinger as Mayor?
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skipptown
Olives take up too much room in such a little glas
17 Fans
06:34 PM on 06/29/2011
Hmm. It appears that Rob has marched previously after all:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fUC_mXHZPbk/TZkrdZAN9cI/AAAAAAAAAMo/Tj-KxXEbO7c/s1600/stay-puft-marshmallow-man.jpg
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Indaba
335 Fans
10:33 AM on 06/26/2011
For us not Twittering rage, it is because we see Gay Pride as mainstream now. Marriage, kids, careers - have it all. I am happy that my son finds his gay teacher cool. I am glad to have two mums with their son - great. Modern family gay couple is my best. So get over it gay people - you are fine with us. We love you. Leave rob alone.
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AshamedinTO
1 Fans
09:03 AM on 06/24/2011
Please don't say Ford is a closet case, it would mean he might one day come out, and I'm sure the Gay community does not want him. Actually, the hetero community doesn't want him either... PLEASE ROB, STAY IN THE CLOSET!!!
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EllaBelle18
16 Fans
01:42 AM on 06/24/2011
Gregor Robertson > Rob Ford. Nuff said.
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RODERICK098
218 Fans
05:00 PM on 06/23/2011
Unbelievable-Rob Ford has just brought out his mommy to fight his battles for him. Relax everyone ,Mummy Ford says Robbie is doing the right thing by not attending.
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Indaba
335 Fans
10:38 AM on 06/26/2011
LOL
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RODERICK098
218 Fans
02:45 PM on 06/23/2011
Mr. Ford appears to be very uncomfortable around gay people. As the psychiatrists say show me a homophobe and we will show you a closeted gay person. It is infortunate that Mr. Ford feels his cottage is more important than the one million people that will be at the parade. He is an embarassment and should never have been elected mayor. Mr Ford-you do not just represent the developers you represent all the city including the one million people attending the paradeand many of these people are paying property taxes that he needs.
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Jj Yapo
3 Fans
11:54 AM on 06/23/2011
Come'on people get over yourselves .The mayor has a family commitment. The Gay Pride is not National holiday for God sake. If they really want him to be there they should change the date to accomodate his schedule
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PortlandZoo
Wait... what?
2269 Fans
12:21 PM on 06/23/2011
er, the parade is on a national holiday - July 1st. And lumpy's cottage is an easy drive to the city that he's the MAYOR of. Plus the pride festival has been around longer that rob and will endure long after he's gone. He's making a mistake - plain and simple - he may backtrack but people won't forget.
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kiddub
151 Fans
07:27 PM on 06/23/2011
Actually....the parade is two days later on July 3. ;)
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cdnman
Still a free spirit...
2280 Fans
06:09 AM on 06/24/2011
Absolutely.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
jrfunkenstein
'It's a sad and beautiful world'
674 Fans
12:23 PM on 06/23/2011
Since when is getting hammered at the cottage a 'family committment?'

Ford ran for Mayor of the largest and most diverse city in the entire country, of which Pride Week is a lucrative and longstanding tradition that he is completely snubbing as though his cottage won't be there next weekend.

Based on his history of homophobic comments and his rancorous campaign in which he insulted a host of Toronto residents, this is not a surprise, but rather another indication of what kind of 'leader' this man will be.
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gord111
1 Fans
11:25 AM on 06/23/2011
Man, do I have to be gay or at least pretend to be just so I don't get called a "homophobe"? I'm not afraid of gay people, some friends and relatives of mine are gay. I'm still not interested in Pride Week and I believe that the mayor's family commitments display a connection with my interests. Hopefully this doesn't make me a bad person somehow. I'm glad the gay people in my life aren't angry, bitter and rabid towards everyone else because I'd hate to have to question them whether they think it's right to do unto others as they'd had done to them.
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Toddynho
I needs proof read more!
2108 Fans
11:46 AM on 06/23/2011
Great, he has your personal interests at heart, but not the city's. You two can be friends, but he shouldn't be Mayor of Toronto.
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tattytiara
45 Fans
11:42 AM on 06/24/2011
Dude, I probably wouldn't attend - I strongly support equal rights, but I simply don't like parades and just like you, would have no obligation to be there. But if the tax payers in that parade paid my salary and expected me to attend, I'd be there early and go home late and cheer more loudly than anybody else there.
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cdnman
Still a free spirit...
2280 Fans
11:00 AM on 06/23/2011
A really big political mistake for Ford.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
robertmiller252
114 Fans
09:58 AM on 06/23/2011
Just why does Mayor Ford have to go to the Gay Pride Parade?

He doesn't "have" to do anything. And just tell me why the Gay community demands so much fealty to their own sexual preferences?

I am hetrosexual and PROUD of it. So why do I and my ilk not have their own parade?
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ramal
One's only real life is the life one never leads.
1554 Fans
10:11 AM on 06/23/2011
Who is stopping you? Knock yourself out and more power to you.
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Exexecution
386 Fans
11:04 AM on 06/23/2011
What does a heterosexual pride parades look like, I wonder?
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Exexecution
386 Fans
11:03 AM on 06/23/2011
"He doesn't "have" to do anything."

Strawman. No one said that except you.
See how that strawman thing works?
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golfwhizz
1 Fans
08:59 AM on 06/23/2011
maybe he does not want to look at half naked men performing simulated sex on each other or exposing there genitals in public , Good for you Mayor , say no to perversion
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
walkerhds
572 Fans
09:18 AM on 06/23/2011
there!!!! Genitals!!!!!! or "their genitals"? You sir, labour under a misapprehension
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
ParliamentHillCatMP
28 Fans
09:43 AM on 06/23/2011
I think there's just not enough beer at the event.
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Exexecution
386 Fans
11:37 PM on 06/23/2011
Should have gone with "thur genitals" =]
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Torontotoad
48 Fans
09:46 AM on 06/23/2011
Why, you think hes worried he may become aroused?
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cdnman
Still a free spirit...
2280 Fans
11:02 AM on 06/23/2011
Probably...but he'd only be able to attract a half blind chubby chaser anyway lol
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gord111
1 Fans
11:18 AM on 06/23/2011
heterophobes always assume that everyone who's not gay, actually secretly is. Personally, I am as interested in Pride week as I am interested in attending a Star Trek convention... which isn't at all. It doesn't mean I'm a nerdophobe, does it?!
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Totto
"Not 'Noise' One Round: *Music*
8851 Fans
08:51 AM on 06/23/2011
He's dressed like a Mafia Don.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
kmilford
33 Fans
08:26 AM on 06/23/2011
Not really well versed in Leadership.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
intellifran
insert clever line here...
676 Fans
09:46 AM on 06/23/2011
Leadership means leading by example. Family is important a pride parade is not.
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ramal
One's only real life is the life one never leads.
1554 Fans
10:14 AM on 06/23/2011
He knew that it went with the territory when he ran for the position. There are plenty of times that I would like to take a day off from my work to spend it with my family just because. Somehow I don't think that would meet with my employer's approval.
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Toddynho
I needs proof read more!
2108 Fans
11:48 AM on 06/23/2011
Pride parade brings in MILLIONS of dollars to Toronto's economy. If Ford or his idiot supporters don't see that as being important for the mayor to support, then all of ya head to Huntsville.
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