William Whatcott, an Alberta-based activist, has been convicted of wilfully promoting hatred against gay men at Toronto's Pride Parade in 2016. The conviction stems from his actions during the parade where he and six followers dressed in lime-green spandex suits with matching masks and distributed anti-gay pamphlets disguised as condoms. Whatcott had falsely represented his group as the 'Gay Zombies Cannabis Consumers Association' to obtain parade permission, claiming they would distribute 'zombie safesex packets' to encourage safe sex practices. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice, in a verdict dated September 16, 2026, found that Whatcott knowingly distributed materials that promoted hatred against gay men, as defined by case law. Justice Anne Molloy noted that the combined effect of the flyers, the elaborate deception used to gain parade access, and Whatcott's subsequent gloating all demonstrated his intention to vilify gay men. The flyers contained messages portraying gay men as immoral, dangerous to children, carriers of disease, and engaging in sinful conduct, while also including religious rhetoric about repentance. Whatcott, who identified as a 'conservative evangelical' and claimed the Bible was authoritative, admitted to lying about his group's purpose to parade organizers. He defended his actions as 'tactical' in a 'spiritual war' against gay culture. The court rejected his claim of being a simple missionary, stating he was an activist who enjoyed the spectacle of his actions. The Supreme Court of Canada had previously declined to hear his appeal against the conviction. Whatcott, a former nurse turned school bus driver and carpet cleaner, was found to have deliberately targeted the Pride Parade to spread anti-gay messaging, with the flyers distributed to 3,000 parade attendees. The judge emphasized that while some elements of the flyers might be merely offensive, their combined effect, delivery method, and Whatcott's attitude constituted wilful promotion of hatred. This case represents a significant legal precedent regarding hate speech in Canada, particularly concerning the use of deceptive tactics to spread discriminatory messages at public events.

Lørdag 15. august fikk politiet på Orkanger melding fra deltagere i prideparaden om at en bil hadde holdt høy hastighet mot paraden før den bråbremset.

Compilation of the 2026 Ottawa Capital Pride Parade from 30 August. Always a blast to see these. They are great for celebrating diversity and on top of that they are really fun too!