Kathleen Wynne to run Pride Run

Saturday’s Pride and Remembrance Run around Toronto’s Queen’s Park has come a long way, and the province’s premier, Kathleen Wynne has been around each year to see it all happen.

Wynne, Canada’s first openly gay head of government, has been taking part in the run since the 1990s when it began and can’t remember a year that she didn’t show up for the 5K.

“We can go back but I don’t think I’ve missed a year,” says the Premier. “I’ve been here for pride every year,” noting that the run, which now sees about 1,500 participants, began with only a few-hundred runners.

The Pride and Rememberance Run began in 1996, organized by three gay triathletes in the city. It’s grown and has now raised over $1 million various charities.

South of the border on Friday, the US Supreme Court ruled in favour of gay marriage nationwide in the country, an event that will likely spill over into Toronto’s weekend Pride festivities, though gay marriage has been legal across Canada since 2005.

The run will be the first under Toronto’s current mayor John Tory, who unlike his predecessor Rob Ford, seems an enthusiastic supporter of the LGBT community in the city.

“I think it’s the way it should be, having the leadership of the city and the provinces involved and supportive,” says the Premier about Tory’s position. “I’ve been to Pride in London and it’s really important because we live in an open commmunity. I think it’s important that we celebrate because there’s so many places in the world where it’s not safe to celebrate Pride, it’s not safe to celebrate diversity and I think we have a responsibility to be that model to the world.”

Wynne is also preparing to attend the upcoming Pan Am Games in the city. She says she’s purchased tickets to track and field events, among other sports.

“It’s going to be a great Games. The Pan Am Games are going to have a presence at Pride and Pride is going to have a presence at the Pan Am Games.”