Trudeau to be first Canadian PM to march in pride parade

Ottawa, Feb 23: Justin Trudeau will become the first Canadian prime minister to march in Toronto's Pride parade this summer, organizers said.

The July 3 event -- which in previous years has drawn some 100,000 participants and spectators -- is a highlight of one of the world's largest gay pride festivals.

"This year's parade will make Canadian history, with Justin Trudeau participating as the first ever sitting prime minister to march," festival organizers said in a statement yesterday.

"Very much look forward to being there again, this time as PM," Trudeau confirmed in a Twitter message. This year, the festival -- which has attracted up to one million visitors to Toronto in the past -- will last for a month and take up 22 city blocks that will be closed to traffic.

Its 2016 theme is "You can sit with us," which organizers said "conveys a strong message of belonging and inclusion."

AFP