UFCW 1518 activists take Pride in Vancouver parade
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Vancouver – August 4, 2016 – Members, staff, and officers from UFCW Canada Local 1518 were loud and proud at the 38th annual Vancouver Pride Parade on July 31, where UFCW activists handed out whistles and waved to spectators as part of a multi-union delegation that participated in the event.
During the parade, the UFCW activists were joined by representatives from the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), members of the British Columbia legislature, and BC NDP Leader John Horgan, who waved flags and engaged with onlookers as the parade made its way through the city’s west end.
The Vancouver Pride Parade attracts visitors from across Canada and the U.S. and is one of the city’s flagship events. Organizers estimate that more than 650,000 people attended this year's parade, making it one of the largest Pride celebrations in the world. The parade is also an economic boon to the city, as the Vancouver Pride Society estimates that it pumps tens of millions of dollars into the local economy.
“Our LGBTQ members need to know they are not alone and that their union is there with them,” says Ivan Limpright, the president of UFCW Canada Local 1518. “Justice and human rights are at the core of what our union is about,” he adds.