Pride Toronto developing "free expression policy"
COMMUNITY NEWS / Sandilands goes on record in face of controversy
Matt Mills / National / Tuesday, March 16, 2010
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Pride Toronto executive director Tracey Sandilands
(Jenna Wakani photo)
As the Don't sanitize Pride Facebook group grows beyond 1,100 members, I caught up with Pride Toronto executive director Tracey Sandilands this morning.

I wanted to ask her about some anonymous emails Xtra received overnight (we've posted them below). We wanted to get Pride on the record about its tendering process and the relationship between Dragos Productions and former Pride co-chair Mark Singh. I also wanted to talk about whether Pride Toronto would try to limit QuAIA's participation in the 2010 parade and celebrations.

Among the things I learned: Pride Toronto is developing a "freedom of expression policy."

Click on the control below to hear an edited version of the more than 30-minute conversation I had with Sandilands this morning.


More to follow soon.

Read the emails here:


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Reader Comments


 
WTF!!!!
This organization is corrupt. Period.
OMG, Toronto ON
03/16/10 1:34 PM EST
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corrupt
It's funny how Dragos was also 'retained' for the TCM summit, of which Singh is on the Advisory and Program committee. Dragos was the event manager for the gala on all of the years that Singh was the co-chair of the board. RFP? I smell a red herring.
wow, toronto ontario
03/16/10 2:48 PM EST
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jumping to conclusions
really? corruption? is that the best you guys can come up with? this interview has addressed my concerns - the staff and board of the pride committee may not be perfect but they're doing a good job of handling a tough situation. one that's not being helped by the rabid conspiracy theorists leading the charge on this attack. good luck to them.
g. palazar, toronto ontario
03/16/10 3:08 PM EST
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Huh?
What kind of community organization hires a firm like that? Many of my fears were calmed by this interview but I'm left wondering why I had any fears to begin with. Were they hired so Mark Singh can ingratiate himself with Jaime Watt and Helen Kennedy can keep EGALE's rent free space in his Navigator offices? Pride's board has some explaining to do.
Rachel G., Richmond Hill Ontario
03/16/10 3:48 PM EST
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Me and Jaime, sitting in a tree...
Hi Rachel G., just to clarify - I've only ever met Jaime Watt once (in passing) at a queer community event. Have never spoken to him since then. Hopefully you were just being funny...if not, I now regret that I shook his hand at that occasion! Best, /m
Mark Singh, Toronto Ontario
03/16/10 4:16 PM EST
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When in doubt, ask!
After listening to this, it seems like Pride is trying to balance a thousand priorities, and while not everyone is happy, it would be unrealistic to assume you can make everyone happy. If you believe the vitriol on the web, you would think the Priders are foaming at the mouth. They're not (at least not over this) Put everything into perspective people!!
Chris, Toronto ON
03/16/10 4:47 PM EST
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quote
"...unfortunately we are not going to be banning anyone..." Unfortunately, eh? That's kind of a giveaway dear...
Sav, Toronto ON
03/16/10 5:11 PM EST
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Too little, too late
Why would Pride Toronto issue a press release unveiling new parade policies if these policies weren't done yet? Why did the co-chair refuse to explain what exactly the policy would prohibit? Kudos to Ms. Sandilands for finally coming forward (almost a week after these questions were initially raised), but this all seems like too little, too late. They still have not released their "free expression policy". It can't just be about hate, because that is already prohibited. So what else is it going to prohibit? Don't we have the right to know? Ms. Sandilands needs to stop blaming everyone (the media, activists, Facebook) for Pride's own failure to communicate openly and honestly. Speaking for myself, I didn't think Pride was "out to get me". But when you need to hire a PR firm like Navigator to spin tales and you refuse to be transparent about your actions, that raises concerns with a lot of people.
paol, toronto on
03/16/10 5:21 PM EST
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Walks like a duck...
The issues surrounding the Pride Committee remind me too much of the issues once surrounding Caribanna. There are huge sums of money unaccounted for... Why does the Pride Gala have a budget twice the size of the budget for street entertainment? Who allows a member or employee of an organization to also bid on tenders for the organization? Screw the red herring issue of signs and censorship. Funds missing and misappropriated are clear signs the committee is not acting in the best interest of the community.
John, Hamilton ON
03/16/10 7:22 PM EST
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the policy is obviously different
How can they make such a radical change as requiring all signage to be vetted far in advance of the parade and not call that a new policy? My understanding is that in previous years they just asked a rough idea of what your contingent would be saying in support of the LGBT community. Going from that to explicitly poring every detail of our signs and presentations is a huge difference. It's not just "re-arranging things a bit" or whatever it was she said.
Sav, Toronto ON
03/16/10 7:40 PM EST
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what the...?
Interesting about the issue of banning certain signs at Pride this year. After Listening to TRacy Sandilans - it sounds like after she said "the isreali issue"... that I would recon that the isreali issue has to do with the isreal apartied week. and the palistinean group that opposes whats going on in their country.......
Nicole, Tanguay ontario
03/16/10 8:18 PM EST
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BULL
PRIDE IS GOING TO HELL IN A HANDBAG!!! THERE IS SO MUCH WRONG WITH PRIDE THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT BACK IS TO LET GO OF ALL THE STAFF AND CURRENT BOARD AND ITS HANDED BACK TO THE COMMUNITY! PRIDE TORONTO HAS MANAGED TO GET RID 90% OF SENIOR COORDINATORS SO THEY CAN MOVE AHEAD WITH THEIR HIDDEN AGENDA. TRACEY IS FULL OF S**T. DRAGOS ONLY GOT THE CONTRACT BECAUSE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DANIEL, (MORE IMPORTANTLY) MARK AND TRACEY. TRACEY CLAIMS THAT OTHER VOLUNTEERS HAVE MADE MONEY WHILE BEING AT PRIDE HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TENDERED. BULL S**T! DIG DEEPER XTRA. TRACEY CLAIMS THAT PRIDE IS TRYING TO BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY? BULL S**T! TALKING ABOUT THE LAST 30 YRS! WHAT A JOKE! THEY GO WHERE THE CORPORATE DOLLARS ARE! EVERY WORD FROM THAT WOMANS MOUTH IS A BUNCH OF BULL S**T! WHAT SHE SAYS TO YOUR FACE AND WHAT SHE DOES BEHIND YOUR BACK ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS! PRIDE HAS TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORST AND SADLY ITS NOT GONNA GET ANY BETTER! IT'S A TOTAL JOKE. STRAIGHT STAFF WORKING THERE THAT REALLY HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT THE QUEER COMMUNITY WHERE ITS BEEN WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE ITS GOING. SIMPLY THERE TO COLLECT A PAY CHECK AND MAKE THEIR RESUMES LOOK PRETTY FOR FUTURE JOBS. THERE ISN'T ENOUGH CHARACTERS PERMITTED FOR ME TO SAY ALL. ALSO XTRA... SHAME ON YOU... YOU HAD COORDINATORS WILLING TO TELL ALL OVER THE LAST YEARS BUT XTRA ONLY WILLING TO LISTEN TO COORDINATORS IF A BUNCH OF COORDINATORS TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL AT ONCE. THE WHOLE THING IS A JOKE... I'VE NEVER BEEN MORE ASHAMED OF PRIDE TORONTO, THIS COMMUNITY AND AM GOING TO NEW YORK FOR PRIDE THIS YEAR. ITS SOOOOOOO VERY SAD THE WHOLE THING!
OMG, Toronto ON
03/16/10 9:39 PM EST
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XTRA IS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO DEAF QUEER COMMUNITY
We, as the Deaf queer community, are shocked to find out that Xtra is not making any accessible for Deaf Queer members to access the information because there is no closed captioning or subtitle for the audio statement. We demand that Xtra must make an accessible information from the audio recording statement were made this morning through the subtitle or closed captioning or any scripts that we have a right to access the information as a readership in this community. When people are attacking Pride Toronto about the issues, why these people are not respecting our Deaf queer rights for the readership to access the audio statement that we do not hear anything at all. We are very angry and disappointed to see the double standard made by the Xtra because there is no audio statement includes the closed captioning or subtitle has created the censorship towards to the Deaf Queer community. Please consider this to make sure this will not happen again in the future! Thank you, Deaf Queers Community of Toronto
OMG, Toronto Ontario
03/16/10 10:14 PM EST
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wow...this OMG fella/gal needs to calm down...
talk about rabid.
g. palazar, toronto ontario
03/16/10 10:17 PM EST
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lies
'tendering process'...highly doubtful that anyone other than Ms.Sandilands reviewed and selected the Gala company. Plain and simply: Mark Singh brought her here from South Africa, and now she owes him some. Paid back in large bar bills and an increased fee for the gala coordinator. The 2008 gala was an absolute disaster, anyone who attended can attest to that. It is quite clear that Sandilands 'navigated' her friends where she wanted. If you look on the Dragos website, the ONLY events he has produced come from some connection to Mark. Not surprising Navigator had to come help them out, with the amount of corruption- they have to have messages redirected to prevent the general public from having a crystal clear perception of the internal backscratching.
omg, london ontario
03/16/10 11:43 PM EST
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Shit rolls down hill
Really all this commotion!! The community is partially to blame.. - Where were all this voices at previous AGM's? - Where were we, when members our of community have tried to highlight the internal problems at Pride Toronto only to be blacklisted and ignored. -Where were we as the Pride Toronto continued on with it's hidden agenda. - Why didn't we raise our voices earlier, but rather become segmented? Guess what WE fucked up. The organization of Pride Toronto is partially blame.. -- Where is the transparency of your actions? -- Who's agenda are you serving? As it's clearly not that of the community. -- Why have you ignored the community's concerns in regard to the direction Pride Toronto has taken-- or it just does not matter as long as personal agendas are meet? -- Why have you sold-out? Guess what YOU fucked up. It's not wonder the city has gone to shit, miss-managed, over run budgets and no accountability that resolves anything. Clearly an issue of people staying too silent too long - it's about fucking time this community wakes up. Sorry there no CP24 media circus or photo shoot or some superficial youtube crap to follow this. Let's see if the momentum continues… let the politics ruin everything they touch and place the Pride Toronto auction block. Maybe then the community start over. I think New York Pride is sounding better. Twit that.
GSA, Regina SA
03/17/10 12:34 AM EST
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AGM looks back at the Pride that was
GSA, the community was sleeping, Xtra's article: http://www.xtra.ca/public/Toronto/AGM_looks_back_at_the_Pride_that_was-7427.aspx
SAG, Oakville Ontario
03/17/10 12:47 AM EST
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I am crying.
For several years I have volunteered at the Pride Toronto Gala. Last year we were told the Gala Fundraiser raised over $8000, the 2008 Gala raised $6000 and the 2007 gala made over $50,000. The Dragos Productions website confirms that they produced the Galas in 2008 and 2007. Mark Singh is the Chair of Pride Toronto and I was told his husband Daniel owns Dragos Productions. $80,000 did not go to Pride Toronto. How was that money spent? Did that money go to Dragos? I feel sick that I contributed my time and energy. Mostly I feel sick that my trust and belief in the people I worked alongside had more interest in greed then in the Gala. I cannot volunteer anymore and hope that the people of Pride Toronto will do what ever is needed to fix this.
Nada Dinero, Etobicoke Ontario
03/17/10 12:53 AM EST
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@ Nada
@ Nada - I agree.. I volunteered with Pride Toronto for years and years and feel totally sick to my stomach wondering where money has gone, how they have treated people and ignored the community. People continue to suggest "get involved" so many of us have been involved at some point or another. Some for years and year and thousands of FREE donated time and skill to Pride Toronto. The whole thing is really sad. @ g. palazar - don't tell people to calm down! FYI, its a personal estimation that senior coordinators in 2008 - 2009 donated over 15000hrs to Pride Toronto. That's just senior coordinators! Who were used, abused and shafted out when they tried to stand up to the previous/current board and staff. Before you go off and suggest that we didn't have to take it and could have left - know this - we stayed and put up with it because in our hearts we care about Pride Toronto and this community. You don't have the right! @ GSA - There were many many people that turned out to the AGM after Pride last year. Who did try to take a stand. Ryan Lester presented the case for charitable status (which Pride Toronto failed to present to the members properly) several rows of unknowns and thought to be friends of Mr. Lester himself voted against us who were trying to make a difference. They also failed to mention that the 4 people running for the board could have in fact had a seat on the board. Making it seem as though there were only room for one or the other. The whole thing is just sad and it makes me sick to my stomach and I'm sorry, I just for the life of me can't understand why Pride Toronto hired some woman from South Africa to run Pride. What? there wasn't any qualified people in Canada? it boils down to Mark Signh using Pride Toronto for personal gain both professionally and financially. You can slice it anyway you want but Dragos helps to pay Mark's monthly bills and Tracey and girlfriend get their ticket to Canadian citizenship! PERIOD!
OMG, Toronto ON
03/17/10 8:37 AM EST
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Date Correction
Yesterday I was sad today I am mad 2007 Pride Produced Gala $120,000 vs $74,000 expenses = $50,000 profit 2008 Dragos P produced Gala $98,000 = $5,000 profit. 2009 Dragos P produced Gala $95,000 expenses vs $8,000 profit $90,000 in Revenue lost in the past two year, or was it paid to Mark Singh? WTF
nada, Etobicoke Onario
03/17/10 8:56 AM EST
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The coward: OMG-Toronto, ON
@OMG, Toronto ON: You make strong statements and accusations behind the name "OMG". You are a coward; all the online critics are. Who among you would carry this tone when standing face to face with the people you speak of? None. It's time to grow up people and move on with your lives. You are a disgrace and a perpetuator of negative queer stereotype. Claims that you represent "the community" are not only self-righteous but dead wrong. You represent a micro segment of Pride addicts who have an unhealthy obsession with the organization and an insatiable thirst to create scandal and thus meaning in your life. it's obvious to every rational person in the 'real community' that you failed at whatever your involvement was with Pride. have fun in new york with the other crazies threatening to leave town this year and good riddance!
all grown up, Barrie Ontario
03/17/10 12:32 PM EST
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Re. The coward: OMG-Toronto, ON
Hmm...and who are you "all grown up"? Who are you representing - Pride Toronto 'the real community'? That explains a lot. You are equally a disgrace, self-righteous but dead wrong. You are right!!! You represent a micro segment of Pride addicts who have an unhealthy obsession with the organization and an insatiable thirst to create scandal and thus meaning in your life. it's obvious to every rational person that you failed at whatever your involvement was with Pride.
Steve Wildman, Barrie Ontario
03/17/10 12:59 PM EST
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Where is YOUR pride?
I have to ask whether any of the ill educated accusations being flung around have anything to do with people's guilt over the apathy surrounding this extraordinary FREE event... where do you think the money comes from to put on a Pride like the one we are fortunate enough to experience?! I attended the AGM during which Tracey (and other)'s applications for the Exec Dir position were put forward, and to say that Mark bought Tracey here is a huge misstatement made by someone who clearly didn't bother to take part in the process. Pride's contribution to OUR community far exceeds the contribution it receives from US. How many queer owned events companies totally ignored the RFP from Pride...? I'm not in the habit of making statements that i don't KNOW to be true, but i don't believe that the Gala events company, whoever they are, are entitled to profit participation... they provide a service, for a (usually significantly reduced) fee. Money raised from the event goes towards paying for the Gala itself, then to the other Pride events. I do have to thank the people commenting here for reminding me exactly why i support the event and the organisation wholeheartedly - with friends like some of the people on this comment feed, who needs the enemies we've been fighting for so long?
Jay, Toronto ON
03/17/10 1:00 PM EST
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Pride Toronto = The Gay Vatican
Sounds a lot like any issues brought against the Vatican. Just pointing out the obvious.
Chase, Toronto ON
03/17/10 1:21 PM EST
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need an outside audit
There definitely seems to be problems with Pride Inc. I get the impression that they see Pride as something they own and control when they shouldn't be doing any more than facilitating the events. We definitely need an outside audit of all financial dealings of Pride Inc. I'm quite concerned about what I've learned concerning the Gala which is supposed to be a fund raiser and not just a bit party and it definitely is failing if the numbers other posters have mentioned are correct. The impression that there are underhanded dealings going on behind the scenes is extremely damaging and the truth one way or another must be brought to light and things must be changed to ensure better performance in the future. With the dramatic growth of Pride and the influx of massive amounts of money I don't think its that surprising that some less than honourable people would be attracted to where the cash flows are large and the oversight weak. It may not be the case but the only way we can know for sure is to have an outside audit.
Rich, Toronto Ontario
03/17/10 7:13 PM EST
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emails disturbing
I found the emails to be upsetting, not surprising but I had hoped my suspicions wouldn't be confirmed yet they have been. This new policy of censorship is specifically directed at silencing QuAIA and that Pride Inc. has a spin and image management company working for them with no concern for the community or doing what's right, if they did they wouldn't need a spin and image management corporation. Pride Inc. has lost its direction and seems to have forgotten the basics of Pride, namely that it is for the LGBT community and no one else, it is political at its very core and about freedom of expression, freedom to express ourselves in all of our wonderful diversity in spite of how unpopular that may be with the outside communities. If Pride Inc does silence QuAIA then its only fair it also silences the the pro-occupation/ pro-Israeli groups too, of course they won't do so since they are political correct while QuAIA aren't. For the record I don't actually support QuAIA's ideas but I certainly support their right to march and to express themselves however they wish. Considering the ways in which censorship has been used against the LGBT community it is outrageous that Pride Inc. should be the ones using it against us today. If they do not backtrack on this policy then I believe they will have lost all legitimacy and should be replaced, if not there should be an alternative People's Pride parade where everyone is free to express themselves regardless of Pride Inc. It wouldn't take much to organize, just LGBT folks of good conscience showing up and marching together just like the first Pride parades, in my opinion it has become far too corporate anyways. I doubt it will be repealed unfortunately so this year instead of just going for a good time like usual I think I might be protesting it instead.
Rich, Toronto Ontario
03/17/10 7:43 PM EST
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agree with OMG
I totally agree with OMG that xtra.ca needs to stop relying on uncaptioned audio files, that they should also provide a transcript of the interview. I'm not deaf but I realize how inaccessible such audio files are to deaf and hard of hearing folks, xtra.ca should be trying to be more accessible, not less, my main problem with it is that I usually read xtra.ca at work on my lunch hour where I have no computer speakers so I don't get to hear the interviews, at home I rarely have time for such things and would much prefer to be able to read the interviews instead. Please xtra.ca, you can provide both for those who would prefer to listen and for those who need to read.
Rich, Toronto Ontario
03/17/10 7:51 PM EST
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OMG2- Kate (previos comment- Deaf queer and Xtra)
The statement towards to Xtra who is endorsing the censorship against Deaf Queer community where we cannot able to read the transcript of the audio were made. OMG do not represent the previous OMG about the title comment named Bull, which it is a different OMG. We demand Xtra to provide their answer to our concerns that Xtra is not making any accessible to Deaf Queer community because there is no transcript for the audio statement and how we are supposed to understand this since we do not hear any sounds at all? Thank you, OMG2- Kate
OMG2- Kate, Toronto Ontario
03/17/10 11:11 PM EST
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Gala @ Jay
Speak when you know truth, I did not put the numbers up without researching them. The Toronto Pride Gala has run for 5 years and it made an average of 20,000 dollars in every year except the last two. A not for profit I had volunteered for a few months ago, said their profit was a 60% return and that is normal. Mark Singh's company has only delivered a $5000 return each year...that is a loss of 90,000 of anticipated revenue. Where did that money go? There are 2 answers, mismanagement or theft.
nada, Toronto Ontario
03/18/10 1:10 AM EST
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emails disturbing 2-Rich
Rich well said, sums everything up nicely. I concur on I don't actually support QuAIA, but they have the right march and express themselves.
Michel F. Pare, Toronto Ontario
03/18/10 3:36 AM EST
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@nada
This is becoming tiresome - your personal, improperly formed attacks on those involved are at best petty, and at worst, libelous. 1. It's not Mark Singh's company - clearly your research didn't extend to the company's ownership. 2. Did you research happen to involve the Pride office, and their audited report? I suspect not. You might think of approaching those with the information. 3. Having called Dragos Productions on the whole issue, here's how it goes... it is, like any other events management company, paid a fee for it's services. It does not handle ticket revenue or sales - these are administered by a committee of board members. Nor does an event management get handed a pile of money with which to run the event - it contracts with suppliers (caterers, performers, et al.) on behalf of, in this case, Pride Toronto, where the Gala committee then review them... if they're approved, the engagement goes ahead, with the supplier being paid directly by Pride Toronto. Any change to profit for the organisation is the result of a lack of support for the event, and silent auction. On another note, it does appear strange that the more important discussion of how the organisation is managing the real issue here, of whether one group or another will or will not be prevented from participating in the Parade, has been sidelined to levy personal attacks on volunteer staff. On this, it seems that the anger is coming from those wishing to offend the other group... and i have no particular allegiance either way, but i don't see that there's really an issue when all that's being prevented is the display of printed posters potentially inciting racial hatred of or violence toward one group or another, when both states concerned are known for their lack of Gay rights... apologies for deviating from the mud-slinging, but i think someone should attempt to move the conversation away from the non-issue of how much people you don't like, are paid...
Jay, Toronto ON
03/18/10 4:43 PM EST
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And one more thing...
...the constant reference to "Pride Inc." to support your own agenda of "Corporate Pride" is either ill-informed, or deliberately misleading. Pride Toronto is an Ontario registered not-for-profit organisation. Holes in the research again it seems...
Jay, Toronto ON
03/18/10 4:59 PM EST
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Pride Toronto Inc.
Jay: Pride Toronto is legally incorporated, is it not? Non-profit or not, it's still Inc.
Rick, London Ontario
03/18/10 5:17 PM EST
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Research...
... reveals that Pride Toronto's legal name is: Pride Toronto, not Pride Toronto Inc... It is an Ontario Non-Share Corporation. It wouldn't be such a big deal were the affix not being used to lend weight to your thinly disguised insults...
Jay, Toronto ON
03/18/10 5:56 PM EST
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Friends of the Gravy Train?
@ Jay: Clearly you are someone loosely connected with the organization. My friend volunteered for Gala, she told me Mark Singh was the chair for the Gala Committee too. Not so?
Andres, Brampton On
03/18/10 7:36 PM EST
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Inc. distinguishes one from another
The use of Inc. is a way to distinguish the organization from the event, Pride is something that is owned by every LGBT person and is an event for all. The organizing entity is a very different thing with a corporate structure that isn't owned by the LGBT community but which is supposed to work on its behalf to provide entertainment and organize the event called Pride. I think its important to keep the distinction between the two very clear or we end up in situations where the organizing entity seems to take the point of view that it owns the event and can do with it as it pleases which is likely how we ended with this censorship policy in the first place. They seem to have lost track of the idea that they're just providing a service for the community to make Pride the most it can be instead of an event owned by them which they allow the public to attend. Pride Inc. is a corporate entity even if it is a non-profit one and they certainly act like a corporation so the designation is very fitting even if it isn't their official name. Their would still be a Pride celebration with or without Pride Inc. it might look different without them but it would still exist, we need to get away from the notion that Pride Inc provides us with Pride the celebration or that it owns it in anyway. We need for Pride to get back to its roots and for Pride Inc to do so as well.
Rich, Toronto Ontario
03/18/10 8:04 PM EST
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Jay - issue not that simple
Jay in your post you mentioned "i don't see that there's really an issue when all that's being prevented is the display of printed posters potentially inciting racial hatred of or violence toward one group or another" I agree with you if that were the case it wouldn't be an issue, what you're talking about is hate speech and is covered by the criminal code and I would imagine the vast majority of the LGBT community supports that limitation on free speech. However that isn't the issue at hand, Pride Inc. has decided to censor signs expressing politically unpopular messages and not just ones with hate messages on them. Politically unpopular speech isn't hate speech, criticizing Israeli policy towards the Palestinians isn't hate speech even if you hate to hear it. There is a movement to make criticism of Israel considered anti-semitism and therefore hate speech but that doesn't make it so in reality, its just a way of trying to make censorship more acceptable. The whole Israeli/Palestinian issue gets people very upset on both sides of it but they aren't equal, here in Canada at least the Israeli side has all the power, influence and money and some on that side feel they have to use that power and influence to silence the other side which they have in this case by getting Pride Inc. to use their new policy to silence those they disagree with. It has nothing to do with hate speech, if it were truly about hate speech they would be lobbying the police to get charges laid instead of getting Pride Inc. to censor them. Censorship is never acceptable especially considering the way its been and is still used against LGBT folks, just look at the new immigration guide and how LGBT equality rights have been censored out of that. To me it seems even worse though that some LGBT folks are using the techniques of the anti-gay bigots against other LGBT folks, its just plain wrong no matter how they dress it up.
Rich, Toronto Ontario
03/18/10 9:13 PM EST
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@rich...do your own research
For someone who claims to know so much, perhaps it is time you look into matters a bit deeper. While decisions are approved by board members, the most active and vocal board member as Andres pointed out is Mark Sing- who coincidentally was on the Gala committee, which was comprised of his close friends and allies. As the co-chair it is likely that if you actually look at the audited financials of the org, you will see that the fee to plan the gala increased from last year to this year- a decision made that solely benefits his husband. By the way- pride toronto's legal name was more like, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered pride toronto.
kat, ottawa ontario
03/18/10 11:46 PM EST
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@rich...do your own research2
Kat(Ottawa) Who cares if Pride Toronto's legal name is The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transsexual, and Transgendered Pride Committee of Toronto. Any INC can call themselves whatevery the want. Calling Pride Toronto INC., everyone knows who Rich, is talking about. I think Rich, doing a good job explaining things and parsing the heart of topic.
Michel F., Toronto Ontario
03/19/10 3:15 AM EST
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michel
No-one really cares, but he went off about doing proper research, so i thought i might offer some advise in support of that.
kat, toronto on
03/19/10 8:31 AM EST
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Thanks for that...
My connection with Pride is no more pronounced than (i assume) yours. I happen to be a member of the [insert acronym of your choice] community. I attended, and did not volunteer for the Gala. I don't know the hierarchy of the Gala committee - although i would hazard a guess that Mark wasn't the chair of the committee as he recused himself from discussions around selection of the events management company... to talk about whether or not those making the decisions felt they owed any allegiance to Mark Singh, or were his "close friends and allies" is wildly presumptuous, and (i presume) unsupported? I am aware that "Inc." is optional but your comments appeared (to me) to be using the affix to, as i said in my previous posting, have the intention of furthering your belief in the commercialization of Pride week/Pride Toronto. On the matter of freedom of expression, i don't believe the policy has been released yet, so there's no accurate way of knowing, or commenting on, its contents. I would agree that censorship of opinion is totally inappropriate, but censoring the ways in which expression is made may be necessary in order to prevent the parade descending into a common street brawl... something i think everyone would be keen to avoid? There have been very clear statements that the Pride board are not in the business of banning people from the parade, and will continue to abstain from such rulings. Most companies increase their rates each year - it would be foolish of event management companies not to do the same... as pathetic as inflation is right now, it still exists.
Jay, Toronto ON
03/19/10 4:00 PM EST
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Thanks to what...
@Jay: To whom do you solemnly swear that you will support the minds of the LGBTQ Community at large? Or do you simply maintain the respect due to your connection with Pride Toronto in exchange of VIP treatment? You may counsel when you have proper document such as Pride Toronto's financial reports, governance model, organizational chart, policies, etc. My question to you is are you a friend of Mark Singh? Now - what are you points?
Tom, Toronto Ontario
03/21/10 1:17 PM EST
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Fact Check
@nada and Jay. In 2007 the Pride Toronto Fundraising Gala was produced by Pride staff and volunteers. They delivered $50,000 to Prides fundraising efforts. *****The 2008 Gala returned a meager $5,000 and in 2009 the Gala pulled in $8,700. ***** Based on these numbers you could easily come to the conclusion that over 2 years Pride Toronto lost anticipated fundraising of $86,000.***** If you add a production/management fee of 15% there would still over $50,000 in cost overruns. ***** Was this bad luck or bad management?***** Dragos Productions produced the 2008 and 2009 Galas. ***** According to Linked In: Dragos Productions; Current Employees (1 total) Daniel Chimento, Owner & Creative Director. *****Daniel is Mark Singh’s husband. Mark is the Co-Chair of Pride Toronto and according to the printed Gala Program Mark is Co-Chair of the Gala Committee.
Mark Smith, Toronto Ontario
03/21/10 7:28 PM EST
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fact
mark singh is head of the gala committee and his husband's company essentially exists solely due to pride events.
former member, toronto ontario
03/22/10 2:51 PM EST
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@ Mark Smith
Good on you Mark for doing your homework and bringing out irrefutable evidence. Mark Sigh was the chair of the Gala Committee and as such likely suggested taking the planning out of the hands of the volunteers into the hands of his husband from 2007 to 2008. A negligent move on behalf of the organization...indicated in the $40,000 less brought into the organization when Daniel ran it. A beneficial move for his household income though. A 12-$15,000 fee to organize a single night event for a few hundred people. No,not reduced industry fee's as a 'favor'. A ridiculous amount of money for a poor job in the first place.
kim, london ontario
03/22/10 4:57 PM EST
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Re. Fact Check
This is UNBELIEVABLE & SHOCKING! Using us volunteers to do work for the Gala? Often I was directed by Mark S as to my duties and Daniel was just stressed and disoriented for most of the time. I was given the impression that the Gala was produced by Pride although I did wonder why Dragos' logo was displayed on the three large jumbo screens during Gala dinner. Someone is making $$$ and we are doing all the work?! I thought I was volunteering for Pride and not an outside company that was getting paid. Unbelievable!!
former Gala Volunteer, Toronto Ontario
03/22/10 11:34 PM EST
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Time for a Major Change
Xtra, Political figures, community leaders....we the public are calling upon you begging you to reform this corrupt organization and it's corrupt leaders. Get rid of this ridiculous 'leader' and enstate on a strong board of directors.
mat, toronto ontario
03/23/10 5:20 PM EST
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Complaint/ Removal Process
Removal of a Director shall begin with a written and signed complaint (email from a clearly identified source is acceptable, but will be verified by the Board). The following outlines the complaint process: a) Any complaint concerning the conduct or possible conflict of interest of a Director shall be submitted in writing to the Co-Chairs. If the matter relates to either of the Co-Chairs, the complaint shall be submitted to the Secretary. b) Upon receipt of a complaint, the Co-Chairs or Secretary shall call a meeting of the Board of Directors within seven (7) days to discuss the complaint. This meeting shall occur within one (1) month of receipt of the complaint and may take place at a regularly scheduled Board meeting. Following discussion of the complaint, the Board shall either dismiss the complaint or launch an investigation. The Board may decide to suspend the Director from her/his duties pending the outcome of the investigation. A Director cannot vote while suspended. c) Based on the investigation, the Board shall vote on a motion to: i) Dismiss the complaint; ii) Impose disciplinary action internally; or iii) Remove the Director A vote to remove a Director will trigger a special General Meeting of the membership. d) The permanent removal of a Director shall be decided by a majority vote of the members in a special General Meeting. This meeting shall take place within one (1) month of the Board’s recommendation to remove a Director.
Ron, Toronto ON
04/11/10 11:02 PM EST
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