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This article was published 29/6/2016 (1544 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mayor Brian Bowman says he has no plans to attend the Steinbach Pride event but says attending Winnipeg’s celebrations proved to be a pivotal moment for him and his family.

While he would not comment on the decision by Steinbach’s elected leaders not to participate in that community’s Pride march, Bowman said attending such an event is the responsibility of a leader.

"I think there is an opportunity to demonstrate that everyone matters in the community by attending events like this," Bowman told reporters during his weekly Wednesday morning Q and A session.

"As my role, serving all Winnipeggers, I should be at those events…. We want everyone in our community to know and feel they are valued. As mayor, being able to demonstrate that by being present, by being vocal on these issues, I see as my responsibility as a leader."

Steinbach organizers are holding the community's first Pride march July 9, in the aftermath of high profile dispute involving the local school board's refusal to allow sexual orientation matters to be discussed in lower grade levels.

National media attention has been focused on Steinbach when local elected leaders said they would not attend the Pride march because they had prior commitments, including mayor Chris Goertzen, MLA and cabinet minister Kelvin Goertzen and Provencher MP Ted Falk, who said his attendance at the St. Pierre Jolys Frog Follies ruled out his participation.

Bowman walked in Winnipeg’s Pride parade this year with his wife and two young sons.

"I can’t speak to specific leaders or their schedules but from experience, attending was a very positive thing for my family to attend…When it comes to LGBTTQ matters, for me personally, I’ll always do my best to attend, to be present and to demonstrate that everyone matters."

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca