VANCOUVER—CUPE members and staff were out in force for Sunday’s annual Pride parade, with a colourful new float and plenty of union swag to distribute among the crowd, which this year was estimated at 500,000.
CUPE BC president Mark Hancock, secretary-treasurer Paul Faoro, and HEU president Victor Elkins were joined by other executive members, local CUPE activists and staff in a boisterous edition of the annual event that featured lots of interaction between parade participants and the public. On a sweltering afternoon, CUPE marchers offered relief from the heat by handing out fans with union messages, tossing wet Frisbees made of sponge, and exchanging cold blasts from fully-loaded water pistols with eager Pride revellers.
“It was a tremendous day and a lot of fun—a great way to celebrate diversity in our community and the many gains that have been made for equality and human rights in this country,” said Hancock, commenting on the annual event celebrating lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, transsexual, questioning and intersex (LGBTTQI) communities.
For more photos, see the gallery.
