painted, saw performances by both drag queens and drag kings, participated in the painting of a mural and got to use the splash pad and waterslide at Le Patro.

“It’s really a message to our youth to tell them that they belong, that we see them, we celebrate them and that it gets better,” said Michèle Gagnon, member of the Pontiac Pride committee, about the meaning of the event. “We can make our communities better by doing things like this and letting the world see all our colours. It’s so great to have so much support from the community and to be able to do something like this.”

Along with supporting LGBTQ Pontiacers, organizers also spoke of the importance the event had in educating the broader public about the community.

“There’s a lot of people from the Pontiac that don’t really know about the LGBTQ plus community just because it’s all new,” said Matthew Armour, Pontiac Pride committee member and organizer of the drag shows at Café Downtown. “We’ve got gay people, we’ve got lesbians, but there’s a lot more. And I think that’s why it’s important for us to have these types of events like today because it’s all about educating and celebrating each other.”

Various other groups were present in support of the event, including the Table de développement social du Pontiac, Les maisons des jeunes du Pontiac, Connexions Resource Centre, Carrefour Jeunesse emploi and Youth 4 Youth Quebec(Y4Y) among others.

Y4Y is a group focused on addressing issues of English language youth in Quebec and supporting LGBTQ pride is important to that goal, according to the group’s executive director, Adrienne Winrow.

“We know that in Montreal and Quebec City, there’s many pride events in the month of June but that has yet to catch on in some of the regions of Quebec,” said Winrow. “And so we wanted to celebrate the kids who go to school every day and face different kinds of challenges in terms of identity, and how they feel about themselves and each other.”

Y4Y hosted a consultation for everyone under 30 attending the event.

“We collect ideas and thoughts with their permission,” said Winrow. “And we try to turn that into actions going forward, or at least actions that can guide what we do. We are a youth-led organization, we take what’s said in consultation and try to make sure that it guides our representation efforts in front of those who make decisions.”

Carrefour Jeunesse-emploi du Pontiac was also in attendance supporting the event to spread awareness of the programs that they are offering the region’s youth. At their table there were sheets of bristol board signed by students from the area’s schools speaking out against transphobia and homophobia.

“It is one love, just to show that we’re all one,” said Lisa Boisvert, who was representing Carrefour Jeunesse at the event.

Jane Toller, warden of the Pontiac was also in attendance and gave some remarks.

Overall, there were over 150 in attendance, according to Gagnon.

“This is history and it’s incredible,” said Armour during a speech opening the event.

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