EMO, Ont. – “I’m troubled that we’re not moving anywhere,” said Coun. Harrold Boven during a meeting of Emo's town council on Tuesday.
Boven was one of three council members who opposed Pride Month in the community back in 2020, which resulted in a human rights complaint and investigation.
On Tuesday, he pushed to remove specific references to the 2SLGBTQ+ community from a proposed Declaration of Equality.
In trying to find a statement that meets the definition of equality, Boven turned to Google to find examples from other municipalities’ websites.
“Whether or not I agree with all the wording here... I think it is a starting point of the discussion that we can have in our community,” Boven said.
Boven recited the Ontario Human Right Commission’s stand on policy and inclusion of marginalized groups who are often recognized by decision-makers, such as the 2SLBGTQ+ community, before apologizing to Coun. Lincoln Dunn for any feelings of hatred in the community.
“I don’t want that to be associated with me,” said Boven. “In that, I am told to love my neighbour as myself. So, in that context, I am not to hate anybody, and also treat everybody as a neighbour.”
However, in Boven’s opinion, the Declaration of Equality isn’t a statement on equality.
“It’s a diversity statement,” said Boven. He argued a declaration of equality should address the “equality of the people” without addressing the broad base of marginalized groups that have been persecuted because of their ethnic roots, creed, gender, and sexual orientation.
Coun. Lori-Ann Shortreed, a supporter of the declaration, asked Boven, “Well, is the other reason you are not supportive of this because it does single out one community?”
"The best way to say it is there are more groups than the group that is identified in the statement,” Boven replied, referring to the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Boven objected that the statement didn’t reflect inequality based on age, ancestry, and disability, and that other members of the community would like to be reflected in the statement of equality.
Shortreed responded that the declaration did include those grounds.
“It does,” she said. “It continues on, and it identifies all of the people here. Regardless of their race, ancestry, place of origin, ethnic origin, disability, citizenship, it continues on. And the reason that we did look at having that one community listed [2SLGBTQ+] was just because that is a community right now that is really hurting within Emo. We want to make sure, and I really believe, that this is making sure that Emo recognizes this and we want to move forward. That is what that line says to me.”
Boven responded, “If that is your interpetation, I will declare a conflict of interest.”
Boven was the second councillor to waive their right to vote by declaring a conflict of interest Tuesday. Councillor Warren Toles also declared a conflict at the start of the discussion, and left the room.
With two of five councillors not voting, the resolution for the Declaration of Equality passed in a 2-1 vote with the support of Couns. Shortreed and Dunn.
Mayor Harold McQuaker cast the vote against the resolution, stating that “there was no harm done to any minority group in Emo.”
