LGBTQ police officers' group calls it 'unacceptable' for city to fund Pride

The head of the city's police union delivered a letter to the mayor's office Wednesday that calls it "unacceptable" for Toronto to sponsor this year's Pride Festivities when the Toronto Police Service has been excluded from participating.

Mike McCormack read the letter for reporters Wednesday morning after walking into the mayor's office at city hall to deliver a copy.

Pride is slated to receive a $260,000 city grant this year.

The letter, from the force's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Internal Support Network Executive Committee and addressed to McCormack, says that "we, as city employees, would feel completely devalued and unsupported by our employer should they fund this event at this time.

"How can we possibly feel appreciated by our employer while they sponsor an event that its own employees have been disinvited from participating in as full, equal, and active participants in their role as city employees," the letter goes on.

"We can think of no examples in Canada where either a public or private employer has been a lead sponsor for an event their employees were asked not to participate in."...