It has come to my attention that there may be some concern (unfounded in my opinion) brewing in respect to the rainbow crosswalks in Sackville – and it’s all the fault of the provincial government!
Back in March the Transportation Minister, Bill Fraser sent a letter to 13 municipalities stating that ‘following the guidelines set out by the Transportation Association of Canada, crosswalks should be painted white.’ Then the Premier weighed in ‘Municipalities are allowed to paint rainbow crosswalks… they are encouraged to do so as an expression of pride and inclusiveness.’
Now, Moncton has decided to not repaint its rainbow crosswalks and instead ‘paint a portion of its Riverfront Trail in rainbow colours and fly banners from Main Street lampposts’ instead… and ‘they’ are grumbling here in Sackville…
Yes, the Transportation Association of Canada in its Pedestrian Crossing Control Guide “promotes uniformity across Canada in how pedestrian crossing control is provided…” BUT painting rainbows is not illegal, nor do I believe it contributes to an increase in legal liability – there is other signage and lighting and the form and function of the crosswalk is maintained.
Let us be clear. There is only one thing preventing municipalities from continuing to paint rainbow crosswalks: the homophobia that ‘they’ espouse and the rest of us are unwilling to name – well, I’m naming it!
This world in which we ‘live and move and have our being’ is a diverse creation, one that is still evolving, one in which we continue to discover new things and understandings. As the Minister of Sackville United Church, which on June 3rd became an Affirming Ministry of the United Church of Canada, meaning that we celebrate and affirm diversity, I am not prepared to allow the Transportation Association of Canada and the ‘they’ that hides their homophobia behind their monochromatism to dictate that I and other must live in a monochrome world.
God saw all that God had created and it was VERY GOOD… so come on, lets express our gratitude for the one repainted on July 5th and encourage the repainting of some more rainbows… so we can continue the journey from here to there: a place where diversity is embraced and celebrated!!
If you support the continued presence of rainbow crosswalks in Sackville, please make your wishes known at the council meeting on July 9th.
Lloyd
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