Halifax Pride chair says it's 'important to show and keep showing up' amid rising hate

Circulating pamphlet from group Citizens Alliance of Nova Scotia asking why local businesses are supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ community

In the past week, some downtown businesses received pamphlets with anti-queer messaging, and Halifax RCMP arrested a youth for making threats directed at Halifax Pride events. On July 11, they arrested a youth for making threats of violence related to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and the Pride event. The youth, who was released on conditions pending a court appearance, will face charges related to hate propaganda and making threats.

Halifax Pride chair Connor McKiggan acknowledged the recent threats are intimidating. “This is definitely top of mind for us, and safety is something that we prepare for heavily every year,” said McKiggan. “We do have safety plans in place that consider things like this, so we’re really thankful that we’ve been working with the city and the (Halifax Regional Police) for months in preparation, just in case there was ever a situation that needed to be responded to.

I’m looking forward to a safe and joyous Pride Festival.” McKiggan said it is important “to show and keep showing up in a time of rising hate.” “It’s frightening for people to see things like this happening online, but the reality is if we don’t as a community create inclusive spaces, hate is going to get closer and closer until it’s not just on our phone but it’s happening right in front of us in our own community, and I know this is scary for people,” said McKiggan.

“So it is incredibly important that we, as a community, all of our business partners, our government partners, are coming together hand in hand to deliver a festival that is truly worthy of what Halifax can deliver because Halifax is a great city with great folks in it who care about inclusive spaces and care about our community. “It is important that youth, especially, see how much the city celebrates them, and that they can have a safe future here as a queer person.” Downtown businesses targeted A pamphlet from an organization called the Citizens Alliance of Nova Scotia (CANS) titled Halifax Pride In-Review 2026 was distributed to businesses a few days before the opening of the festival Thursday.

“In Canada, the month of June has been dedicated to advance the particular viewpoint of a minority group of citizens. It has been increased to four months. Was one month not sufficient?” reads the pamphlet.

The handout asks why the events are sponsored by the business. The pamphlet also displayed links to CANS messaging about alleged actions in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Jayme Lynn Butt, communications manager for the Downtown Halifax Business Commission, a sponsor of Halifax Pride, said it received an email that directed them to a website that had anti-2SLGBTQIA+ information.

“We believe the group was trying to discourage support and funding to the festival,” said Butt. “It obviously didn’t work. DHBC is a proud ally of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and believes that downtowns are for everyone.”

An employee at one downtown business said they received the messaging but weren’t willing to discuss the incident at length for fear of retaliation. “For safety reasons, I’d like to keep my name and place of work out of a published piece,” the person said in an email. “As a queer, nonbinary person, I am sadly too aware of what happens if I get that many eyes on me.

My boss also does not want our shop to be mentioned and risk becoming a focus of this discourse.” An attempt to reach the Citizens Alliance of Nova Scotia was not successful. The Halifax business community has been steadfast in its commitment of the Pride Festival, said McKiggan.

“We’re so lucky to have our business community really backing the festival here,” said McKiggan. “You know, there are so many community members who find home and spaces that they love in our businesses here in Halifax.” McKiggan said the business support helped Halifax land the Canada Pride event in 2027.

“The city is able to deliver a festival like that because of what it is, not just because of the team here at Halifax Pride but because of our incredible businesses who partner with the festival and support us on it.” Pride Parade important to McKiggan Halifax Pride opened with the raising of the festival flag at Grand Parade. More than 100 events are planned for the festival, which runs through July 26, including the Pride Parade on Saturday that will take place in downtown Halifax.

McKiggan said the parade is an important event. “When I was a kid, before I came out 10 years ago, I used to come to this festival, and I knew that I could be myself,” said McKiggan. “I saw queer people who were growing up, who were celebrating their identity and being themselves and, honestly, I don’t know that I’d be here as the chair of the Pride board if I hadn’t had those experiences as a youth, knowing that Halifax could be a place for myself and that I could have a future.

“So, tomorrow, I’ll be walking in the parade and I’ll be doing that for every queer youth to let them know that they have a place in Halifax where they can grow up and have a fabulous future.”