Premier says he skipped Halifax Pride parade because of safety concerns

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston was notably absent from this year’s Halifax Pride parade, and he says he was advised by RCMP not to participate because of safety concerns.

In an emailed statement, the premier says he was not at the parade on Saturday “out of an abundance of caution” and that the decision to skip the event doesn’t diminish his support for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

Nova Scotia’s Liberal, NDP and Green parties each participated with a parade float, leaving the Progressive Conservatives as the only major political party not represented at the event.

The premier’s office says police recommended that Houston not participate this year out of concern for his safety and that of other participants, but the office declined to provide details about the alleged risk.

Mark Boudreau, a spokesperson with the Progressive Conservatives, says Houston attended the 2022 parade with a float and group of volunteers, adding that he was prepared to do the same in 2023 — but the event that year was cancelled.

Boudreau says the party booked a float for this year but made the “difficult” decision to withdraw.