By Gudrun Schultz
OTTAWA, Ontario, April 20, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Ottawa’s ‘gay pride’ parade organizers can’t find sponsors to fund the event, and they want the city to step in and contribute at least $25,000 to the “effectively bankrupt” organization.
The Ottawa-Gatineau Pride committee owes an estimated $187,000 for past events, including over $66,000 to the City of Ottawa and about $100,000 to local businesses, reported the Ottawa Citizen yesterday.
Missing invoices and a confused records trail have contributed to the problem, since it isn’t clear which businesses are still owed money.
Organizers want taxpayers’ money to prop up the annual parade, which they say will generate funds to pay back the debts. Otherwise, they say, the parade will be cancelled. So far there are few confirmed sponsors for the event.
Money problems have been an ongoing issue with the committee—the entire board of directors resigned in 2003 because of the debt load.
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is opposed to a city bailout for the organization.
“That’s where we have an issue, going back to the city or taxpayers for more money, when they clearly have not shown the willingness or ability to keep their current financial commitments,” said Adrienne Batra, spokeswoman for the Federation.
“Putting additional taxpayers’ money at risk is not a sound decision and city officials should resist the temptation to meet the request for funding,” she said.