National Advocacy Groups Join Borderland Pride Judicial Review Against Emo Township

FORT FRANCES, ON – July 22, 2025 — The legal battle between Borderland Pride and the Township of Emo is gaining national attention, as several prominent advocacy organizations have been granted intervenor status in the upcoming judicial review of a Human Rights Tribunal decision that found the township and its mayor had discriminated against the Pride group.

The Ontario Divisional Court released its decision on July 21, 2025, allowing three national organizations — Fierté Canada Pride (FCP), Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY), and the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) — to participate in the proceedings. The application stems from the township’s refusal to issue a proclamation in support of Pride Month in 2020, a move the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario previously ruled was discriminatory (2024 HRTO 1651).

Court Grants Three Intervenors, Denies One

In ruling 2025 ONSC 4286, Regional Senior Justice Newton considered four motions from potential intervenors. The court approved the following:

• Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY) – Advocates for the rights of young people, particularly vulnerable youth.

• Fierté Canada Pride (FCP) – The national umbrella organization representing Pride festivals and organizations across Canada.

• Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) – A civil liberties group supporting Charter rights.

However, the court denied the motion from the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA), determining its submission would not assist in the legal analysis, as freedom of religion and conscience were not central to the Tribunal’s original decision.

What the Case Means for Municipal Human Rights Across Ontario

The judicial review aims to challenge a landmark Human Rights Tribunal decision from November 2024, which affirmed that the Township of Emo and Mayor Harold McQuaker violated the Human Rights Code by denying Borderland Pride’s request for a municipal proclamation.

The Tribunal’s ruling built on more than 30 years of precedent concerning how municipalities interact with Pride organizations and emphasized the duty of local governments to avoid discriminatory treatment based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

Both FCP and JFCY are expected to support the Tribunal’s decision and stand with Borderland Pride during the review.

Ongoing Transparency Disputes Raise Accountability Questions

Adding to the controversy, Borderland Pride has filed a freedom of information request seeking transparency around public spending tied to the Township’s legal efforts to overturn the Tribunal’s ruling.

The Township has refused to release the financial information, citing the Pride group’s own human rights complaint as the basis for denying disclosure — a move Borderland Pride argues is retaliatory. The group has since escalated the matter to Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner and has filed a reprisal claim with the Human Rights Tribunal.

About Borderland Pride

Borderland Pride serves the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Fort Frances and the surrounding region of Northwestern Ontario, promoting inclusion, equality, and visibility. In this high-profile legal action, they are represented by Char Wiseman, Karin Galldin, and Melanie Anderson of Goldblatt Partners LLP.