The mayor of a small town in Ontario, Canada, is facing a bank levy from his personal account following a legal battle with a pride group who compared their legal victory to sexual intercourse.
Mayor Harold McQuaker of Emo, Ontario, had funds garnished from his personal bank account following his refusal to comply with a Human Rights Tribunal order after the governing body found that the town of Emo — with a population of just 1,400 — violated the Ontario Human Rights Code by not recognizing LGBT pride month.
The decision stems from a legal case initiated by Borderland Pride, a local lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, which accused the township of discrimination for voting against an official Pride Month proclamation in 2020.
The tribunal’s ruling, delivered on Nov. 20, penalized McQuaker personally with a 5,000 fine (about $3533) and required him to undergo Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training. Additionally, the township itself was fined CA$10,000 (about $7066), and the two other town councilors who voted against the proclamation were also mandated to complete the same training.
McQuaker, 77, vocally opposed the tribunal’s decision, referring to the financial penalty as “extortion.”
“I utterly refuse to pay the $5,000 because that’s extortion,” he told the Toronto Sun earlier this month.
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Despite his protests, Borderland Pride took to social media to announce that they had successfully garnished the mayor’s bank account.
“Sure, sex is great, but have you ever garnished your mayor’s bank account after he publicly refused to comply with a Tribunal’s order to pay damages?” the group asked in a post on Facebook.
Borderland Pride Director Douglas Judson, an attorney, later described the mayor’s refusal to pay a “public temper tantrum” and that the group “intend[s] to collect our judgment.”
A spokesperson for Borderland Pride said they have not yet garnished the township’s funds as they await further legal proceedings regarding the fine imposed on the town.
In a letter sent April 5, just before the tribunal hearing, Judson warned Emo’s municipal council that it could avoid the tribunal hearing by agreeing to specific demands, such as offering an apology, committing to mandatory DEI training and agreeing to undisclosed financial terms.
Additionally, the letter called for the township to pledge support for future pride proclamations, ensuring that they would affirm rights without alteration. The letter also proposed that Emo provide free facilities for a “charitable drag event,” with proceeds benefiting the local public library.
The town of Emo, located in northwestern Ontario, has raised concerns about its lack of a central flagpole and the limited requests it receives for proclamations. In the 12 months prior to the tribunal’s hearing, the township had received only four requests for declarations or flag displays — two of which came from Borderland Pride.
Furthermore, Emo’s only flagpole, located at the town’s municipal office, is reportedly dedicated to the Canadian flag.
Unlike the U.S., which typically holds pride events in June, Canadians celebrate pride from June to September.
