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A sidelined school trustee is faulting the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board’s (OCDSB) leadership after learning about a decision to sit out this summer’s Capital Pride parade.
The OCDSB has been marching in most Pride parades in Ottawa going back to 2011, but it now says that the August Pride events “do not fall within the school year for our students and staff.”
Donna Blackburn, elected as an OCDSB trustee for Barrhaven, said the decision left her “very disappointed” in the leadership, which she called “out of touch” with the values that have long animated the OCDSB.
“We are at a juncture in our history where we should be doubling down on demonstrating to our school communities that we value inclusion,” said Blackburn.
Blackburn, who is openly gay, pushed for OCDSB to march in the parade in 2011, and said that first march was an emotional experience.
“When people watching the parade saw that school bus come down the street, people were literally crying,” she said.
Capital Pride’s Callie Metler confirmed in an email that the OCDSB has not registered for the 2026 Pride Parade, though she noted that registration doesn’t close until July 24. The parade is scheduled for Aug. 30.
CBC reached out to OCDSB to ask why the decision was made, and communications and public relations general manager Diane Pernari explained it by referring to the school calendar.
“During the month of June the OCDSB recognizes Pride Month in our schools. Pride Month is about education, celebrating diversity, and fostering inclusive spaces that prevent bullying, homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia so that all students and staff feel valued and that they belong,” Pernari said in an email response.
“The City of Ottawa recognizes Pride during the month of August with public events planned for the last week of August. These events do not fall within the school year for our students and staff.”
‘A very proud tradition’
But Blackburn said she doesn’t buy that explanation, since the parade has always been in August and that hasn’t stopped the OCDSB before.
“Don’t forget, the OCDSB has led the pride parade several times now, so there’s an expectation in this city that when the pride parade starts, there’s a big yellow school bus at the beginning of it, students and staff and families carrying the big pride Pride flags,” she said.
“That’s an expectation in this city, and Bob Plamondon and Stacey Kay have abdicated that responsibility to ensure that that tradition, a very proud tradition, continues.”
OCDSB trustees including Blackburn were sidelined in 2025 when the province put the district under supervision and replaced elected trustees with supervisor Bob Plamondon. Stacey Kay is the district’s CEO.
Just last month, OCDSB decided to cancel a drag storytime event planned at Mutchmor Public School, with an email from the principal and vice-principal saying it “raised questions about curricular alignment.”
Blackburn says these decisions show “a pattern of walking away from our LGBTQ students and our values of inclusion.”
The OCDSB last sat out the parade in 2024 amid a controversy over a Capital Pride statement on the war in Gaza.