Westlock, Alta., to get rid of rainbow crosswalk after town votes on neutrality bylaw

Shaylin Lussier remembers going numb and starting to cry after learning the results of a vote that will force a rainbow crosswalk brought forward by R.F. Staples Secondary School’s gay-straight alliance to be removed from town property.

“It was really devastating,” Lussier told CBC News on Friday. “We worked very hard to have this.”

Residents of Westlock, Alta., voted in favour of a bylaw Thursday that bans crosswalks and flags supporting “political, social, or religious movements or commercial entities.”

Just over 1,300 people voted, with 663 — or 50.9 per cent — voting in favour and 639 voting against.

Shaylin Lussier, a member of the Thunder Alliance GSA at R.F. Staples Secondary School, remembers starting to cry after learning a rainbow crosswalk brought forward by the alliance would be removed. (Manuel Carrillos-Avalos/Radio-Canada)

The vote means the town can only raise federal, provincial and municipal government flags on public property. Crosswalks in the town — located about 90 kilometres northwest of Edmonton — can also only be painted a standard white-striped pattern.

The bylaw, which goes into effect within 30 days, forces the removal of Westlock’s only rainbow crosswalk, painted last summer between town hall and the Royal Canadian Legion in support of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

“The day we painted it … people were smiling and laughing and just having a really good time,” Lussier said.

“As the plebiscite results came out, I just cried thinking about how happy people had been on that day.”

Town staff received a petition on Sept. 15 from the Westlock Neutrality Team, led by Westlock resident Stephanie Bakker, asking council to make a bylaw “ensuring that crosswalks and flags on public property remain neutral.”

Edmonton AM6:20Westlock residents will go to the polls over a proposed neutrality bylaw

Westlock made history last summer, painting its first rainbow crosswalk.But a proposed bylaw could spell the end of it. For more on the story, we’re joined in studio by Edmonton AM’s Aaron Sousa. He’s been looking into this for us.Stephanie Bakker, a Westlock resident who authored a petition calling for a neutrality bylaw, said her group wasn’t certain how Thursday’s vote would pan out. (Manuel Carrillos-Avalos/Radio-Canada)

Westlock town staff had 45 days to verify the petition’s signatures and draft a bylaw. Under the act, council is required to pass first reading within 30 days. Councillors could then choose to pass second and third readings, or call a plebiscite.

Bakker told CBC News on Friday her group wasn’t certain how Thursday’s vote would pan out.

“The words ‘government neutrality’ aren’t very exciting to people, but it genuinely is about that for us,” she said.

“Council has tried very hard to say that we were against the Pride community, but for us, it is not the group they chose to promote; it’s the fact that they’re promoting any group whatsoever.”

Bakker said her group doesn’t take issue with residents promoting minority communities, but believes governments should remain neutral.

One of the residents who supported Bakker was Benita Pedersen, a former organizer with grassroots organization Take Back Alberta. She said elected representatives should serve people in a fair and impartial manner.

Pedersen said groups or communities shouldn’t be elevated above others.

“We’re having a vote on neutrality and the irony is this council can’t even be neutral,” Pedersen told CBC News last week.

“Council should be listening to and respecting and — to an extent — validating the voice of the people,” she said.

Westlock Mayor Jon Kramer said town councillors are already starting to look at other ways to support marginalized groups. (Manuel Carrillos-Avalos/Radio-Canada)

Westlock councillors voted unanimously last May to paint the town’s first rainbow crosswalk between town hall and the local legion to promote inclusion. The crosswalk was painted June 27.

Kramer, the current mayor and a former councillor, said council has been in full support of the crosswalk, taking part in a privately-funded campaign that called on residents to vote no and “stand for inclusion.” 

He told CBC News on Friday councillors are disappointed by the results of Thursday night’s vote, but aren’t discouraged.

“We know that the work of inclusion is not a straight line,” he said.

“But … our commitment to inclusion is non negotiable. The future is inclusive and we know the path forward as a council.”

Kramer said the town has 30 days to implement the bylaw. He said councillors are already looking at other ways to show their support for marginalized groups.

Alberta towns face anti-LGBTQ backlash during Pride MonthAs more communities embrace initiatives to mark Pride month, councillors and LGBTQ support groups are troubled by signs of a growing backlash. The Alberta RCMP says reports of hate incidents are on the rise this June compared to last year. Ariel Fournier shows us how small communities in Alberta are facing the challenge.