TORONTO — The federal government announced Saturday it will invest nearly half a million dollars in improving the safety of Canada’s LGBTQ community in the wake of the killings of eight men with ties to Toronto’s gay village. Finance Minister Bill Morneau said the government will provide $450,000 to Pride Toronto to lead an initiative that aims to improve the relationship between the LGBTQ community and the criminal justice system. Last month, Pride Toronto said the two sides had made progress on conversations related to “policing and institutional power,” and the force is welcome to apply to be a part of next summer’s festivities. Olivia Nuamah, executive director of Pride Toronto, said the federal funding will initially go towards nation-wide consultations with LGBTQ agencies and leaders to determine how to improve community safety. Nuamah said the talks will be a “deep dive” into the experiences of safety and security of the LGBTQ community across Canada.

Source: National Post November 24, 2018 20:48 UTC