Mayor of Amaranth, Ontario refuses to fly LGBT flag, petition launched for his resignation

Bob Currie, a longtime mayor of Amaranth, Ontario, received a letter from a resident who asked him why he wasn't flying the Pride flag in support of LGBTQ Pride Month the same way their neighbouring municipalities were.

“It is the duty of council to support ALL members of the Amaranth community, and the lack of support does not go unnoticed by your LGBT+ neighbours, friends, and community workers,” wrote Stacey Whittington in a recent letter to the council. She continued, “Refusing to fly the flag sends a very strong, outdated, and harmful message to our LGBT+ community, adults, teens, and children that the township and council does not stand up for them, support them, or support human rights and equity,”

Currie, who is a devout Christian, responded to the letter by saying that, “If everybody was either lesbian or homosexual, this would be the last generation on Earth,” Currie said in response to the letter. “Because two homosexuals cannot produce offspring…two lesbians cannot produce offspring.” Currie added, “So, why would I want to support something when this would be the last generation on Earth? I’m not going to go there.”

Currie, 80, has been mayor of Amaranth for the last 18 years and noted that he hadn't flown a Pride flag in any of those 18 years at the township's mayor.

Stacey Whittington said that she was horrified by Currie's response to her letter, saying she was "horrified that in 2020, in this township with a large LGBTQ community, that our mayor is saying these things and having them inform his choices as our mayor.”

Susan Walkinshaw, Curries daughter said her father is not homophobic, saying he, “would never do something to offend someone or hurt someone.” Walkinshaw said her father is, “not a politician. He speaks the truth. He speaks his mind.”

The organizer of Orangeville Pride, Jim Waddington, called the mayor's comments "disgraceful" and said Currie's “fossil mentality in regards to this type of new world needs to be removed.”

The backlash to Currie's comments has been swift, a petition was launched by Aranmath's to have Currie removed from office. The petition has already garnered over 11,000 signatures.

Currie has refused to step down as of now despite the petition and other public calls for his removal.

“If I hurt somebody, that’s their problem, not mine,” said Currie in response to the backlash over his decision. “But anyways, I did not say, I don’t say what I do say, okay, to offend people.”