Happy Pride Weekend to Everybody!

When gays and lesbians took one day this year to celebrate their lives in Moscow (after that city's bigoted mayor tried to stop them), they got attacked by neo-Nazis and other bigots and Moscow police did almost nothing to help. In fact, they let the neo-Nazis go and instead arrested many of the gay marchers.

Pride marchers in Jerusalem got stabbed by a Jewish Orthodox nut in 2005. This year, Jerusalem police had to arrest another extremist religious nutbar who was carrying a small bomb near Jerusalem's Pride parade.

If we needed any more proof of the evils of extremist religion, we got it. Any religion that inspires you to take this kind of violent action against your fellow men and women can only be described as toxic.

One must never buckle under and give in to these kinds of hateful threats. I congratulate those who are brave enough to show their pride despite such evil bigotry present in their own city and country.

We have it so lucky here in Canada. Our beautiful reputation of support and openness is now paying off tourism-wise at a time when we really need it.

I will be out celebrating this weekend with my partner. If you're in the Toronto area and have never attended a Pride parade, I suggest you consider coming downtown on Sunday afternoon to Bloor and Yonge - you will have loads of fun, I promise.

Have a great weekend, everybody!