OLDS — A float in the Town of Olds Canada Day parade sparked some controversy.
It advertised Red Deer Pro Life, a group opposed to abortion, which is the termination of a pregnancy.
The float depicted a smiling baby and an elderly person. An accompanying slogan said "Let The Beat Go On."
The presence of that float in the parade offended some people who expressed their views on social media.
Others, including Premier Jason Kenney, voiced support for opportunities for people to “express their deeply held views about the value of human life.”
The controversy came shortly after a float deemed racist by many took part in a Sundre rodeo parade. Organizers of that parade and Sundre officials quickly denounced its participation.
Debate over abortion has increased after the U.S. Supreme Court recently reversed a decision that for nearly 50 years allowed people to choose to have abortions.
Both the Albertan and at least one national news media outlet reached out to the Town of Olds regarding the decision to allow the float in the parade.
Olds chief administrative officer Brent Williams responded, saying the float met the Town's criteria for parade entries.
"To be clear, the Town of Olds does not support the message or purpose of this group," Williams wrote in an emaill. "However, the Town believes it is better to err on the side of free speech and open expression than it is to try and restrict or police either one. And while this is both a delicate and timely issue, neither of those were justification for us to restrict this float’s entry to the parade.
"And for clarity, if a float with the opposing viewpoint applied for the parade, we would have also approved entry, assuming it met the same rules as every other participant."
