Fierté Montréal’s position on Israeli-Palestinian war led to board chair resignation
Posted August 5, 2025 2:38 pm.
Last Updated August 5, 2025 6:13 pm.
The chair of the board of directors of Fierté Montréal resigned because of the organization’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, CityNews has learned.
Bernard Truong officially stepped down Monday for “personal reasons,” according to Fierté Montréal.
But information obtained by CityNews suggests the decision was tied to growing discomfort over Fierté Montréal’s position on the war.
“We were already in a ‘damned if you do and damned if you don’t’ situation, and being forced to move away from a position of neutrality made me feel extremely uncomfortable,” Truong wrote in a Facebook post to his friends on Friday. That post was verified by CityNews.
Organizers from Fierté Montréal declined to comment on the resignation, which has sparked criticism from groups like Wild Pride – a self-described anti-capitalist alternative to Fierté Montréal’s parade.
They say the resignation reflects a broader lack of transparency from Pride organizers.
“It is not about the geopolitics. It is about their mishandling of our demands as a community,” said Yara Coussa of Wild Pride.
Organizers reverse ban on Jewish group in Pride parade
Fierté Montréal has been criticized recently over its stance on the conflict in the Middle East.
Some organizations have asked Fierté Montréal to take a position, while others have accused the festival organizers of associating with groups that support Israel and violence against Palestinians.
Singer Safia Nolin announced last week she would not be performing at the festival due to the presence in the Pride parade of a group, named Ga’ava, critics consider to be Zionist.
Fierté Montréal subsequently responded by “clarifying its position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.” In a social media post, the festival said it condemns “the ongoing genocide in Gaza” and expresses “its solidarity with the Palestinian people.” In the same post, Fierté Montréal said it had “made the decision to refuse participation in the Pride parade to organizations that promote hate speech.”
Fierté Montréal has since backtracked, saying that decision was not intended to be perceived as a way to exclude the Jewish community from the events.
“The behaviour of certain individuals had put a bigger consequences on the whole group, “explained Marlot Marleau, the new chair of Fierté Montréal’s board of directors. “And the whole group received it as an exclusion based on faith, which was never the intent.
“We also don’t want the whole community to feel excluded because of the action of individuals.”
The organization says it reached out to representatives of the Jewish community to ensure “a space that is inclusive and safe for everyone, especially for Jewish members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who wish to take part in the parade.”
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) confirmed in a statement the uninvited groups have been re-invited to march in the parade.
“In our conversations on Monday, Fierté Montréal was adamant that the organization opposes antisemitism and had no intention of excluding the Jewish community,” CIJA wrote. “Leadership reiterated that every community, regardless of religious affiliation, must feel welcome and safe at their events. The organization issued an apology to Jewish 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals in Quebec and the broader Jewish community for a decision that was felt as a message of rejection. Following constructive dialogue, we accepted their apology.
“This incident – so out of step with Fierté Montréal’s values of inclusion and respect, values that must be upheld in the broader struggle for Quebec’s shared values – should never have happened.”
Fierté Montréal says its initial decision to exclude the groups “does not reflect the inclusive values that guide Fierté Montréal’s actions.
“The organization is committed to improving its internal complaint management processes to ensure that a situation like this one does not happen again and that no communities feel left out from its future festivities.”
The federal and provincial governments, along with Montreal, are all among the sponsors for the 11-day festival, which began on July 31.
The Quebec government, for instance, contributed nearly $1 million toward the festival this season. The Canadian government, meanwhile, provided just over $419,000.
Steven Guilbeault, minister of Canadian identity and culture, said he’s glad meaningful dialogue led to a solution.
“It’s important to ensure the safe and full participation of all members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community and their allies in Pride,” he shared through a written statement. “Pride events must always be spaces of inclusion where who we are and who we love are celebrated, regardless of faith, background, or identity.”
Asked to comment on the situation, a spokesperson for the City of Montreal said it “was not involved in the decision taken by Fierté Montréal.”
The festival runs until Sunday, the day the Pride parade will march through the streets of the city.
–With files from Gareth Madoc-Jones and La Presse Canadienne
