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‘Tis the Season… For Rainbows!
- 17wingcorpservices
- Jul 11
- 3 min read
From 24 May to 01 June 2025, Winnipeg celebrated Pride week, an annual event that highlights how far we’ve come in 2SLGBTQI+ rights and freedoms while allowing for important discussions about where positive change still needs to occur. This year’s Pride season in Winnipeg began with the flag raising at City Hall on 23 May and culminated with the annual Pride parade on 01 June. CFB Winnipeg joined in on the Pride season with our own Pride flag raising and Pride Kick-Off mess event on 23 May, as well as participating in the Pride parade on 01 June, with the Defence Team Pride Advisory Organization’s (DTPAO) Capt Kraig Paulenko serving as the 17 Wing lead Pride planner.
This year’s Winnipeg Pride theme was announced as “Rise in Pride, Stand in Strength”, intended to be a call to action to come together and celebrate both resistance and joy. With over 10,000 parade participants spread between 160 floats, and an estimated 60,000 spectators, this theme was demonstrated in spades! Major Jackie Zacher, who marched with the military Pride Parade contingent, remarked, “I love how everyone is unapologetically themselves!” after marveling at both the parade participants’ and spectators’ enthusiastic uniqueness; from their fashion to their gender expression to the endless number of signs with positive messaging (and free mom hugs), this Parade drew together the Winnipeg queer community and it’s allies in a beautiful display of acceptance, openness, and community.
The military parade contingent members had many notable participants within the mixed ranks, including: the CAF band playing hits such as Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” while marching; the Wing command team Col Jody Hanson and CWO Philippe Cousineau; and 402 Sqn CO and DTPAO Champion LCol Geneviève Dussault. Col Hanson had the following to say of the event: “Marching at the front of the Canadian Armed Forces contingent in this year’s Pride parade was a deeply meaningful experience for both me and Chief Warrant Officer Cousineau. The energy, the warmth, and the overwhelming sense of community were truly inspiring. Being there together, shoulder to shoulder with our Defence Team members, was a powerful reminder of the importance of visible leadership and solidarity. We know that many in the 2SLGBTQI+ communities have faced real challenges, and it was an honour to stand with them—celebrating progress and reaffirming our commitment to a culture of inclusion, respect, and belonging. Together we create change.”
Members were authorized to wear either their uniform or appropriate civilian clothing; despite the 30ºC weather, many military participants chose to wear their uniform. “It’s about visibility for me”, commented Capt Krystle Sloan, one of the participating military members. “It used to be that military members who wanted to participate in the Pride parade were allowed to do so, but as a civilian in civilian clothes. It’s only been since 2017 that we were authorized to wear our uniforms when participating. For me, wearing my uniform in the parade shows our fellow Canadians that this military is your military, and there’s a place for you and your unique identity within the Canadian Armed Forces.”.
The spectators themselves appeared to appreciate the military presence within the parade, with many shouting thanks to the military members for their service and stepping up the already raucous cheering when the military contingent entered their view. It was a heartwarming show of support from the crowd, with the military participants reciprocating in kind by taking selfies with the spectators, giving high fives, and waving Pride flags with unabashed enthusiasm.
Despite the stifling heat, the atmosphere at the 2025 Winnipeg Pride parade was electric with joy, celebration, and unity, demonstrating the power of community and presence, and how much can be accomplished when we “Rise in Pride, Stand in Strength”.
