KELOWNA, B.C. — The mayor of a city in B.C.'s picturesque Okanagan Valley has turned an insult into his own proud, tongue-in-cheek persona.
Colin Basran, now known as Kelowna's "Sugarplum Mayor," is working with the city's Young Professionals Collective to host a Sugarplum Ball on July 9 to show support for the region's LGBTQ community.
The event comes one year after the city installed a rainbow crosswalk at a downtown intersection in an effort to promote inclusion.
But while the crosswalk had unanimous support from city council, it gained unexpected backlash from a few residents.
In an online forum, one community member referred to "Mayor Sugarplum" in an effort to insult Basran for supporting the installation of the crosswalk. The comment had the opposite effect.
"I actually found it kind of funny and I kind of liked it," Basran said.
Recognizing the opportunity to increase support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, Basran said the Okanagan Pride Society approached him with the idea of hosting a Sugarplum Ball.
MORE National ARTICLES
Former UBC President Arvind Gupta Breaks His Silence Over Resignation
Gupta calls the released UBC documents a "one-sided representation" of what happened in the months prior to his resignation.
Former UBC President Arvind Gupta Breaks His Silence Over Resignation
Cut Overdose Deaths Of Young People By Raising Awareness: B.C. Coroners' Panel
VICTORIA — A review by a British Columbia's coroners' panel says two issues stand in the way of stopping more young people from dying of overdoses.
Cut Overdose Deaths Of Young People By Raising Awareness: B.C. Coroners' Panel
Would-Be Firefighters Flood B.C. Wildfire Service With Applications
KAMLOOPS, B.C. — There is no shortage of candidates to fill the estimated 200 vacant positions expected this summer with the B.C. Wildfire Service.
Would-Be Firefighters Flood B.C. Wildfire Service With Applications
B.C. LNG Minister Says 'we're Not Afraid' Of Federal Environmental Tests
British Columbia's minister in charge of liquefied natural gas is heading to Ottawa for talks on how the federal government's promised changes to environmental reviews will impact the province's plans for a multibillion dollar LNG industry.
B.C. LNG Minister Says 'we're Not Afraid' Of Federal Environmental Tests
B.C. Seniors' Advocate To Probe Deadly Violence Among Residents At Care Homes
VICTORIA — British Columbia seniors' advocate says 16 people have died in the last three years in a disturbing trend of violence among elderly in residential-care facilities.
B.C. Seniors' Advocate To Probe Deadly Violence Among Residents At Care Homes
Ontario Top Court Awards Terminated 'Dependent' Contractors $125,000 In Lieu Of Notice
TORONTO — Ontario's top court has shut down another attempt by a kitchen company to get out of paying severance to two workers it alleged were contractors, not employees.