The City of Weyburn officially kicked off Pride Week over the noon hour Monday with a flag raising ceremony at City Hall, celebrating inclusion, visibility, and community.
The event featured remarks from community advocate Rhiannon Benjamin and Weyburn Mayor Jeff Richards, both of whom emphasized the importance of supporting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, not just during Pride Month, but year-round.
“Every June, rainbow flags rise high and streets come alive as the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and those that stand beside them gather to celebrate Pride Month,” said Benjamin, who spoke candidly about the deeper significance behind Pride. “It’s rooted in a history of protest, a response to decades of discrimination, violence, and erasure... We celebrate because we have survived. We keep marching because the fight is far from over.”
Benjamin’s speech also stressed the importance of small communities like Weyburn standing up for inclusion.
“Even in small communities like Weyburn, there are friends, families, and allies waiting to show their support,” Benjamin added. “It takes only a few to light the way for others to follow.”
Mayor Jeff Richards echoed those sentiments during the ceremony.
“What we're doing here today says a lot about our community,” Richards said. “At the City of Weyburn, we believe in a community for all... Raising this flag today is a reminder of the vision that we've set for our community. It's about recognizing the dignity, identity, and rights of our LGBTQIA2+ friends, neighbours, and family.”
Richards noted that the words “A Community for All” are emblazoned on the wall of City Council Chambers, a phrase he says guides the city’s values and actions.
In a post-event interview, Richards said the growing attendance at the flag raising is an encouraging sign of progress.
“This is a community that lives inside of our community, and it’s important that we celebrate them, and that they feel safe, respected, and as much a part of our community as anybody else,” he stated. “Everybody should experience the same Weyburn.”
He also reflected on the broader meaning of the week’s events, including the Pride crosswalk recently painted in downtown Weyburn, as they go against the image many have of rural Saskatchewan.
“Weyburn is a very inclusive community, and I think that Weyburn is a very open community,” Richards added. “I think that we have a history of sort of shattering a lot of stereotypes about rural Saskatchewan, and this is one that I’m very happy for us to shatter as well.”