Rally participants urged to vote YESTERDAY'S Gay Pride rally and parade took a decidedly political tone as organizers and speakers encouraged Winnipeg's gay population to get out and vote during the upcoming elections.

"This being a (federal) election year we're encouraging all members of our community to vote for the party that most represents them," said Pride 2004 organizer, Brad Tyler-West. "This event gives us a chance to be political. We are a minority group that is under attack from certain sections of society. We need to let them know we want equal marriage for all and we want the hate-crimes legislation to stay where it is."

Cool, cloudy temperatures didn't deter about 3,000 people from gathering at the Legislative Building yesterday afternoon to celebrate the end of Gay Pride Week in Winnipeg.

Yesterday's wrap-up rally and parade marked the 18th annual Gay Pride celebration in Winnipeg.

People of all ages attended the event. Many carried rainbow flags and balloons. Others held placards reading: "Hate is not a family value" and "I choose love". Same-sex couples came with children in strollers. Heterosexuals came to support their gay friends and family members.

Local politicians including provincial Liberal Leader Jon Gerrard, Liberal MP Anita Neville, city councillor Jenny Gerbasi and MLAs Jim Rondeau, Nancy Allen and Rob Altemeyer were also on hand.

Michelle Ritchot, co-founder of the Manitoba chapter of Canadians for Equal Marriage, said she fears for the gay community if Conservative Stephen Harper becomes the country's next prime minister.

Ritchot said she's concerned by suggestions the Conservatives would amend a recently passed law which is aimed at shielding homosexuals from hate crimes. Harper has also made it clear he does not support the idea of same-sex marriage.

"It's absolutely terrifying,'' said Michelle Ritchot, co-founder of Canadians for Equal Marriage. "Our message has to be to get out and vote."

In addressing the crowd, NDP MP Pat Martin called the struggle for equal rights for gays "the last great civil-rights movement of all time".

"When I get back to Ottawa I'll do all I can to stop the Alliance/Conservative party and their promise to roll back evolution of equal rights in this country," he said to a rousing round of applause.

He called on everyone to get involved in the political process.

"Our rights are being debated," he said. "Don't let that happen in isolation."

After the rally and parade through downtown Winnipeg, the event wrapped up with a concert and festival in Memorial Park.