Carnavale Will Never Be The Same.

This year was a historic year for Canada and Quebec.First the flood of same sex partners arriving to celebrate their nuptuals from all over the globe.Then the enthusiasm with which Montreal welcomed gays and lesbians from dozens of countries for the Gay Games last summer.The citizens of La Belle Provence behaved themselves very well. There were no major demonstrations,no beatings in the streets.Everything went flawlessly.

Then the bomb dropped.First it was whispered rumors around the watercooler.Then grumblings along the bar and in the corners of brasseries and taverns.Finally the story broke in Allo Police.Bonhomme,the cultural icon ,the cornerstone of the Quebec tourist industry,was outed.

Who could have known.All those years waving and wearing a rainbow colored belt.At first,there was disappointment.Then outrage .The pictures that circulated silenced any doubters.There he was,larger than life,rolling aroung in the snow with gangs of half naked men.What would they tell their children?Would the carnavale still go on?Of course it would.But without its famous face.

He understood.And it wouldn't be hard to find other work.Afterall,you can't keep a good man down(get it?good man/bonhomme?).The best thing to do was get back on the horse.He's been doing the rounds on the festival circuit(Sundance,TIFF,the Barrie Butternut Squash Festival).No takers so far,but its better than doing commercials.He just needs to find that town that will believe in him.

So,for now,Quebec City has to look for a new mascot to bring the hoards to carnavale each winter.A contest for suggestions is underway,and early favorites include a Pirate,a caribou and Ron Jeremy.I keep trying to suggest an indigenous green frog called the Kebecwa,but everytime I click submit my computer freezes up.Must be a glitch on the website.

The lesson here is that given a few more years,tolerance and acceptance will dance hand and hand,allowing anyone to admit thier sexuality without fear of consequences.Maybe by that time,even Don Cherry will be brave enough to come out of the closet.