The founder of a Pride organization in Ontario made an appearance in court this week, where he's facing allegations of sex trafficking along with a bevy of other charges, including sexual assault.

Despite the crimes dating back to 2021, Jake Tucker, who founded Innisfil Pride, continued hosting events despite charges being public since at least July 2022, when a neighbouring Pride group cut ties with his organization, reported Reduxx.

On Tuesday's Rebel Roundup livestream, hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle shared their thoughts on the sordid charges facing Tucker.

“I wonder what kind of partnerships those Pride groups have with local law enforcement,” Lise said, speculating that police might have been “blinding themselves” to a group that could be considered “high risk” for sex crimes.

Go Ad Free

“If he was at the Pride flag raising ceremony and the mayor said something nice about it, they missed the red flags that would have, in every other world, identified him as a person that's not doing good things,” she continued. “And yet, they're blinded by their 'allyship' and their 'activism'. This puts all Canadians at risk.”

Despite allegations becoming public in 2022, “they let him go on for two more years,” Sheila said. “They didn't care.”

The public needs to know “who was funding this guy's Pride group,” replied Lise. “Oh, I know exactly who it was,” asserted Sheila, vowing to uncover government records to definitively reveal funding amounts.

“Credit where credit is due, to Simcoe Pride,” added Lise, praising the neighbouring group for cutting ties with Tucker's organization. “Good for you guys, the safety of your members is paramount, too.”