Saskatoon mayor Charlie Clark spoke out in support of Sunday's Reading With Royalty event at the Nutrien Wonderhub.
“To see it become the source of a political protest at a children’s museum to me was a surprise,” Clark said to CTV Morning Live host Stephanie Massicotte on Tuesday.
“It’s not something I was expecting.”
Critical comments about the event on social media by self-described “Grizzly Patriot” Mark Friesen led to a small number of protesters showing up outside with signs, though the group was outnumbered by counter-protesters who showed up to give participants a warm welcome.
Friesen subsequently had his Twitter account suspended.
Clark told CTV that Reading With Royalty is about helping kids try to grapple with their identity in a changing world in a way that’s fun and entertaining.
“I think what the Wonderhub is doing to create these safe spaces for people to understand these issues is a good think. It will help us build a more inclusive community, where people can be who they were meant to be,” he said.
