South African anti-Apartheid activist Desmond Tutu, Canadian-born writer Malcolm Gladwell and former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush were among the speakers planned for Leadercast.

[Nanaimo, B.C.] Councillors in Nanaimo, B.C., are fending off a storm of criticism after they pulled the plug on a leadership telecast at the town’s convention centre because its sponsor was linked to anti-gay-marriage activism in the U.S. On May 9, Nanaimo’s city-owned Vancouver Island Convention Centre had been scheduled to host Leadercast, a telecast of an Atlanta leadership conference. Leadercast, is sponsored by the U.S. fast food chain Chick-Fil-A. Two years ago, Chick-Fil-A’s COO, Dan Cathy, attracted U.S.-wide condemnation from gay rights groups after he said that the acceptance of gay marriage was “inviting God’s judgment on our nation.” Through an affiliated charity, WinShape, the company has also funnelled more than $5-million to anti-gay groups. “I don’t think I expected there to be anti-LGBT rhetoric during the Leadercast,” said E.T. Turner, spokesperson with the Vancouver Island Rainbow Association, a prominent opponent of the Nanaimo Leadercast. “My concern was more ‘Where was the money going?’”

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