Since most of Ontario's LCBO stores will be closed tomorrow, here are five Canuck cocktails for you to enjoy. Go out and grab the ingredients before it's too late.

A Canadian Classic  

6 oz orange juice, 2 oz Canadian whisky, 2 oz sloe gin, 1 oz Galliano, 1 oz triple sec, 1 lime twist. Combine wet ingredients in a cocktail shaker half full of ice. Stir and strain into a highball glass. Garnish with lime twist.

Maple Sunset

2 oz Campari, 1 oz maple syrup, 3/4 oz lemon juice, half an egg white, 1 lemon twist. Combine wet ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake, add ice, shake once more. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon twist.

A Canuck in Paradise

2 oz Canadian whisky, 1 oz pineapple juice, 1 oz maraschino cherry liqueur, juice of half a lemon, 1 pineapple wedge. Combine wet ingredients in a cocktail shaker half full of ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with pineapple wedge.

Canadian Rum Punch (for large groups)

4 cups water, 2 cups sugar, 2 cups Canadian whisky, 2 cups rum, 2 cups lemon juice, 1 bag of ice. Heat water and sugar in a saucepan until sugar dissolves. Let cool. In a punch bowl combine whisky, rum and lemon juice. Add sugar mixture. Add ice to punch bowl.  

Canadian Pride (non-alcoholic)

4 oz grapefruit juice, 3 oz ginger ale, 1/2 oz maple syrup, 1 lemon wedge. Combine wet ingredients in a cocktail shaker half full of ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a highball glass half full of ice. Garnish with lemon wedge.

Cheers! 

Natalie Wolchover wrote a great article a few weeks ago over on Huffington Post exploring male homosexuality and what benefits this genetic trait may have for gay males' relatives.

Research by the University of Padova in Italy has revealed that mothers and maternal aunts of gay men have more offspring than relatives of straight men. In brief, female relatives of gay men are more attractive to straight men because they carry the gay male gene.

Looking at this study at a personal level, it doesn't resonate with me. My mother has three sisters, two of whom are childless, and my sister has said she doesn't plan on being a biological mother.

Going back to my last post on the Oreo Pride cookie controversy: one hate-filled Facebook poster wrote that because gay men can't procreate, we are useless, evil, insert homophobic slur here. Although I've said this study doesn't seem to apply to my family, it could still be used to tear down that miserable message. 

Does this study fall in line with the makeup of your own family? 

Read the full article or read another study on why are they gay women? 

On Monday, Kraft Foods posted an image of a rainbow Oreo on its Facebook page to show support for gay pride.

This caused an uproar of hate, with hundreds of people writing messages of disgust at the thought of gay marriage or gay people in general. Kraft Foods took the image down after 13 hours, hiding all the negative and positive comments. If you venture over to Oreo's Facebook page today, you will see comments from gays applauding the multi-coloured cookie.

Now consumers are lobbying for a real version of this six-stuffed cookie.

Could it be that trans fats cause homophobia? 

Read some of the nasty comments below and then write Oreo a message of support on their Facebook page. 

Over the sweltering Canadian summer, many adventurous friends and families embark on regional road trips. So whether you're headed east from Ottawa to make the most of Montreal or tuning up for next week's Toronto Pride, here are five queer-friendly road trip songs. Tunes to promote untroubled transit.

"I'm in Love with My Car," Queen 

Since you are reading Xtra, I doubt I need to explain to you why Queen are queer heroes; well, Freddie Mercury was to most, at least. Some music writers have said Mercury was always out and proud, while others journalists say he hid his sexuality, often distancing himself from his partner, John Hutton, in public. Whatever the truth was, you can't get more gay than a name like Queen.

"I thought up the name Queen. It's just a name, but it's very regal obviously, and it sounds splendid. It's a strong name, very universal and immediate. It had a lot of visual potential and was open to all sorts of interpretations. I was certainly aware of gay connotations, but that was just one facet of it," Mercury is purported to have said.

"I'm in Love with My Car" was composed and is sung by Queen drummer Roger Taylor. This track is said to be about his fascination with his Alpha Romeo.                                                                              

"Dirty Back Road," The B-52s

B-52 Frank Schneider may be one of the gayest musicians of all time. Known for his recognizable voice and over-the-top theatrics, Schneider spoke of his sexuality on Howard Stern in 2010, divulging that he came out to his mother while she was vacuuming.

"She said, 'Oh I know, Freddie.' It's like okay. I guess I'll go back outside and smoke some pot."

Whether you find the B-52s' music to be creative or campy, you can't deny the catchiness of this new-wave track off their 1980 sophomore album Wild Planet. Schneider's odd sprechgesang vocals are absent, with Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson's mellow harmonizing in its place. With this euphemistic title and lyrics like "ride me like a road" and "feet in the air, sand in my hair," there's also no doubt this song is about anal sex.

"Driving Lesson," Garbage

While no one in Garbage is out or even suspected of being gay, singer Shirley Manson's lyrics have frequently lit a torch for gay and transgender rights (see "Queer," "Cherry Lips," Sex Is Not the Enemy"). In 2008, Manson took to Facebook and slammed the New York State Senate for voting down the same-sex marriage bill.

"It saddens and sickens me that modern government and society has learned nothing from history but continue the vicious cycle of ignorance and intolerance whilst quoting and twisting from a bible that at its root, preaches love and understanding and equality for all." Manson ended her post by writing, "Love is love is love is love. And it is rare and divine. So let us all attempt to preserve it in any manner we can. And by all of us I really do mean all of us. Because lord knows there's certainly not enough of it flowing around us in this life."

This automotive-themed track is a B-side on the band's 1995 megahit single "Stupid Girl." There are more counterculture anthems on Garbage's just released Not Your Kind of People.

"Bumper," Cults

There's nothing particularly gay about Cults. Neither Madeline Follin or Brian Oblivion are queer, yet their poppy, lo-fi music has garnered a large gay following for its originality and '60s throwback sound. While "Bumper" fits the road-trip-song theme of this post, it's far from the best song on their eponymous 2011 debut (that would be "Abducted"). Cults has evolved into a five-piece since their initial release, so expect a fuller sound on their upcoming effort.

"Pacific Coast Highway," Hole

Gay men love disasterous divas ("leave Britney alone!" anyone?), and Courtney Love is one of those trainwrecks gays love. So what if she has no descernible talent besides writing rambling lyrics (this song's studio version's music was mostly written by very talented lesbian Linda Perry). Watch an early, very rough Courtney and Micko Larkin version below or listen to the polished take here.

Whether they are bath salt enthusiasts or Haitians risen from the dead, North Americans are fascinated by zombies.

There is a divide between deadly fans who prefer fast zombies and those who like the traditional shambling slow zombies. I am in the fast zombie camp because slow zombies just aren't that scary.

London-based company Six To Start has taken our fear of these toothy terrors and created an app to motivate exercisers.

My friend Sarah Duff has been using the Zombies, Run! app for a few weeks and says it has added excitment to her daily running routine.

"It's motivated me to go a bit farther. It uses GPS to track your distance as if you are running away from zombies and sees if you can outrun them. There are twenty-two story missions and seven supply missions. In between the story it plays your own music."

Runners can choose a half-hour or full hour mission. Zombies, Run! is available for $7.99 on the iTunes store.  

Looking to support Capital Pride while sampling a rainbow of goodies from local eateries? Then skip dinner and make your way to city hall tonight at 6pm.

Taste of Pride will feature dishes from such favourites as Auntie Loo's Treats and The Exchange. A cash bar will also be on-site where you will be able to sip libations from Barefoot Wine and Bubbly, Hog's Back Brewery and Woody's. 

Attendees will also be treated to performances by CC Turbiak and members of the Orpheus Musical Theater.

A silent auction will follow.

Admission is $15 in advance and $20 at the door. You can pick up tickets at After Stonewall, Wilde's, Venus Envy and the Ottawa Festival Office. 

Taste of Pride

Thurs, June 21, 6pm

Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Ave W

On Saturday, June 9, my friends Matty Mallon and Connor Cumming were wed in an informal humanist ceremony.

You might know Matty as the smiling bartender at Swizzles and Connor as his alter ego, Alyna Moore.

The ceremony took place at The Exchange in Rideau Centre and good times were had by all.

Matty said, "We chose a humanist ceremony because it reflected our values and was respectful of our same-sex union. We didn't want a religious ceremony, as it doesn't reflect our beliefs."

He went on to thank all who attended. "The whole day was such an awesome experience for us. To have 150-plus people show up to cheer you on and celebrate with you is such a humbling experience. We have such an amazing group of friends and family. It was awesome to see such a diverse group of people; from our square-ish family to goths and gays all partying together."

Connor echoed Matty's sentiments, adding that the throngs of well-wishers made the day that much more meaningful.

"Having so many people show up was humbling, especially for myself, since I'm not from Ottawa. To have so many people drive for over an hour to make it to an evening that was so special to me, in turn made my night even more amazing."

Congratulations to the happy couple. If all gay weddings are this much fun, I look forward to attending many more.

See pictures of their special day and quotes from friends below.  

Bradley Turcotte photo

"I really liked the humanist approach; it was universal and lovely. They love each other so much, and the fact that they both cried when they were up there -- I almost cried too," Jayda Kelsall said.

Steffany Cyr photo

"This was my second gay wedding. I think it was the same person who presided over the first gay wedding I attended. I really appreciated that it was a humanist approach. They are a fabulous couple," Jenny Dyke said.

Sarah Duff photo 

"It was very nice. It wasn't too elaborate. It was very concise. I'm very happy that this was my first gay wedding. Despite the informality, it was still very respectful to the traditional commitment of marriage between two loving people. Even though they parted with tradition, they still kept what marriage was about," Alex Stewart said. 

Bob Rae stunned the political world last week when he announced he was not going to run for the top position in the third most powerful party in Canada.

Whenever I hear the name Rae, it brings me back to elementary school. Rae was the NDP premier of Ontario from 1990 to 1995. I remember my mother, who worked for the school board, cursing Rae Days. I was such a keener in elementary school, I also remember being very disappointed by the fact that I got a day off from school on Rae Days. These days stemmed from a social contract Rae implemented as premier where civil servants were forced to take days off without pay. This contract also involved wage freezes and made the provincial NDP very unpopular.

However, the contract was successful. The province saved close to $2 billion and prevented public employee layoffs. Rae was like a parent who just wants what's best for his kids, but Ontarians have never forgiven their one-time provincial father for his drastic fiscal measures. When children become adults, they usually look back and realize their parents simply had their best interests in mind. Not Ontarians; pundits point to Rae Days as the reason Rae lost the Liberal leadership in 2006 and again in 2008. Other commentators say Rae isn't running for the Liberal leadership this time because of his age; he'll be 64 in August.

Whether it be his track record or his age, the next natural question is who will lead the Reds? Let's look at a few of the names being touted.

Justin Trudeau

He has the assertiveness of his father and the good looks of his mother. Relatively young at 40, Trudeau says he's under immense pressure to run. The general consensus is that he's not ready, but after Ignatieff, wouldn't a charismatic leader be the shot in the arm this sagging party needs?

Joyce Murray

One of the two female names being bandied around, this BC MP has not expressed leadership aspirations. Even if Murray did want to become the Liberal leader, it doesn't read well when political journalists from her home province are writing op-eds discounting her.  

Marc Garneau

While Garneau doesn't have the same name recognition as Trudeau, this Quebec MP is a former astronaut, which is always a crowd pleaser with the mindful (or mindless) masses. When asked on CTV if he plans to run, Garneau said, "I am looking at it seriously. And what I mean by seriously is that I'm doing my homework." Perhaps Garneau's studious attitude will be the party's salvation and rocket the Liberals' voting numbers back up to the top.

Dominic LeBlanc

If LeBlanc's name in the context of the Liberal leadership race seems all too familiar, that's because he ran in 2008. When LeBlanc saw his ship was sinking three years ago, he escaped to a lifeboat, flying the Iggy flag of support. A hometown boy, when LeBlanc was asked if he would run in 2013, he said he's taking time to reflect before he makes his decision. LeBlanc also said the Liberals need to concentrate on their presence in French Canada and the new leader should be fully bilingual. Quelle surprise!

David McGuinty

The brother of Ontario's current premier, McGuinty represents the riding of Ottawa South. He has been described as young (I suppose 52 is young in Canadian politics), bright and bilingual. However, he hasn't officially announced his intentions. McGuinty has said he will mull over the prospect this summer, with input from his brother, no doubt.  

Martha Hall Findlay 

This Toronto-area MP is considered a strong contender by most. Findlay has said she is definitely considering a run. When asked on CTV about the future of her party, Findlay said, "The party hasn't been a national party for a long time. So the people who are running shouldn't be looking at it like it was the job it used to be. They should absolutely be aware of the work that is required." Sensible, honest and realistic. She doesn't stand a chance. 

Scott Brison 

If Brison were successful in a run for the leadership, he would be the first openly gay party leader at the federal level in our country's history. He's a pitbull for the little guy, as he's recently made headlines calling for the govenment to look more closely at wage inequality. He has my vote, although in a recent poll, he garnered single digits of support.

Other potential leaders who have polled well include Ralph Goodale, Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and Gerard Kennedy. The vote is expected to take place in April 2013.  

Alberta is notoriously regarded as the least gay-friendly Canadian province. (Just going by word of mouth, it's possible Prince Edward Island is a close second.) On Thursday, the Edmonton Journal reported that the province known as Wild Rose Country has finally amended billing codes used by doctors that grouped gays and lesbians in with sexual deviants, including pedophiles. 

The "Progressive" Conservatives made this change after years of pressure from health officials and queer advocates. Coincidentally, this announcement comes just in time for Pride celebrations in the cities of Calgary and Edmonton.

Until this year Alberta would reference the ninth edition of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases (better known as the ICD-9), source material that was penned in 1975. Although the WHO updated this text in 1990 and removed homosexuality from the list of diseases, it wasn't until earlier this year that Alberta adapted the ICD-10, 22 years after it was published.

The codes in question are used by Alberta's physicians to bill the province when treating patients. Although the code now states that being gay is not a disorder, the specific code in question, numbered 302.0, is still used to reference those suffering from ego-dystonic disorder. In other words, self-hating gays or those suffering from gender-identity issues. 

Alberta's government first vowed to change this code in 1998 yet took no action for years. Prolific queer activist Rob Wells fanned the flames of change in 2010 when he uncovered government documents that showed doctors had used this code to bill the province for treating queers more than 1,750 times between 1995 and 2004. The Alberta government scrambled into damage control and removed all traces of the code from online sources. Then earlier this year it was discovered the diagnostic code was still in use.

So welcome to the 1990s, MLAs of Alberta. I expect to see you all wearing neon spandex and blasting MC Hammer from boom boxes cradled on your shoulders when you reconvene at the legislative assembly.

Gay fans of True Blood (and there are thousands) are usually disheartened to learn that series star Nelsan Ellis is straight as a pair of fangs in real life. The bootylicious actor, who plays gay medium Lafayette Reynolds on the HBO serial, says that to get into character he simply imitates his mother’s mannerisms. 

Reynolds comes from an extremely religious household. His father is a deacon, a “super-duper-deacon” as Ellis says, the kind of African-American pastor who leads a flock of singing parishioners.

However, Ellis says playing the role of Lafayette has allowed him to meet gay and lesbian fans who have changed his opinion on the plight of queers. After meeting so many young queer fans, Ellis created and produced the I Am Damn Wonderful documentary, which profiles six young gay and lesbian poets and encourages all young queers to live with no regrets.

“We give them a platform to tell the world that they are relevant, they don’t have to deal with being bullied and suicide is not an option,” Ellis said on a recent episode of Chelsea Lately.

Fangbangers rejoice. He may not be one of us, but he’s on our side.

Check out I Am Damn Wonderful.