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Premier Dalton McGuinty and lifetime award recipient Salah Bachir at the Pride Gala and Awards ceremony. (CP24/Rajeshni Naidu)

View larger image Guest at Pride Gala and Awards.(CP24/Rajeshni Naidu)  View larger image CP24's Omar Sachedina co-hosted the event.(CP24/Rajeshni Naidu)

It was the night where the who's who of the queer community came out to shine in their glory, and the glitz and the glamour of the fifth annual Pride Gala and Awards did not disappoint.

With tickets selling from $325 a piece, the celebration of the achievements in the LGBT community at the Carlu was much different than what we're used to seeing on the streets of Toronto during the weekend of Pride week.

Sure, there were a few drag artists in glitter and elaborate gowns rocking the audience with show tunes, but for the most part it was an elite group of activists who've spent a lifetime pushing for this year's theme of 'Can't Stop, Won't Stop.'

Notables of the night included lifetime achievement award recipient Salah Bachir, Grand Marshall of the Pride Parade and theme award winner El-Farouk Khaki, youth leadership award winner Matthew Cutler, sports award winner Stephanie Johnstone, arts and culture award winner John Greyson and human rights award winner Leonardo Zuniga.

And what's a gala event without an array of politicians? Premier Dalton McGuinty led the pack with Liberal MP Bob Rae, Education Minister Kathleen Wynne, NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and TTC chairman Adam Giambrone.

McGuinty took centre stage even before entering the awards theatre when he was asked by a reporter who his favourite diva was.

"It would be Cher, in Las Vegas she's magnificent," he says. But when asked about Lady Gaga, the premiere conceded "She's too new for me."

Quick to turn to a more serious note, McGuinty says the province contributed $350,000 to Pride this year and his government comes to the table every year to ensure that one of the city's largest festivals is successful.

"I've got the good fortune to represent 14 million people and one of the things they expect of me is to give expression to their best values, that's why I come here," he says.

However, McGuinty didn't leave the night unscathed amid a city workers strike, which placed him at the butt of the jokes cracked by hosts Andrea Case of CTV Toronto and CP24's Omar Sachedina.

After a riveting performance of musical number "Big Spender" by a member of the Randolph Academy Dancers, Case was quick to point out that the song reminded her of the Premier, which incited a roar of laughter from the audience.

Later in the evening, before bestowing the honour of the lifetime achievement award to entrepreneur Salah Bachir, McGuinty was able to get the crowd back on side by joking about his presence at the gala.

"Science has now proven that audiences will go through dream states in phases. In the first phase they listen very attentively, the second phase the mind begins to wander, during the third and very final phase they begin to have very personal, private fantasies... so I hope I don't come across as a cold shower," McGuinty joked to laughter.

On a personal note, McGuinty said he visited his wife's class of kindagarten students yesterday where he realized he wanted all children to grow up safe and secure, and to achieve their potential which can only happen if they be who they are.

"As a dad and as a premier, I'm here to thank you all tonight for pushing the envelope," he says.

Kathleen Wynne was not to be outdone by the premier when she presented the youth award. The education minister, a proud supporter and activist of the queer community, shared with the audience that she is now a proud lesbian grandmother with four grand kids.

On the whole, it was a night where leaders in the queer community celebrated their success 40 years after the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada, but vowed to keep fighting for equal rights, and government leaders promised their continuing support.