Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has come out as gay

After 40 years, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson has come out as gay.

The mayor tweeting “Dear Ottawa residents and friends, I have some personal news I wish to share with you. I invite you to read my OP-ED in today’s Ottawa Citizen.”

In the column, Watson writes that it was a “mistake” not coming out sooner.

He says that he was worried about how his family, friends, and colleagues would react and he struggled to come to terms with his sexuality during his childhood.

Many political leaders have written Watson messages of support on social media including Prime Minister Trudeau.