City of Vaughan cancels concert set to feature ‘MAGA superstar' Sean Feucht
Officials stated that the city 'denied a Special Event Permit' for the concert 'on the basis of health and safety as well as community standards and well-being.'
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The Province
4 hours ago
- The Province
B.C. cities face backlash over public venues booked for controversial U.S. preacher
Sean Feucht is scheduled to appear in West Kelowna's Memorial Park on Aug. 23 and Abbotsford's Mill Lake Park on Aug. 24 as part of his Let Us Worship: Revive in 25 cross-country tour. Pro-MAGA and Christian singer Sean Feucht gets ready for his performance at Ministerios Restauración in Montreal on July 25. Photo by Allen McInnis / Montreal Gazette City officials in West Kelowna and Abbotsford say they are reviewing safety protocols and event permitting ahead of appearances by Sean Feucht, a U.S. Christian musician and preacher whose Canadian 'worship tour' has already faced a wave of cancellations elsewhere in the country. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Feucht is scheduled to appear in West Kelowna's Memorial Park on Aug. 23 and Abbotsford's Mill Lake Park on Aug. 24 as part of his 'Let Us Worship: Revive In 25' cross-country tour. Last week, authorities, including Parks Canada in Halifax and municipal officials in Charlottetown, Quebec City, Moncton, Gatineau and Vaughan — revoked permits or cancelled events, citing public safety concerns or misalignment with community values. Feucht, a MAGA-supporting Christian Nationalist worship-music singer said on X on July 24, 'If I had shown up with purple hair and a dress, claiming to be a woman, the government wouldn't have said a word.' He later claimed on X the cancellations were 'blatant Christian persecution in Canada.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. On July 27, Feucht posted a copy of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on X, saying, 'Testing to see if this still means anything up here anymore?' If Feucht, an audience member or a venue wants to use the cancellations in a Charter challenge over freedom of speech, they would most likely be out of luck, according to Joel Bakan, a constitutional expert with the Allard School of Law at the University of B.C. 'On the basis of my knowledge of the content that he is expressing, it is content that is likely to promote hatred or contempt of LGBTQ people,' said Bakan. Under the B.C. Human Rights Act, any content 'likely' to promote hatred or contempt is a violation of B.C. law. Bakan said there have been numerous Charter challenges and court rulings on the constitutionality of restricting free speech under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Limitations to speech likely to promote hatred or contempt of individuals or groups provided in provincial human rights legislation have been upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada and are not a violation of the guarantee of freedom of expression set out in section 2B of the Charter. In a 2013 ruling, the Supreme Court of Canada clarified the limits of freedom of speech under the Charter, in Saskatchewan (Human Rights Commission) v. Whatcott, a case involving the distribution of anti-gay pamphlets in schools. The Supreme Court found that the prohibition in Section 14(1)(b) of the Charter, in which expressions that expose any person or class of persons to hatred on the basis of a prohibited ground, including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, sex, marital or family status, is 'a reasonable and demonstrably justified limit on the right to freedom of expression.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Canada has a distinctively Canadian constitutional framework, compared to the American constitution. 'Ours allows for restrictions on speech that promotes hatred or that are discriminatory or promote toxic values,' said Bakan. 'The reason for this is that when you engage in speech that promotes hatred or is likely to promote hatred, you are silencing the people you are targeting, so it's a net loss,' said Bakan. 'Hate speech has a free-speech destroying effect.' Pro-MAGA and Christian singer Sean Feucht in Montreal. Photo by Allen McInnis / Montreal Gazette The tour has drawn criticism from some B.C. residents who argue Feucht's public positions on abortion, gender identity and 2SLGBTQ+ rights are divisive and harmful. Abbotsford resident Ali Neufeld, who sent a letter to city officials this week, urged the municipality to reconsider allowing the event at Mill Lake Park. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'While I understand the importance of upholding free speech, this principle should not come at the expense of public safety, inclusivity, or the well-being of marginalized groups,' she wrote. Neufeld said her family has spent many joyful days at Mill Lake, but 'would not feel safe or welcome if the event proceeds. We cannot, in good conscience, support a space that provides a platform for hate under the guise of faith or music.' In West Kelowna, resident Wilbur Turner expressed similar concerns in a public social media post. He urged city officials to reconsider permitting Feucht's concert at Memorial Park. 'This kind of event does not reflect the inclusive, welcoming community that is valued in West Kelowna and the Okanagan. Public spaces belong to everyone, and they should not be used as platforms to make community members feel unwelcome or unsafe because of who they are,' Turner wrote. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The City of West Kelowna confirmed to Postmedia that they are ' closely monitoring the circumstances surrounding the tour of Sean Feucht who has been booked at the Memorial Park amphitheatre for Aug. 23.' Communications manager Ashley Stewart said, 'We are listening and understand the concerns raised by members of the public regarding the performer,' and that the city is working with the RCMP to assess public safety related to the event. The City of Abbotsford has received correspondence from members of the public in relation to the proposed concert, said spokesperson Katherine Treloar. The City of Abbotsford said the Burn 24.7 Canada Worship Ministries Society, affiliated with Sean Feucht, has applied to the city for a 'special events permit.' The permit is under review as part of the city's permit process, said Treloar. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Treloar said she could not provide any specifics, but added that community safety considerations are a significant component of every event permit application review for the City of Abbotsford. Feucht has pushed back against the cancellations, rescheduling concerts at the last minute to private property and vowing on social media that he is 'not backing down.' Parks Canada says its decision to cancel a planned concert in the Halifax area for the night of June 22 was based on evolving security risks and expected protests. Feucht later held the event in a farmer's field 70 kilometres away. In a statement Feucht posted to social media Friday, he accused Canadian authorities of targeting him for his faith. 'Here's the hard truth: If I had shown up with purple hair and a dress, claiming to be a woman, the government wouldn't have said a word. But to publicly profess deeply held Christian beliefs is to be labelled an extremist,' wrote Feucht. Feucht held a concert in a township just outside Ottawa on Saturday after the National Capital Commission cancelled a scheduled performance in Gatineau. On Friday, an evangelical Montreal church hosted a Feucht concert without a permit, and was promptly fined by city officials. sgrochowski@ Read More News Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks News
CTV News
11 hours ago
- CTV News
Elora hosts ‘Longest BBQ' in celebration of Food Day Canada
People in Elora on putting on a culinary show for what they call the 'Longest BBQ' event. CTV's Alexandra Pinto takes weather on the road. Elora prepared to welcome thousands of people on Tuesday as the community hosted a big celebration for Canadian food. Elora's Longest BBQ 2025 took over the heart of downtown as a kickoff for Food Day Canada. The day encourages people to shop, cook and dine Canadian. 'It's unbelievable. We started this event years ago and it was such a small little thing that mom started and its grown and grown and grown,' Jeff Stewart, executive director of Food Day Canada said. 'Tonight, we're going to expect somewhere between 8,000 to 10,000 people.' Anita Stewart launched Food Day Canada in 2003. She was known for saying, 'Canada is food and the world is richer for it.' She was a broadcaster, an accomplished author and Canada's first Food Laureate at The University of Guelph and was known for being a champion for Canadian farmers and chefs. Jeff said his mother would be proud to see how the event has flourished. 'I think she would say the same thing that we're saying right now: we want people to choose Canadian food first. There's an opportunity right now to support our local farmers, to support our local restaurants and really get behind this idea that choosing Canadian food first is something that builds our economy, helps the environment and its delicious!' Elora Longest BBQ A long table was set up for Elora's 'Longest BBQ' on July 29, 2025. (Alexandra Pinto/CTV News) In the spirit of the event, over 25 local restaurants and vendors joined in the festivities in Elora. A series of tables, adorned in red and white, stretched across a bridge from Carlton Place to East Mill. Participants were encouraged to grab a bite, sit down and share the joy of Canadian cuisine with a neighbour or a stranger.
CBC
13 hours ago
- CBC
Here's the inaugural 2025 Polaris Song Prize short list
Social Sharing The short list for the Polaris Song Prize, which will go to the Canadian song of the year, has just been announced. The Canadian performers and songwriters of the winning song will split the $10,000 prize money, and the winner will be determined based on artistic merit, without regard to musical genre or commercial popularity, by the Polaris jury. The brand new prize is presented by Polaris, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. This announcement comes a little more than two weeks after Polaris announced its short list for the annual Polaris Music Prize, which goes to the best Canadian album of the year. Past winners include Tanya Tagaq, Feist, Kaytranada, Caribou, Jeremy Dutcher and Debby Friday. In a musical landscape where more and more artists are releasing singles rather than full-length albums, the Polaris and SOCAN teams decided to launch the new Polaris Song Prize to provide artists with more opportunities for recognition. The 20-song long list was revealed in June, and the winning song — and album — will be announced at the Polaris award ceremony on Sept. 16. Here's the full list of nominees for the Polaris Song Prize: Dis-moi dis-moi dis-moi, Lou-Adriane Cassidy (written by Lou-Adriane Cassidy and Alexandre Martel) Shell (Of a Man), Saya Gray (written by Saya Gray and John Mavro) Gold Filigree, Yves Jarvis (written by Yves Jarvis) Gaza Is Calling, Mustafa (written by Mustafa Ahmed, Emmanuel Hailemariam, Simon Hessman and Nicolas Jaar) Wrong Planet, Ribbon Skirt (written by Tashiina Buswa and Billy Riley) Each shortlisted song this year is also from a shortlisted album, which means CBC Music's radio series The Ten will perfectly prepare you by giving an in-depth look at each of this year's nominated records. Hosted by Odario Williams and featuring guests from the Polaris jury, the episodes will be broadcast each Sunday on CBC Music and CBC Listen at 6 p.m. (6:30 NT) running until Sept. 14.
