Gatineau, Que. residents raise concerns over concert by controversial artist at Jacques-Cartier Park
Controversial Christian musician Sean Feucht is set to perform at Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, Que. this weekend, but the show is stirring up frustration from people living in the national capital region.
'My issue isn't that his values don't align with mine or that I have a difference of opinion politically. It's that it's a public space,' said Melissa, a Gatineau resident who asked CTV News Ottawa not to include her last name.
'If it was in a private arena or a private room, I wouldn't be upset by that. People have the right to exist, and they have the right to say whatever they want to say as long as it falls within hate speech laws.'
On social media, Feucht describes himself as a missionary, musician, author and 'founder of global movements.'
He unsuccessfully ran for congress in 2020 as a Republican candidate in California and has faced criticism for speaking out against abortion rights and the LGTBQ2+ community.
He has also grown in popularity within the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement as a prominent figure with nearly 600,000 followers on Facebook and another 166,000 followers on X.
Feucht's shows on the east coast have also faced significant pushback, with Parks Canada revoking his permit to perform at the York Redoubt National Historic Site in Halifax for safety and security reasons.
He then found a different venue near Halifax to hold his event on Wednesday but permits to perform in both Moncton and Charlottetown on Thursday were reportedly also revoked.
'Theses are worrisome messages. They're very popular in the states. It's popular to beat up on small minority groups as target victims. We saw that in the 1930s in other parts of the world, we just don't feel that's where Canadians want to go,' said lay minister David-Roger Gagnon with St. Paul's United Church in Riverview New Brunswick.
'If this gentleman wants to promote that message, he's welcome to do that in his own country. But in Canada, I don't think those values resonate with us.'
Some residents in Gatineau and Ottawa want the National Capital Commission (NCC) to follow suit by calling off his planned performance on July 26 in Jacques-Cartier Park.
Sam Feucht
Melissa, a Gatineau, Que. resident, says she's concerned over a planned concert by singer Sam Feucht this weekend. (Brad Quinn/CTV News Ottawa)
'It's not about cancelling or holding someone accountable because they don't agree with the same things we agree with. It's that it's in a public space,' said Melissa.
'Our tax dollars are going to fund this space that this person is performing in.'
Melissa also expressed scepticism over Feucht's claims on social media that pushback to his shows is rooted in anti-Christian bigotry.
'I'm Christian. Most of my friends are Christian,' she said.
'I don't think there's anything Christian about his public stances on women or marginalized groups.'
The NCC did not provide a response to CTV News Ottawa before deadline.
With files from The Canadian Press
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