Latest news with #CynthiaBlock
CBC
2 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Protesters clash with mayor over MAGA musician's Saskatoon worship concert
Social Sharing A crowd outside Saskatoon city hall protesting a controversial U.S. singer's upcoming concert confronted Mayor Cynthia Block Friday and shouted insults when she tried speaking with them. The heated exchange at the afternoon protest matched the intense debate around the Canadian tour of Sean Feucht, an American Christian music performer known for his affiliation with the MAGA, or "Make America Great Again," movement. His Revive '25 tour, which has seen cancellations in some other Canadian cities, is scheduled to stop in Saskatoon on Aug. 21, and was granted a permit by the City of Saskatoon to play in Diefenbaker Park. Protesters say they don't want Feucht performing in a public park because of his past anti-2SLGBTQ+ comments. "If we put him in a public park, we're sending a message that the city approves," protester Margi Corbett told CBC. "He can go and play in a church. It's a church service. He used those words himself," said Corbett. "I believe churches have the right to have their own freedom of expression." Communities in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba have already denied or revoked concert permits for Feucht's tour, with some citing safety concerns. Protesters in Saskatoon also called for the city to revoke the permit based on public safety. A Saskatoon Police Service spokesperson said police did not find any security issues during a risk assessment of the event, but are monitoring developments. But some protesters still don't think the event can be considered safe. "Perhaps it can be physically safe, but that doesn't mean it's psychologically safe for people who are being called demonic in public," said Corbett. "That's not safe, especially when they're already vulnerable people." Event wouldn't go forward 'if I had my choice': mayor When Block got up to speak at Friday's protest, some in the crowd called her names and told her to leave, while others said they should let her speak. "If I had my choice, this would not go forward," Block said when the crowd quieted down. She told a story about a childhood friend who died by suicide. "He never had a chance to come out," Block said. "It was the 1980s in rural Saskatchewan, where homophobia was not just accepted, it was expected. That moment changed my worldview," the mayor said. "Never again would I be silent in the face of someone being dehumanized for just being who they are." Block said she will introduce a motion about the city's permitting process at next week's council meeting. Fran Forsberg, who helped organize the protest, said she has kids who are transgender and doesn't want Feucht performing in a public park. "When we stand around and do nothing when something like this happens, we are complicit," she said. Feucht and his team did not reply to a request for an interview. Freedom of expression One legal expert says the city likely has to let the concert go ahead, or risk going to court if it denies a permit "without a good reason." Feucht would have a legal right to take the decision to court, said Dwight Newman, a constitutional law professor at the University of Saskatchewan. "Some constitutional rights are just for citizens, some constitutional rights are for everyone, and freedom of expression does cover everyone," Newman said. "And so even as an American citizen, he would be able to bring a claim for a breach of his rights in Canada." Authorities must also consider the constitutional rights of people who want to attend the concert, Newman said. "Freedom of expression protects not just the person expressing, but also the people listening to the expression, and so those who want to go to that thing probably would have constitutional claims as well if there were any legal interference with it," he said. The bar for criminal hate speech and incitement is very high. Feucht could be prosecuted if he does cross the line while on stage, but past comments don't predict the future, Newman said. "We are very reluctant to restrain expression in advance on the possibility that someone might say something illegal, or we could go around restricting everyone all the time," said Newman. "It's like the movie Minority Report and predicting crime. We just can't really do that and still have a free society."
CTV News
5 days ago
- Automotive
- CTV News
Saskatoon is ending the free ride at city-operated EV charging station
One of the city-operated EV charging stations that was subsidized under a pilot program. City Hall will no longer cover the cost to charge up an electric vehicle at two of its leisure centres. On Tuesday, the city's environment, utilities and corporate services committee voted to end a pilot program and begin charging users $5.35 per hour at city-operated electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at Lakewood Civic Centre and Lawson Civic Centre. 'I don't think taxpayers should be subsidizing costs on people who choose to buy a Tesla,' Ward 4 councillor Troy Davies said. The two-year pilot was launched in May 2023 with no user fees to support community EV adoption. The pilot experienced 'consistent growth in usage and received positive user feedback,' according to a city report. Get the CTV News app for Saskatoon area breaking news alerts and top stories But administrators say non-EV users voiced concerns over fairness and publicly funding the chargers for roughly $21,400 per year with no return. The report said EV drivers are often seen as more financially stable and not in need of subsidized services. 'We've completed the pilot, and now I think it's time to take the training wheels off and let it grow,' Mayor Cynthia Block said in support of charging to charge. Exceeding recommendations from administration, councillors voted to recoup all costs associated with running the stations. Administration presented five options, which ranged from stopping the program, continuing with no user fee, implementing a user fee of $2 per hour, or continuing with a fee of $3 per hour. Administration recommended a $3 per hour fee, which would recover roughly 56 per cent of the costs. But councillors went with the fifth option presented — the $5.35 per hour, fully cost recovered option. 'I'd say an average SUV for charging at $5 an hour is $40,' Davies said. 'If I'm filling up an SUV with gas, it's probably 60 to 70.' If approved by city council, the city could implement the new fee in one to two months. A report on the progress is due back in one year. The city said the pilot program resulted in an estimated reduction of about 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
CBC
30-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Saskatoon approved permit for MAGA musician's upcoming concert, city solicitor confirms
A MAGA-affiliated Christian musician received a permit from the City of Saskatoon to perform in a local park, the city solicitor confirmed Wednesday. Sean Feucht, a MAGA-affiliated Christian musician, has faced cancellations from multiple venues across Canada in recent weeks due to his controversial views. Feucht is a right-wing advocate and has spoken out against the 2SLGBTQ+ community. The 41-year-old's website and social media are littered with stances against abortion, critical race theory and the queer community. Communities in Nova Scotia, P.E.I., New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba have already denied or revoked concert permits for the performer's Revive in '25 Tour. Feucht is scheduled to perform in Saskatoon's Diefenbaker Park on Aug. 21. City solicitor Cindy Yelland confirmed during Wednesday's city council meeting that the city approved the concert permit. "There are no public safety concerns that would require the event to be cancelled," Yelland said. "The situation may change as we get closer to the event. To be clear, allowing an event to occur in public space does not mean the city is endorsing any event, or any message of the event organizers." From there, councillors confirmed that any cancellation of the event on the grounds of public safety would be in the hands of the police. Mayor Cynthia Block appeared on CBC's Saskatoon Morning on Wednesday morning, before the council meeting. She acknowledged that the planned concert is sparking tension. "I'm deeply concerned about the safety issues of this artist coming to our city," Block said. "I've received many phone calls, many emails, and have been in discussions with the chief of police. They are doing their due diligence to make sure that they are following all of the correct legislation to protect freedom of speech, but understanding foundationally that this is a safety issue. It is a physical safety issue, and I am personally worried." WATCH | Mayor of Saskatoon addresses upcoming controversial concert: Mayor of Saskatoon addresses upcoming controversial concert 6 hours ago Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block joined Saskatoon Morning and addressed the planned concert at Diefenbaker Park by controversial American singer Sean Feucht. Block said she asked the Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) to work quickly on that due diligence, "because it's making, I think, our whole community feel very tense about what's coming here." After Block's interview, the SPS provided CBC with a statement.
CBC
30-07-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Saskatoon's mayor on the possibility of replacing the pedestrian overpass on College Drive
Mayor Cynthia Block joined Saskatoon Morning to talk about the upcoming debate over the pedestrian overpass on College Drive and the city's affordable housing projects.
CBC
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Mayor of Saskatoon addresses upcoming controversial concert
Saskatoon Mayor Cynthia Block joined Saskatoon Morning and addressed the planned concert at Diefenbaker Park by controversial American singer Sean Feucht.
