Latest news with #ValeriePlante
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Montreal fines local church for hosting MAGA-affiliated musician Sean Feucht
The City of Montreal has fined a local church for hosting a concert by the U.S.-based Christian musician Sean Feucht. Feucht's controversial views and his status as a rising star in the MAGA movement have led officials to cancel his concerts in several Canadian cities in recent days. But on Friday evening, an evangelical church in Montreal allowed Feucht to perform a hastily scheduled concert over the objections of the city administration, and is now facing a $2,500 fine. A spokesperson for Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the Ministerios Restauración Church in the city's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough did not have a permit to organize a concert, and had been informed that the event could not take place. 'This show runs counter to the values of inclusion, solidarity, and respect that are championed in Montreal. Freedom of expression is one of our fundamental values, but hateful and discriminatory speech is not acceptable in Montreal,' Philippe Massé said in a statement. 'A ticket was issued because the organization violated the regulations by going ahead with the show.' MAGA-affiliated American musician faces wave of cancellations on eastern Canadian tour Protesters gathered outside the church during the concert Friday evening. Montreal police say they arrested a 38-year-old man for obstruction. They also say a smoke bomb was set off inside the church during Feucht's performance. Feucht reacted Saturday on social media to the events in Montreal, claiming that two smoke bombs were thrown at his head during the concert. 'Now you want (to) fine the church for doing what the church does - WORSHIP,' he said on X. 'Every Canadian should be embarrassed/concerned with this. No bigger scandal in Canada.' The church did not respond to requests for comment from The Canadian Press. Feucht was scheduled to perform east of Ottawa in Alfred, Ont. on Saturday afternoon, before moving on to the Toronto area on Sunday. The Christian singer describes himself as a musician, missionary, author and activist. He has spoken out against 'gender ideology,' abortion and the LGBTQ+ community, and his religious and political views have grabbed the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. The Atlantic magazine, based in Washington, D.C., recently described Feucht as a Christian nationalist who has become a 'MAGA superstar.' 'Between praising President Donald Trump as God's chosen one and suggesting that abortion supporters are 'demons,' Feucht has repeatedly advocated for the fusion of church and state,' the article says. Complaints from residents and planned protests have prompted officials to cancel all six of the concerts scheduled as part of the eastern Canadian leg of Feucht's 'Revive in 25' tour over the last week, forcing him to seek alternate venues. A guide to Trumpism's online universe, from Kick to Rumble to Truth Social On Tuesday, Parks Canada announced it had revoked a permit for a performance scheduled at a national historic site in Halifax, citing 'heightened public safety concerns.' Concerts have since been cancelled in Charlottetown, Moncton, N.B., Quebec City, Gatineau, Que. and Vaughan, Ont. Feucht announced his Montreal concert venue on Thursday, after his planned Friday show in Quebec City was cancelled. A second spokesperson for Plante said the show was scheduled at the 'last minute without notice.' The singer says he's the victim of 'Christian persecution,' and is accusing Canada of tyranny and censorship. 'A couple crazy activists started raising up all of this ruckus across Canada, and one by one all of our permits were cancelled out of safety concerns,' he said in a social media video posted Friday night following the Montreal performance. 'Here we are in the middle of a firestorm.' Feucht still has a series of concerts scheduled in western Canada in August.
National Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
Protests erupt outside Montreal church where U.S. Christian musician held worship performance
Protesters and police faced off outside a Plateau church Friday evening as Sean Feucht, a pro-Trump and Christian singer, performed a concert as part of his 'Revive in 25' Let Us Worship tour. The show went ahead despite a warning from the city that the venue, Église MR, did not have the required permit to host the event. Article content The show went ahead despite a warning from the city that the venue, Église MR, did not have the required permit to host the event. Article content Article content Article content 'If the event goes ahead, notices of violation will be issued, and the neighbourhood police station is mobilized to enforce the regulations,' said Catherine Cadotte, a spokesperson for Mayor Valérie Plante. Article content Montreal Police is entering the church where Christian singer Sean Feucht is due to perform. The city of Montreal has said it must not go ahead due to not having the right permits. — Harry North (@hsnorth_) July 25, 2025 Article content Article content 'This is not a performance, it's a church service,' he said. Article content As Feucht's supporters began arriving, local activists gathered in front of the Spanish-speaking church on Roy St, chanting anti-Trump and anti-fascism slogans. Tensions grew as the crowd grew. Article content By 7 p.m., demonstrators had surrounded the church entrance. Dozens of police officers formed a perimeter, and at least one protester was arrested. Article content Inside the church, a few dozen attendees gathered, joining in song and prayer. By 8.30 p.m., the crowd of protesters outside the church had thinned out. Article content Montreal Police quickly intervene between a counter-protester to the Sean Feucht concert and the Rebel News team — Harry North (@hsnorth_) July 25, 2025
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
ADVERTISEMENT Montreal Watch Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante responds to questions after major rainstorm causes flooding... again Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante responded to questions on Monday after major rainstorms caused flooding across the city.
Montreal Watch Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante responded to questions on Monday after major rainstorms caused flooding across the city.
CTV News
14-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
This Montreal street keeps getting flooded; residents' despair and bills are growing
Garages, basements and other pieces of property were damaged again in Montreal's Saint-Leonard borough. In Montreal's Saint-Leonard borough, many homes on Belmont Street were again flooded on Sunday night. It is the second year in a row that homeowners have seen their basements and garages fill up with water, the street blocked off, and furniture destroyed. Many on the street had finished repairing and renovating their living spaces from flooding in 2024. Resident Karim Chemaa said it's scary because residents do not know if flooding will happen in the coming months or years. 'It could happen another time,' he said. 'We don't know.' City politicians held news scrums on Monday to speak about the flood response and what is being done to respond to the regular heavy rains that cause flooding. 'Unfortunately, I'm not mayor of Montreal,' said Ensemble Montreal leader Soraya Martinez Ferrada. 'I'm a citizen of the east part of Montreal, I've been flooded myself four times. I understand the frustration. I understand that when it rains, you want to be there because you're scared of what's going to happen to your house.' @ctvmontreal Residents on Belmont Street in Montreal say they're angry after their basements were flooded for the second year in a row. tiktok viral trending mtl montreal weather rain storm flood ♬ original sound - CTV Montreal - CTV Montreal Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the heavy rain on Sunday and the rain last year during storm Debbie regularly puts incredible pressure on the city's sewer systems. 'No system can, in fact, absorb so much rainwater so quickly, despite all the efforts our administration is making to make our city more resilient to this kind of torrential rain,' she wrote on X. She said the city is investing heavily in adapting to the regular downpours. 'We are moving in the right direction, and quickly, but zero risk does not exist, and this is a new reality to which we must respond,' she said. 'Today, my team and I will be at work to assess the situation and assist Montrealers who are affected by the flooding.' Plante said on Monday that there are dozens of small areas in Montreal, such as Belmont Street, that are regularly flooded and that they are not all the same. 'Sometimes they are very small, it can be just a piece of a street and other places it's more like a few streets altogether, and for each of those vulnerable areas, the potential solutions are varied,' she said. 'What we're trying to do now is to consider everything.' She added that some boroughs were more affected than others, particularly in the north of the city. Those affected can contact 311 for help.
National Post
11-07-2025
- Health
- National Post
Montreal will not stop taking down homeless encampments despite new report's recommendation
Article content 'We are committed to adding resources,' Beaudry said. 'We also expect our partners, the federal government, the provincial government, to move in the same direction as us.' Article content Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said the report shows a lack of resources is at the heart of the problem. Article content 'As a city, we will continue our efforts and go even further,' she said on social media. 'But we can't do it alone. We have to play as a team, with Quebec.' Article content The report found there is a 'major governance deficit' in the fight against homelessness in Montreal and the rest of the province, and a lack of clarity about the responsibilities of different governments. Article content Bourke said there is a 'blame game' between different levels of government when it comes to addressing homelessness. 'It greatly reduces the capacity for action,' he said. 'There are resource losses, there is burnout, and we cannot achieve the objectives we set if we don't address this.' Article content The report's first recommendation is that the city should formally declare that Montrealers experiencing homelessness are citizens equal to those who are housed — a symbolic measure that Beaudry called a 'no-brainer.' He said city council will make an official declaration during its next meeting. Article content Article content The consultation office also wants the city to ask health authorities to establish more supervised drug-consumption services in Montreal. 'The limited availability of this type of resource in Montreal is detrimental to public health and social coexistence,' the report says. Article content According to the report, there were 4,690 visibly unhoused people in Montreal in 2022, up from 3,149 in 2018. However, Bourke said the official numbers don't account for 'hidden homelessness,' including people who live in their cars or who stay temporarily with family members or friends. Article content In 2022, nearly 60 per cent of unhoused people said they suffered from mental health problems, and 45 per cent said they had a medical condition or physical illness. Article content Indigenous people accounted for 13 per cent of the visibly unhoused population, despite making up just 0.6 per cent of Montreal's overall population.
