West Kelowna’s MLA has criticized the city’s decision to deny a permit for a Christian U.S. musician’s event.
Performer Sean Feucht has had permits cancelled for several public venues in Canadian cities during his “Let Us Worship” tour. Some municipalities and federal venues cited safety concerns amid reports of planned protests, while officials from Quebec City and Gatineau said Feucht’s views on gender ideology were reasons for the cancellations.
Feucht describes himself on social media as a missionary, musician, and author. He is also known for his outspoken views on abortion and gender-related issues.
Conservative MLA Macklin McCall, who represents West Kelowna-Peachland, said the decision to cancel the event set a “dangerous precedent” where “informed, principle-based decision making” was “surrendered to mob rule.”
“At face value, it appears the City cancelled this concert based solely on the threat of protest. This suggests any individual can shut down a peaceful event just by threatening disruption,” McCall wrote.
He said he reminded the City of West Kelowna that freedom of expression, assembly and association, and religion are “protected Charter rights.”
McCall said that public safety was important, “but so is protecting the fundamental freedoms of British Columbians.”
“It is the responsibility of the City, Province, police, and other appropriate authorities to take every necessary measure to ensure that safety concerns never infringe on the freedoms and rights of British Columbians,” he said in the statement.
McCall added that “caving to protest group intimidation tactics” eroded the values of tolerance and liberty that democracy is built upon.
He said while he was encouraged to hear that community members were looking for an alternate space for Feucht’s event, he urged the city to reassess its decision, and “do everything in their power” to make sure the event went ahead safely.
The Epoch Times attempted to contact the City of West Kelowna for comment but did not hear back by publication time.
The city said in a media statement that it denied a permit for Feucht’s event due to public safety.
It said the municipality, along with RCMP and West Kelowna Fire Rescue “reassessed the safety and security plans submitted” by event organizers and determined public safety risks had not been “appropriately mitigated.”
She said city-led programming and events were “founded on being caring, kind, respectful, and welcoming to everyone.”
Abbotsford Cancelled
Another B.C. stop on Feucht’s tour also denied a permit for a public venue.Godbout said the city found no permit conditions could “adequately address the potential risks to the public.”
JCCF said the city told organizers that “safety letters” were needed from Abbotsford’s police and fire departments for the event. However, the organization said the city also noted that the police chief and fire chief will not issue the safety letters because they believed the “potential risks were beyond their departments’ capacity to manage them.”
The City of Abbotsford previously told The Epoch Times it received the JCCF letter, which was “currently under review,” but added that it “does not comment on active legal matters.”
Permits Approved
Permits for Feucht’s events have been approved in Saskatoon and Alberta legislature grounds, where the performer is scheduled to stop on Aug. 21 and 22, respectively.It said the province did not “engage in shutting down or censoring law-abiding events.”
Saskatoon’s Mayor Cynthia Block said the permit was issued, despite her desire to cancel it.
She said that in Canada, the Charter protected freedom of expression even when the message was “offensive or upsetting.”
Feucht said in a previous interview with The Epoch Times that he is touring Canada to “preach Jesus,” but he’s being targeted by some officials and media who “use anything that they can to make a controversy.”
