The Canadian Constitution Foundation is watching closely after American Christian singer Sean Feucht had several shows cancelled across the country.
The CCF, a non-partisan legal charity dedicated to protecting Canadians' rights and freedoms, says they are disturbed by the cancellations and fines that have been levied against the singer, saying these decisions are blatant violations of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protections for freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion.
"Speech can be limited only where it meets the legal definition of hate speech, which are those extreme manifestations of the emotion described by the words detestation and vilification that risks causing discrimination or other harmful effects, or where the speech nonetheless forces certain persons to argue for their basic humanity or social standing," said CCF Counsel Josh Dehaas. "Nothing I’ve read that Feucht has said rises to that level. There is no justification that I’m aware of for governments shutting down these gatherings."
Feucht has received plenty of public criticism over his views on abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, gender identity and "MAGA" politics, which has allegedly led to the cancellation of at least six shows across Canada, including one in Winnipeg.
Elsewhere, a church in Quebec was also allegedly fined $2,500 after Feucht put on a concert in their facility, stating that the church didn't have the proper permit.
CCF Counsel Christine Van Geyn said the cancellations and the fine set a dangerous precedent.
"It’s one thing to require a permit for a large, ticketed event in a public space, or to shut down an event if there are bona fide serious safety concerns, but what’s going on here is clearly censorship," said Van Geyn. "You don’t need a permit to sing in a church or hold a last-minute protest. This is an obvious viewpoint-based restriction on speech, and viewpoint-based restrictions are highly suspect. If governments can prevent a Christian singer from performing because he has controversial views, then right-wing governments could shut down a drag queen or rapper."
Van Geyn said the CCF is looking at the possibility of challenging these decisions.