A BC Conservative MLA has condemned authorities in Abbotsford for cancelling American Christian musician Sean Feucht's concert at Mill Lake Park.Heather Maahs, who represents Chilliwack North, said the city's actions "send a chilling message" to freedom-loving Canadians from coast to coast to coast..Abbotsford cancels permit for US Christian worship leader Sean Feucht’s concert."The cancellation of a Christian worship concert at Mill Lake Park in Abbotsford raises serious concerns-not only for people of faith but for all Canadians who value freedom of expression, religion, and peaceful assembly," Maahs wrote in a post on X. "Public spaces like Mill Lake Park are meant to serve as forums for a diversity of voices and beliefs."She made it clear that "while Canada must never tolerate hate speech or calls to violence, simply expressing traditional or faith-based perspectives-however unpopular in some circles-does not constitute hate."."Shutting down events based on ideological disagreement, without any evidence of unlawful content or conduct, sends a chilling message," Maahs warned, "that certain views, especially those rooted in religious conviction, are no longer welcome in public life."She went on to call the trend of cancellation "deeply troubling," suggesting "it is not just a local or faith-based issue-it is a national one.""When public authorities give a pass to openly antisemitic, pro- Hamas demonstrations on our streets but crack down on peaceful Christian gatherings, the inconsistency is not just offensive-it's dangerous," Maahs declared. "The selective enforcement of 'tolerance' risks eroding the very freedoms that define Canadian democracy."She urged officials to reconsider, noting that it is simply a "lawful, peaceful event intended to bring the community together in worship and music," and that "its cancellation undermines the principles of an open, democratic society."
