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Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. cities face backlash over public venues booked for controversial U.S. preacher
City officials in West Kelowna and Abbotsford say they are reviewing safety protocols and event permitting ahead of appearances by Sean Feucht, a U.S. Christian musician and preacher whose Canadian 'worship tour' has already faced a wave of cancellations elsewhere in the country. Feucht is scheduled to appear in West Kelowna's Memorial Park on Aug. 23 and Abbotsford's Mill Lake Park on Aug. 24 as part of his 'Let Us Worship: Revive In 25' cross-country tour. Last week, authorities, including Parks Canada in Halifax and municipal officials in Charlottetown, Quebec City, Moncton, Gatineau and Vaughan — revoked permits or cancelled events, citing public safety concerns or misalignment with community values. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Feucht, a MAGA-supporting Christian Nationalist worship-music singer said on X on July 24, 'If I had shown up with purple hair and a dress, claiming to be a woman, the government wouldn't have said a word.' He later claimed on X the cancellations were 'blatant Christian persecution in Canada.' On July 27, Feucht posted a copy of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on X, saying, 'Testing to see if this still means anything up here anymore?' If Feucht, an audience member or a venue wants to use the cancellations in a Charter challenge over freedom of speech, they would most likely be out of luck, according to Joel Bakan, a constitutional expert with the Allard School of Law at the University of B.C. 'On the basis of my knowledge of the content that he is expressing, it is content that is likely to promote hatred or contempt of LGBTQ people,' said Bakan. Under the B.C. Human Rights Act, any content 'likely' to promote hatred or contempt is a violation of B.C. law. Bakan said there have been numerous Charter challenges and court rulings on the constitutionality of restricting free speech under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Limitations to speech likely to promote hatred or contempt of individuals or groups provided in provincial human rights legislation have been upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada and are not a violation of the guarantee of freedom of expression set out in section 2B of the Charter. In a 2013 ruling, the Supreme Court of Canada clarified the limits of freedom of speech under the Charter, in Saskatchewan (Human Rights Commission) v. Whatcott, a case involving the distribution of anti-gay pamphlets in schools. The Supreme Court found that the prohibition in Section 14(1)(b) of the Charter, in which expressions that expose any person or class of persons to hatred on the basis of a prohibited ground, including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, sex, marital or family status, is 'a reasonable and demonstrably justified limit on the right to freedom of expression.' Canada has a distinctively Canadian constitutional framework, compared to the American constitution. 'Ours allows for restrictions on speech that promotes hatred or that are discriminatory or promote toxic values,' said Bakan. 'The reason for this is that when you engage in speech that promotes hatred or is likely to promote hatred, you are silencing the people you are targeting, so it's a net loss,' said Bakan. 'Hate speech has a free-speech destroying effect.' The tour has drawn criticism from some B.C. residents who argue Feucht's public positions on abortion, gender identity and 2SLGBTQ+ rights are divisive and harmful. Abbotsford resident Ali Neufeld, who sent a letter to city officials this week, urged the municipality to reconsider allowing the event at Mill Lake Park. 'While I understand the importance of upholding free speech, this principle should not come at the expense of public safety, inclusivity, or the well-being of marginalized groups,' she wrote. Neufeld said her family has spent many joyful days at Mill Lake, but 'would not feel safe or welcome if the event proceeds. We cannot, in good conscience, support a space that provides a platform for hate under the guise of faith or music.' In West Kelowna, resident Wilbur Turner expressed similar concerns in a public social media post. He urged city officials to reconsider permitting Feucht's concert at Memorial Park. 'This kind of event does not reflect the inclusive, welcoming community that is valued in West Kelowna and the Okanagan. Public spaces belong to everyone, and they should not be used as platforms to make community members feel unwelcome or unsafe because of who they are,' Turner wrote. The City of West Kelowna confirmed to Postmedia that they are ' closely monitoring the circumstances surrounding the tour of Sean Feucht who has been booked at the Memorial Park amphitheatre for Aug. 23.' Communications manager Ashley Stewart said, 'We are listening and understand the concerns raised by members of the public regarding the performer,' and that the city is working with the RCMP to assess public safety related to the event. The City of Abbotsford has received correspondence from members of the public in relation to the proposed concert, said spokesperson Katherine Treloar. The City of Abbotsford said the Burn 24.7 Canada Worship Ministries Society, affiliated with Sean Feucht, has applied to the city for a 'special events permit.' The permit is under review as part of the city's permit process, said Treloar. Treloar said she could not provide any specifics, but added that community safety considerations are a significant component of every event permit application review for the City of Abbotsford. Feucht has pushed back against the cancellations, rescheduling concerts at the last minute to private property and vowing on social media that he is 'not backing down.' Parks Canada says its decision to cancel a planned concert in the Halifax area for the night of June 22 was based on evolving security risks and expected protests. Feucht later held the event in a farmer's field 70 kilometres away. In a statement Feucht posted to social media Friday, he accused Canadian authorities of targeting him for his faith. 'Here's the hard truth: If I had shown up with purple hair and a dress, claiming to be a woman, the government wouldn't have said a word. But to publicly profess deeply held Christian beliefs is to be labelled an extremist,' wrote Feucht. Feucht held a concert in a township just outside Ottawa on Saturday after the National Capital Commission cancelled a scheduled performance in Gatineau. On Friday, an evangelical Montreal church hosted a Feucht concert without a permit, and was promptly fined by city officials. sgrochowski@
CBC
8 hours ago
- CBC
Tony Humby wants 72 sexual violence charges thrown out due to unfair delays
A man charged with dozens of counts of sexual violence against youths over the span of two decades is filing an application to avoid trial on most of them, because of how long it's taken his case to progress through court. Tony Humby is currently awaiting trial on 72 charges. The trial was initially supposed to take place last year, but was postponed when he changed lawyers. The rescheduled trial was scheduled to begin in March, and wrap up in May. But a series of pre-trial applications by the defence — held largely behind closed doors — meant that didn't happen. The trial is now scheduled to begin in late August, and run intermittently until May 2026. Mark Gruchy, Humby's lawyer, told the court Tuesday morning that he informed the Crown of his intent to proceed with the so-called Jordan application, adding that it is now three-quarters done. "That will be filed this week," Gruchy said. He said the question now is when the application would be heard, with the trial date looming. Crown prosecutor Deidre Badcock expressed concern. "Dating back to 2023, we've been sitting in court on these matters," Badcock said. "In order to respond to a Jordan [application], even if it's filed here at the end of this week, which is August, to say that we're going to be able to adjudicate this and have the Crown present a reply brief by Aug. 27 and deal with that substantively, is the definition of unfair." Badcock indicated that she wants to start calling witnesses on Aug. 27 if the Jordan application can't be adjudicated before then. "I'd like to start the trial," she said. Gruchy did not take exception to that, as long as it's clear that the defence has raised the issue of Jordan. "Whatever works in that regard is fine with me," he said. Gruchy also noted that it will take some time for transcripts of past appearances to be prepared. The matter was ultimately set over for a status update before Judge Rolf Pritchard next week. In the landmark Jordan decision a decade ago, the Supreme Court of Canada set timelines for trials to be concluded from the time someone is charged. The limit is 18 months in provincial court, and 30 months in Supreme Court. Anything longer than that is presumed to be unreasonable, unless those delays can be justified. Humby's case is being heard at provincial court. He has been in custody since his initial arrest in April 2023. In total, Humby is facing 89 charges. The pending trial on 72 counts involves 11 youth complainants. Late last year, Humby was charged with seven counts of trafficking persons under the age of 18. In early 2025, eight additional charges were filed against Humby, related to another youth complainant. Separately, Humby has also been charged with two counts of sexual assault for incidents in the fall of 2023, while he was on remand at Her Majesty's Penitentiary. No trial dates have been set for those other matters. On Tuesday, Badcock stressed the importance of moving those cases along through the courts.
Montreal Gazette
2 days ago
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Hanes: Can courts save us from the existential threat of climate change?
By Just before Earth Day in 2019, a group of young Quebecers gathered in the Old Montreal offices of a top law firm to announce they were suing the federal government for climate negligence. All then under the age of 35, the plaintiffs accused elected officials of mortgaging their futures by failing to live up to Canada's commitments under the Paris Accord. The suit, which sought damages for younger generations who will bear the disproportionate burden of a warming planet, was a Canadian first. It followed a new path being set in the U.S. and around the world by young people seeking legal remedies to force their governments to address the emergency. But for the most part, the courts have so far declined to intervene. Quebec Superior Court refused to certify the class action attempt launched that day six years ago in Montreal. The Quebec Court of Appeal later said it wasn't its job to tell legislators what to do and dismissed the charge of discrimination on the basis of age. The Supreme Court of Canada eventally decided not even to hear the case. Courts in the U.S., Ontario and Sweden have come to similar conclusions, although a Swiss court did hand a legal victory last year to older women finding government inaction on climate change was a violation of human rights. The wheels of justice turn slowly, even as the planet burns. But last week, the United Nations' top court offered new hope for those still determined to pursue legal avenues to fight the existential crisis. The International Court of Justice in The Hague recognized a ' clean, healthy and sustainable environment' is a human right. It issued a legal opinion countries have an obligation to act against this threat to humankind and failing to do so could be a breach of international law. The IJC also said those most harmed by global warming may be entitled to damages from those most responsible for the emissions that are heating the planet. The 500-page decision is not binding, but it could, nevertheless, breathe new life into climate lawsuits, despite the reticence of domestic and national courts to hold elected governments to account. At the time the young Quebecers filed their original suit, the world was finally waking up to the warnings from scientists and environmentalists that had been ignored for decades. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had just published a grim report finding the planet was warming at a faster rate than expected and the most serious effects would be felt at a lower temperature threshold than previously thought. Even if world leaders and the public should have been paying attention much earlier, the report was a wake-up call that snapped many people out of their torpor and denial. Suddenly, climate issues became a mainstream priority. Since then, climate change has become a tangible reality — both close to home and around the world. Two summers ago, Montrealers choked on smoke carried by wildfires incinerating northern Quebec. Last summer, the city was flooded after the remnants of Hurricane Debby drifted inland. Iconic Jasper in Alberta and star-studded Los Angeles have burned. Temperature records have been shattered around the globe. Extreme weather has become a common occurrence. And yet, faced with all the tragic prognostications coming true, commitments to climate action have waned as other major threats to economic stability, democracy and peace have grown. The U.S. under President Donald Trump has withdrawn from the Paris Accord and vowed to ramp up fossil fuel production. In this context, industry has eased up on their sustainability efforts. Canada has wavered, too, even under leaders who profess to care about the environment. If Canada's measures to tackle its emissions were inadequate before, Prime Minister Mark Carney put them in reverse last spring, caving to pressure to scrap the consumer carbon tax because it was 'unpopular.' Once a UN special envoy on climate finance, Carney is now looking at building pipelines and deferring zero-emissions vehicle mandates in response to Trump's tariffs and annexation belligerence. Climate has become an inconvenient afterthought. These immediate challenges must be addressed, of course, but not at the expense of climate action — or Canadian children's futures. The courts in Quebec and Canada may have previously declined to provide redress for the generations who will endure the most significant consequences of a phenomenon they did little to cause and have been powerless to stop. They have shied away from holding government accountable for contributing to the man-made catastrophe upon us. The IJC advisory ruling may not mean much in terms of setting legal precedent in Quebec or Canada. But it should serve a timely reminder today's young adults, teens, children and babies still have a right to a liveable world — no matter what other current crises Canada is facing.
Ottawa Citizen
4 days ago
- Ottawa Citizen
The toll: the impact of the justice process and acquittal in sexual assault cases
The reporting, the waiting, the questioning and the verdict have an effect on those who come forward. Article content Jane answered the lawyer's questions while squeezing a smooth stone she'd placed in her pocket. This was the day she'd waited for. She'd waited in the hall the day before. And the day before that. Each time being sent home after she'd mustered the courage to rise, if called. She'd waited in her mind for years. She told them he'd touched her and how. All of them — the judge, the lawyers, the jury, the gallery — they heard her words. Then she waited again. And when the jury came back, the foreperson read out the verdict on a charge that he'd sexually assaulted her. 'Not guilty.' The words carry meaning, but impact and interpretation can vary among those to whom they often mean the most. Legally speaking, the words mean the judge or the jury concluded the Crown did not prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the accused person committed the crime alleged. In Canadian criminal cases an accused person does not need to prove their innocence. It's often said that an accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This is one of the fundamental principles of the Canadian criminal justice system. Former Supreme Court of Canada Justice John Major, in a dissenting opinion within a 1995 decision of that court, cited the often repeated statement of English jurist and legal commentator William Blackstone, who offered 'it is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.' On Canadian law, Major wrote: 'If our society accepts this cost for their protection from prosecution, it follows that guilty persons will not be convicted when the evidence fails to meet the established benchmarks.' So then, while those found not guilty may be innocent, the terms are not synonymous. The moment and beyond To Jane, the words not guilty gave her a very 'black and white image' that his life was valued over hers. 'I was really surprised by the not guilty. I felt like I had done what I needed to do, and that my story would be enough, and you know that the truth of what happened to me would be enough. 'And so, that was just a hard hit,' she says, before apologizing for her voice beginning to break. Jane is not her real name. A court-ordered publication ban, which is standard in such cases, prohibits publication of information that would reveal her identity. But she is just one of many women who've gone through the experience of reporting a sexual assault to police, enduring the slow movement of the justice process, testifying at trial, being subject to invasive questions often devoid of compassion, and then grappling with an acquittal. Rhonda Fiddler is a woman who works as coordinator with the Victim Services Unit of the Regina Police Service. Part of her job is to provide support and resources for people who, like Jane, are experiencing the justice process after coming forward to police. She says the initial reaction to news of an acquittal for such people can vary. There's a spectrum. 'I'll give you the emotions. There's disappointment, there's anger, there are tears sometimes, and sometimes it is just an absolute — and this isn't an emotion, it's something that happens to a person — it's the absolute loss of self. 'I haven't seen acquittals impact a lot of people that way, but I have seen people, where there's been an acquittal, and they just — it's almost like they've died inside, they are so destroyed by it.' Fiddler says the first questions are often: Why didn't they believe me? What else could I have done? What did I do wrong? This, she says, stems from the 'victim blaming' way society has treated such people. Sometimes the anger stays with people, sometimes it grows, and in some cases it becomes a driving force, encouraging activism toward change. In other cases, anger and disappointment give way to a 'quiet acceptance.' Some feel they've done their part, regardless of the outcome, and are able to move forward. 'I say move forward, I don't say closure, because you don't actually get closure when there's an acquittal,' Fiddler says. Some may need a lot of help before they can move forward, and others can't at all. 'We'll see that in reports where maybe they're victims of other things, maybe they've overdosed,' Fiddler says. Jane says she's starting to process the relatively recent acquittal in her case. 'Just knowing there's nothing I can do anymore is, I think, a relief, in a way. 'I feel proud of myself for reporting it and for standing in trial and just being brave enough to do those things. But now I unfortunately just have to find a way to, like, feel okay with the outcome and move on from it.' Step one down a long road Reporting is a step many never take. When it comes to instances where someone considers reporting that they've been sexually assaulted, there are many reasons for potential hesitancy. According to Fiddler, some fear the person they would be accusing. Some fear not being believed. Some fear speaking with police, depending on their background or history. Some fear others finding out. 'Now we come to that feeling of shame,' Fiddler says. 'There's so many different dynamics that come in from so many different places. Each case is very unique.' Jane says her experience reporting was a positive one. 'I found the police were very friendly, and the Victim Services people were so friendly. I think that was a very validating experience and I feel like I was treated really well by everybody in those early stages, and I was thinking like 'Okay, I'm glad I did this,' and I feel like some hope, you know?' But then as the wheels of justice began to slowly creep ahead, every time she'd get an email or call about the case, she'd feel retraumatization. 'I wasn't prepared for that,' she says, noting she thought she'd be able to try to heal and get on with her life while waiting for the trial. 'It was very difficult even just to have it sort of brought up once in a while.' She says she wishes the process could be quicker. In her case, it took years for the matter to make it to trial. And when it was finally approaching, it was always top of mind as she prepared. She felt 'ill,' she says, noting she was anxious, had no appetite, and found it hard to be present at work or with family. The false starts — being called to court and having to sit in the hallway thinking she would be called, only to be sent home and told to come again the next day — those were hard too, she says. 'Knowing that I was walking into a room where maybe a few people would be on my side, but that there would be likely more people in the room who didn't believe me, it's just sort of — you feel like you're going into battle a little bit.' Then she had to manage logistical arrangements with her personal life on top of this, which added to the stress, she says. On the stand Fiddler says when the moment finally comes, some of the fears a person had before reporting often come flooding back. They'll have to see the person on trial. Will their testimony be believed? And she notes that while sharing about what happened is a difficult task, testimony can become much more difficult when they undergo cross-examination from a defence lawyer. 'They know that hard questions are going to be asked,' Fiddler says. But she goes on that if a defence lawyer asks questions based on rape myths, even if the Crown objects and the judge stops the line of questioning, it can have a significant impact on the person giving testimony. 'Right there, they know the attitude that this person is coming at them with, and it brings up all the defences and fears,' she says. 'So, how they're impacted by testifying is determined by how they are cross examined.' Jane says, for her, it was 'incredibly traumatic' to have to 'share something so personal' to a room largely full of strangers. As she testified, it scared her to have people in the room who came to support the accused man. 'I can imagine what they're thinking in their heads,' she says. 'It's not helpful to imagine that, but it's hard not to when you can see them looking at you.' She describes her experience on the witness stand as 'very cold,' as opposed to her experience initially reporting to police, during which she felt validated. She acknowledges that defence lawyers have a job to do. But her experience under cross examination was a 'strange' experience, and feeling as though she was not believed led to her feeling 'very small.' 'I just kept feeling like, how are they allowed to talk to me this way, you know?' She says the questions she answered felt violating and disrespectful. 'It's like they were trying to, sort of, deposit another belief in my mind by saying 'Well actually maybe that didn't happen.' ' It was as if she was being questioned on something she'd witnessed, not something she'd experienced, she says. In hindsight Jane worries that if others hear her words on how difficult the process was for her, it might cause them to be less willing to speak up for themselves and report an incident. 'I do think that I would still do it again in the future,' she says. 'I think that it's still important to take a swing at it, really, and try to have our voices heard, even if it doesn't go the way we hope it does. Because, you know, the alternative in not saying anything, I think, is far worse, and I can't imagine how I would feel if I hadn't said anything.' When she looks back at her experience, she wishes she would've done a few things differently, outcome aside. She says she tried to 'push through' on her own, and wishes she would've accepted the support of others more than she did. Any time she accepted help, even with practical things, it made a difference. 'I'm not sure why the instinct is to shut people out, but I think that if you can fight that, it definitely will make the whole process easier.' She says she also wishes she'd taken more time away from work in and around the trial. She understands many people feel as though they'll save time off for when they might 'really need' it, but undergoing a trial was more difficult than she'd imagined. 'It's not something that you can go through while the rest of your life continues on, and it's not a small task to do on the side of your life,' she says. 'Everything else is going to be forced to pause.' For her, focusing on the task at hand was enough. 'The things they're saying might feel like they're shrinking what happened to you,' she says, offering advice to those who may find themselves giving testimony one day. 'You can't let those voices shrink what you know happened, because then you just make yourself very small.' Think of your own needs and try to incorporate something into the process that will offer you some comfort, she says. For her, it was the stone in her pocket. It helped to ground her and contain her feelings. 'Hold on to your truth as hard as you can.' bharder@ Editor's note: The Leader-Post made efforts to connect with a number of people who, like Jane, have reported an incident and experienced the court process before feeling the impact of an acquittal. However, none but Jane agreed to share about their experience for this article. Photo credit: The top image for this story is a photo of a simulated digital clock double exposed over Regina's Court of King's Bench in a photo illustration created by Kayle Neis on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Supreme Court affirms murder conviction of man who argued he was unfit for trial
Published Jul 25, 2025 • 1 minute read OTTAWA — The Supreme Court of Canada has upheld the murder conviction of a man who argued he was unfit to stand trial because he experienced auditory hallucinations and schizophrenic delusions throughout the proceedings. In a ruling issued today, the top court accepts the trial judge's finding that there were no reasonable grounds to believe Mohamed Adam Bharwani did not understand the reality of his trial. Bharwani was 18 in early 2013 when he moved into a basement apartment in Toronto with other tenants, including a 23-year-old student. Five days later, he attacked the student, striking her with a fireplace poker and then strangling her to death. Bharwani was diagnosed with schizophrenia. A jury ultimately found Bharwani fit to stand trial and he was convicted of first-degree murder. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Toronto & GTA Columnists Toronto & GTA Sports Sunshine Girls
