What happened
The City of Moncton has denied that its cancellation of an outdoor Christian worship event last summer violated the right to free speech. The event, which was to feature American musician Sean Feucht, was cancelled due to concerns over public safety and potential hate speech.
According to the city, the cancellation was necessary to prevent an unsafe environment and to respond to anticipated hate speech. The city claimed that Feucht had made social media posts that included homophobic and transphobic content, as well as threats, which sparked pushback from some residents who planned to organize counter-protests.
The event's organizers, Burn 24/7 Canada Worship Ministries Society, have filed a lawsuit against the city, arguing that the cancellation breached their right to freedom of expression under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The lawsuit claims that the city yielded to opposition instead of addressing legitimate safety concerns while protecting peaceful expression.
The city has filed its statement of defence, urging the court to throw out the case and require the Christian organization to cover its legal expenses. The city contends that Burn 24/7 ought to have contested the cancellation via judicial review.
The dispute began when the city approved the organization's application for the summer event, but later cancelled it just two days before it was set to take place. The organizers were forced to relocate the event to a different venue, resulting in a significant drop in attendance and additional costs.