“The event planned for Saturday was supposed to have speakers talk about free speech and M-103,” but that was not permitted in Grand Prairie.
“In light of recent conflicts around similar gatherings across Canada and in the US, it’s not unreasonable to foresee that the proposed August 26th event may increase risk for participants, other users of Muskoseepi Park and the general public. In order to eliminate this particular risk, the City is choosing not to approve the park use permit for the proposed August 26th event and will not be approving the use of any other public land for the event.”
In other words, Violent Leftists have been brutalizing people who stand for the freedom of speech, and they have friends in the highest places, and so your free speech rally is forbidden. The freedom of speech is dead in Canada, “Islamophobia” is officially recognized as a genuine concept, and Muslims are a special, protected class, their beliefs immune from criticism even when they are used to justify terror massacres. We know which way the wind is blowing, and it isn’t in the direction of those who stand for freedom. Shut up, get in line, and hope they don’t come for you first.
“City denies permit for anti-M103 rally,” by Kevin Hampson, Daily Herald-Tribune, August 27, 2017:
A free-speech rally did not take place in Grande Prairie on Saturday because the city cancelled its permit.
A local group called Concerned Canadians for Canadian Values had planned a “free speech rally opposing (the) M-103 Islamophobia motion” at the Muskoseepi Park amphitheatre. However, the group’s organizer, Michael Carriere, was notified by email on Thursday the permit had been cancelled. City Manager Robert Nicolay told Carriere the event could be a threat to public safety.
“In light of recent conflicts around similar gatherings across Canada and in the US, it’s not unreasonable to foresee that the proposed August 26th event may increase risk for participants, other users of Muskoseepi Park and the general public,” Nicolay wrote in the email to Carriere. “In order to eliminate this particular risk, the City is choosing not to approve the park use permit for the proposed August 26th event and will not be approving the use of any other public land for the event.”
In March, protesters and counter-protesters clashed in cities across Canada before the controversial M-103 motion passed in the House of Commons in a 201-91 vote. Violence also broke out in Quebec City Aug. 20 when counter-protesters calling themselves “anti-racist” attacked police at a right-wing rally against illegal immigration.
The event planned for Saturday was supposed to have speakers talk about free speech and M-103, Carriere said. His group has twice hosted Robert Spencer, a critic of Islam and New York Times best-selling author. This time, however, the speakers were low-profile “concerned citizens,” Carriere said.
Despite the cancellation, about 10 people still showed up at the east entrance to Muskoseepi Park, holding signs warning about radical Islam and condemning M-103. Two far-left demonstrators also came by and chatted with them. There was no confrontation….
Carriere said the intention behind his event was “to try to stop the government from implementing a bill that stops free speech and criticism of one group.” He said he’s worried the government will use hate speech laws to suppress criticism of Islam.
M-103 requested the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage to study how the government can eliminate “systemic racism” and “Islamophobia” by employing “a whole-of-government approach.” That study is now underway.