Ottawa man says Dragon-boat festival CEO ordered him to remove Falun Gong shirt, citing Chinese sponsorship

A Falun Gong practitioner says the CEO of Ottawa’s dragon-boat festival ordered him to take off a T-shirt advertising the Chinese spiritual group, citing in part China’s sponsorship of the popular event.

China’s interventions here have often concerned the Falun Gong, which it accuses of being a cult, and has persecuted for years according to various human-rights watchdogs. The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and other Canadian authorities have said it is a spiritual organization deserving of rights protection.

“Gerry is a very nice man and I in no way meant to offend him. If Gerry felt he was discriminated against during our conversation, then I am surprised, and would be prepared to issue an apology for that perception to him directly,” he wrote in an email. “In the meantime, I would reiterate what I told Gerry that we respectfully request that any organization not use our event as a platform for advocacy.

At one point, his friend’s son indicated he was hungry, so Smith took him on his own into the festival grounds, found a food concession and bought him a veggie burger. Smith said the CEO did not make an explicit link between the sponsorship and his request regarding the T-shirt, but it seemed obvious.

ccp is evil, use money to recruit followers marching to hell.

Chinada

Outrageous. Canada is still a free country. Shame on you ottdragonboat . Boycott the OttawaDragonBoatFestival

He should have told him to bugger off.

Omg, I can't believe there still are real people practice falun gong……it literally tells people to burn themselves...so evil

If you don't want to politicize your event, don't take sponsorship from the Chinese embassy.

why identify with a homophobic cult in the first place?

It's a private organization.

Beyond ridiculous, why are we allowing this to go on.

China has too much control over Canada

Time to Boycott all products coming out of China and do what the USA has done, slap 1000% duties on all Chinese made products and food stuffs, then everyone needs to show China putting our citizens in jail to protest a Chinese citizen breaking the laws in another country!!

Childish.

5 years ago my reaction would be 'ORDERED IN CANADA, WTH ?' Realization that JustinTrudeau is so weak that other countries officials are bossing Canadians around in our own country

We must work to purge this influence from our society.

Fascism.

It looks like the ChiCom brass are running Canada now.

He should be allowed to wear his shirt.

The long arm of CCP

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