In Toronto, A Tale of Two Faiths: Don't praise Jesus in the Square

In Toronto's Dundas Square earlier this year, a Muslim issues the Islamic call to prayer.  An in your face (not to say ear) bit of proselytising, this, complete with the assertion that Islam's deity trumps any other.

 And in a nearby park in October:

So why the seemingly heavy-handed decision of the civic powers-that-be to ban a Christian event in the same venue next year? ("It doesn’t matter if it’s speaking or singing. Either way, if you are “Praising Jesus”, and “Praise the Lord”, and “There is no God like Jehovah”, that type of thing, that’s proselytizing…"):

'The City of Toronto has refused to grant a Christian organisation Voices of the Nations (VON) a permit to use Yonge-Dandas Square for their annual music festival next year stating that praising Jesus in their song’s lyrics contravenes with the city policy against “proselytizing.” ....All manner of artists and community organizations apply to use the space at Yonge & Dundas Square every year. Voices of the Nations, an organization founded in 2006 to unite and promote diversity within the Christian Community by showcasing its mosaic of fine arts and music, has held a concert there for the last five years without issue.

However, when Voices of the Nations applied for a permit to perform at the square again next year, they were turned down flat. When VON’s Events Coordinator Leye Oyelani contacted the Square’s Manager of Events Natalie Belman by phone to apply for the next year’s permit, he was told that a permit would not be issued and to look for a venue elsewhere, because apparently singing the name of Jesus in the public square amounts to “proselytizing,” which is contrary to city policy.'

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