The recent allegations of sexual misconduct against the singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler, are causing more and more reaction in Quebec. Several radio stations have temporarily removed the Canadian group’s songs from their airwaves in recent days. The subject was even invited into the Quebec election campaign on Wednesday, when the leader of the Liberal Party was invited to speak.
It was CBC that kicked off the ball on Tuesday evening by announcing that it was pausing the broadcast of the Montreal rock group’s repertoire on its music channel CBC Music “until we have more details on the situation”.
The two WKND stations (in Quebec and Montreal) and the BLVD station, which belong to the Leclerc Communication group, followed suit. “We believe it is our responsibility to speak out against all forms of abuse of power and sexual misconduct and to distance ourselves from situations that have been exposed publicly,” said Jean-François Leclerc, vice- programming chair.
However, he called for “showing caution, since the alleged facts are only at the stage of allegations”. “The presumption of innocence remains one of the most fundamental principles of our society, we cannot substitute our judgment for that of the common law courts. »
As for Radio-Canada and the ICI Musique channel, we have not sent any instructions to the teams. The public broadcaster says it is “sensitive to the situation” and is following the file closely. “For the moment, we reserve the right not to broadcast or not to undertake new projects with the artist, said the spokesperson, Marc Pichette. In addition, we leave it to the teams to decide on the music broadcast in their shows. [selon leur mandat]. This work of musical editorial judgment is naturally done in connection with the context. »
The question simply did not arise at Bell Media, owner of the Énergie and Rouge stations, among others, and at the regional private network Arsenal Media, which owns about fifteen stations, since Arcade Fire is not part of their programming. . The executive vice-president of Arsenal Media, Michel Lorrain, however, recalled that the songs of Michael Jackson and Éric Lapointe, for example, have not been broadcast on their radios for several years. “It’s about listening to the concerns and the sensitivity of the audience,” he says.
At the time these lines were written, the Cogeco group, which operates 23 stations — including 98.5 FM, Rythme FM, CKOI and FM 93, in Quebec City — had not yet answered our questions.
Remember that the American magazine pitchfork published an article on Sunday in which four people allege they experienced harassment and unwanted sexual touching at the hands of Arcade Fire singer Win Butler. These allegations were refuted by the artist, who pleaded that the relationship with his alleged victims was consenting, further suggesting that he and his wife Régine Chassagne had in the past practiced an “unconventional” form of marriage.
To note that The duty has not been able to independently verify the testimonies reported in pitchfork.
On the electoral road
Being a childhood friend of Régine Chassagne, also a founding member of Arcade Fire, liberal leader Dominique Anglade was invited by journalists to comment on the case during an election press briefing on Wednesday morning.
“When I read this, I was extremely disturbed. The allegations are serious. And as in any situation like this, the victims must be able to express themselves, that they can denounce and lodge a complaint, ”she reacted.
Dominique Anglade and Régine Chassagne created the Kanpe Foundation, which helps rural populations in Haiti. Mme Chassagne also signed the preface to the biography of M.me English, What lives in mepublished last year.
The group on a world tour
Since the publication of the survey pitchforkcalls for a boycott of the rock group’s shows are increasing on social networks, while some fans are looking to resell their ticket or get a refund.
Arcade Fire launched its world tour of around forty shows on Tuesday, with a first stop in Dublin. The group will be in Canada at the end of November and the beginning of December; in particular, he must go on stage at the Bell Center on December 3.
Asked about the holding of the event, Evenko, who presents the show, first answered Monday to To have to that his team was “currently assessing the situation”. Relaunched on the subject on Wednesday, the Quebec promoter finally sent us back to Live Nation, which produces the entire tour of the group, where our requests remained unanswered.
With Alexandre Robillard and The Canadian Press