Discomfort around the presence of Eric Lapointe at the Lake Festival

She slept her concerns on paper on this invitation to an. Meanwhile, open letter that we are publishing this Friday morning. Meanwhile,

His presence announced several months ago. Nevertheless, Éric Lapointe will perform next Wednesday on the main scene of the Lac des Nations Day. Furthermore, According to the director general of the festival, Cindy Trottier, her invitation was an informed and unanimous decision.

In great demand – Discomfort around presence eric lapointe

The artist was in major demand, insists Ms. Meanwhile, Trottier, since her last visit to the event, dating from before the pandemic. Consequently, “He is an artist who has a huge career. Similarly, he has a lot of albums, a lot of songs, people know his songs,” she noted.

Ms. Similarly, Tran does not believe that her popularity would justify her presence discomfort around presence eric lapointe in a general public festival. However, His plea is supported by the board of directors of the Estrie stopover. Meanwhile, an organization that offers services for women and children victims of domestic violence. However,

“We offer a great platform to a man like that. but the victims, when they go [en discomfort around presence eric lapointe avoir une]? We would like them to be heard too. out of respect for them, we had to show that they also have a voice, “she said.

The social organization fears that women will be more reluctant to denounce by noting that their attackers are, like Éric Lapointe, still applauded and celebrated.

Outstanding performance

Ms. Tran emphasizes that there is no harm in what he continues to sing to make a living. but that large -scale family festivals are not the place.

Invited to comment. the professor in literary and cultural studies at the University of Sherbrooke Isabelle Boisclair abounds in the same direction. “There are programming or very nestled places where it could be discomfort around presence eric lapointe welcomed, but something general like that?” It seems moved to me, she believes. We are telling everyone that a guy who beat his spouse. who was convicted for that, can still sing in front of public without being disturbed. ”

«[C’est] A lack of ethical sensitivity. a lack of consideration, a lack of recognition of what is still going on today towards women, a lack of recognition towards the violence that women undergo every discomfort around presence eric lapointe day, ”added Ms. Boisclair.

In her letter. Leslie Tran also calls into question the social responsibility of a festival funded in part by public institutions. “You can’t fight violence at the same time and offer it a column,” reads in your letter.

«[N’a-t-on] Not a social responsibility for women who have been beaten not to glorify their attacker? Moreover, ”Asked the pre Boisté.

Is the rehabilitation argument?

For its part. the festival team claims to have examined the judicial and personal journey of Eric Lapointe before confirming their addition to their programming.

“We do not want to erase the faults of the past, we are not in denial. We believe. however, in the ability of people to be able to change, to repair [leurs erreurs] And to contribute differently, ”assured Cindy Trottier.

“There is someone who chose to program it knowingly knowing that he was found guilty of violence against a woman.”

— Pre Isabelle Boisclair

The latter noted that the feast of the lake of nations distinguished the individual. from his art.

“We are a company based on rehabilitation. not on punishment, the decision was made in this direction,” she added.

But according to Ms. Tran, “the rehabilitation of an attacker goes faster than the healing of a victim”.

Since the announcement of the programming. Leslie Tran and the stopover have set poles to the organization of the Lac des Nations festival in order to make them aware of the impacts that the headliner could have. The two parties came into contact, but a formal dialogue has still not taken place.