MP denounces Canadian rapper's video
CBC News
Posted: Jul 5, 2012 12:38 PM ET
Last Updated: Jul 5, 2012 12:36 PM ET
A Manitoba MP is calling for a review of Heritage Canada funding, following the release of a music video he says glorifies terrorism.
The video by rapper Manu Militari shows a re-enactment of a roadside bomb attack on a Canadian military vehicle and the murder of Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.
Selkirk-Interlake Conservative MP James Bezan said the video glorifies the Taliban.
Manu Militari has said the goal of the video was to denounce the war and humanize Afghanistan. (manu-militari.com)"I am disgusted by Manu Militari's music video. It is outrageous, offensive, and I denounce it in the strongest terms," Bezan said.
"Our men and women in uniform have fought with dedication and valour, sacrificing their lives in defence of the values that we hold dear.
"Canadian soldiers have been fighting in Afghanistan for over 10 years now. This music video shows an utter lack of sensitivity to the families of the 158 brave Canadians who have sacrificed everything for our country."
Selkirk-Interlake Conservative MP James Bezan is denouncing a song and music video by rapper Manu Militari. (House of Commons)He wants Militari to return grant money he was given by MusicAction, an independent organization that receives funding from Heritage Canada.
“I think that the artist should be allowed to say whatever they want. I do believe in freedom of expression and freedom of speech and making sure that their artistic talents can take them where they want. But I don't believe that this is proper use of taxpayer dollars,” he said.
Bezan is also calling for a review of all grants MusicAction manages that involve taxpayer money.
“I believe MusicAction showed poor judgement in its decision to allow taxpayer dollars to fund this music video. If this is what Canadians are receiving for their tax dollars, then Heritage Canada should defund MusicAction,” he said.
Militari has pulled down his video and has said the goal was to denounce the war and humanize Afghanistan.
Share Tools
Horror tale Haunting Melissa targets app audiences by Jessica Wong May. 16, 2013 4:40 PM If you're seeking the weather, the news or a pic of what your buddy had for lunch, there are apps for that. What about an original, Hollywood-calibre ghost story from a producer of The Ring and Mulholland Drive? Now, there's an app for that, too. Haunting Melissa ventures into the burgeoning realm of digital storytelling as a traditional ghost story with a modern twist -- namely a tale that unfolds through an iOS app.
Top News Headlines
- Video forensics: How easy would it be to fake a Rob Ford video?
- Two media outlets reported last week that they had seen a cellphone video of Mayor Rob Ford allegedly smoking crack, a claim that has gone global. If a video does surface, how easy would it be to determine its authenticity? CBC News asked video forensic analyst David McKay. more »
- Oklahoma residents begin to return home after deadly tornado
- Rescue workers raced to complete the search for survivors and the dead in the Oklahoma City suburb where a mammoth tornado destroyed countless homes, cleared lots down to bare red earth and claimed 24 lives, including those of nine children. more »
- Xbox One: A closer look
- The design, performance, Kinect camera, controller, requirements and limitations of Microsoft's Xbox One get a critical look. more »
- Boil water advisory in effect across Montreal
- A boil water advisory is in effect for much of Montreal, including all areas south of the Métropolitaine, from LaSalle to Pointe-aux-Trembles and including the borough of Anjou. more »
Must Watch
Latest Arts & Entertainment News Headlines
- Ai Weiwei uses music to mock state power in China
- Emotionless prison guards watch Ai Weiwei eat, sleep, pace, shower and even sit on the toilet in the Chinese artist's new obscenity-filled, metaphor-rich music video mocking state power. more »
- J.K. Rowling-annotated Harry Potter sells for $234K
- A first edition of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone with the author's scribbles about the Hogwart's coat of arms and other details of the wizarding universe sold for £150,000 ($234,000 Cdn) at a charity auction in London today. more »
- Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart crack jokes about Rob Ford
- Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's woes over crack cocaine allegations are providing plenty of late-night TV fodder for Jimmy Kimmel, Jon Stewart and other comedians south of the border. more »
- Germany celebrates composer Wagner's 200th
- Germany on Wednesday celebrated the 200th birthday of Richard Wagner, the 19th-century composer whose music has been hailed as sublime art at the height of Western culture even as he remains tainted by his visceral anti-Semitic views, which later found favor with the Nazis. more »
Q Blog
Dan Brown's bizarre rituals May. 22, 2013 11:03 AM The author discusses his new novel, Inferno, and the ritual he performs when launching another book.
CBC Books
Juvenile inmates benefiting from Russian literature May. 22, 2013 10:14 AM A juvenile correctional facility in Virginia has seen the behavioural benefits of encouraging their inmates to read the works of classic Russian writers like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.
- Video forensics: How easy would it be to fake a Rob Ford video?
- Standing room only for Tim Bosma memorial
- Jodi Arias asks for 'second chance' during jail interview
- Oklahoma residents begin to return home after deadly tornado
- Children's mouths allegedly taped shut at N.S. school
- Only 1 set of human remains found at Millard farm, police say
- Microsoft unveils Xbox One
- Judge scolds 'flabby, sad generation' for skipping jury duty
- Yukon couple hold record for longest marriage in country


