Sarah Dionne describes herself as a practising witch. She says allegations that a planned seance would conjure up evil spirits have no basis in fact and that evil and the devil are not concepts that exist in the Wicca religion. (Courtesy Sarah Dionne)

A self-described witch in Moose Jaw, Sask., says she's outraged that religious groups have pressured a local museum to cancel a Halloween seance.

The Western Development Museum had been planning to hold a fundraiser on Oct. 29 called Ghosts of the Past, at which, for a $30 entry fee, adult participants could learn about ouija boards and "attempt to make contact with the spirits."

The event was cancelled, however, following complaints from religious leaders and residents, some of whom expressed fears the seance would conjure up evil spirits.

But that's ridiculous, says Sarah Dionne, a practising witch and follower of the Wiccan religion.

Wiccans believe the Halloween season — also known as the festival of Samhain — is a favourable time to commune with loved ones in the spirit world, Dionne said.

"To suggest that contacting any sorts of spirits or otherwise unknown forces in the universe is somehow evil … just doesn't make sense," Dionne told CBC News.

She has not called for the seance to be reinstated, however, noting that many Wiccans consider seances and ouija boards to be "parlour games."

Dionne recently wrote to a weekly newspaper to complain about those who would paint "witches and other pagans" in a bad light.

She said she believes the seance debate has stirred up religious intolerance in Moose Jaw, a city of about 32,000, located 75 kilometres west of Regina.

"The whole concept of … evil and the devil, they're not concepts that are in Wicca whatsoever," she said. "There's no worship of the devil or evil things. Any of those stereotypes are absolutely false."