On April 4, 2024, a music festival in northwestern Quebec called Alienfest was cancelled following accusations of censorship by the band Guhn Twei [b75aef46]. The band claimed that their invitation to perform was rescinded due to their criticism of the Horne Smelter, a copper smelter emitting arsenic, and its owner, Glencore. Guhn Twei's album, titled 'Glencorruption,' includes lyrics denouncing the smelter and the company. Lead singer Simon Turcotte received a message from the festival organizer stating that the band would not be featured in the 2024 lineup due to a 'conflict of interest' [b75aef46].
The festival, Alienfest, later confirmed the cancellation and announced that there would be no future editions of the event. The festival organizers denied that the cancellation was an affront to freedom of artistic expression. The festival sponsor, Métal Marquis, a supplier of the Horne Smelter, stated that it had no control over the festival program and did not participate in the decision to cancel the event. Both the Horne Smelter and Glencore denied any involvement in the festival and claimed to be unfamiliar with the band's criticism [b75aef46].
The cancellation of Alienfest has sparked concerns about the influence of companies like Glencore in Quebec's Abitibi-Témiscamingue region. It raises questions about the boundaries of artistic expression and the role of corporate sponsorship in cultural events [b75aef46].