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Quebec child beauty pageant postponed over fears of dangerous ‘haters’

Quebec child beauty pageant postponed over fears of dangerous ‘haters’

An organization planning on bringing a child beauty pageant to Quebec has postponed the event over security fears, but vowed on Wednesday that the "haters" had not heard the last of them.

The National Canadian Girl Pageant announced on their website that a pageant scheduled for Nov. 24 has been postponed because those who oppose the event were making the children feel unsafe.

"This group of adults was concerned about keeping our children safe and voiced strong opinions about pageants," the statement reads.

"Instead, what they have done is instill fear in the children that these adults would do something bad to them at the pageant, with protests, etc...

"We refuse to put these children in harms (sic) way and are shocked by this 'adult' behaviour, and they should be ashamed of themselves!"

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The organization hold child pageants in other regions of Canada, but its plans to hold a Quebec event drew protests from local opposition. An online petition opposing young beauty pageants in Quebec drew more than 50,000 signatures.

Quebec recently chose not to follow France's footstep when the country banned child pageants, instead expressing concern about the hyper-sexualization of young girls.

Yahoo Canada News readers referred to such pageants as a shallow form of "child exploitation” during a recent Pulse of Canada debate, but were less emphatic about the government's role in banning the practice.

[ Pulse of Canada: Is Quebec right to condone child beauty pageants? ]

Still, it seems the petition was enough to spook pageant organizers, who claimed some of those involved had threatened the children.

Organizers said in their statement the petition only succeeded in scaring little girls and ruining their "fun day." It went on to say that "haters need to go and find a new hobby and perhaps feed the homeless, find a cure for a horrible disease or similar, but hating on little girls is immature and uncalled for."

The statement said finally that the event would proceed at another date and time, although no details will be released publicly. Until that day, one presumes the pageant organizers will spend their time curing a horrible disease or feeding the homeless.

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