Kanye West's Pan Am Games Performance in Toronto Spawns Controversy, Petition

The 2015 Pan Am Games (an Olympic event) are being held in Toronto after a major bidding process, and offended citizens are asking why West is headlining the July 26 closing ceremonies and not a Canadian artist, the CBC reports. A petition has been launched has now gained over 40,000 signatures. The petition offers up alternatives, noting that Shania Twain, Metric, Drake, The Weeknd and more are all proud Canadian musicians with major names.

When asked why West, a non-Canadian artist was asked to close the Pan Am Games, Toronto Mayor John Tory pled ignorance, stating that he thought that West was from Canada, not Chicago. "I wish it'd been a Canadian. I also wish I'd known he wasn't Canadian. But you can't know everything," he said.

West isn't the only American on the bill, however. Pitbull, a notable Miami native, is also slated to perform. Canada will be represented by Toronto indie rocker Serena Ryder.

The Pan Am Games isn't the first time the masses have created and signed a petition asking for West to be removed from the lineup. Ahead of his performance at this year's Glastonbury music festival in England, another Change.org petition was launched pushing for a rock 'n' roll act. Though West's performance went on as scheduled, the petition got over 130,000 signatures.

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Kanye West