The controversy

that has hounded Marilyn Manson's Antichrist Superstar tour

throughout the United States has now moved north of the border. The

Winnipeg Convention Centre has decided not to host Manson's July 28 concert

in that Canadian city. Jim McEachern, director of sales and marketing for

the venue, told ATN this morning, "It was not a group that we felt was

appropriate for our venue."

He would not say specifically whether Manson's lyrics or on-stage behavior

(such as tearing up Bibles) influenced the Convention Centre's decision.

"To pin it down to one thing would be difficult," he said.

McEachern did say, however, that the hall's veto on Manson "wasn't a

business decision, in terms of is this a profitable group. It was much

more than that."

Asked if he would call the decision moral or ethical, the

spokesman said, "I think it was probably a combination of the two."

Manson's concert has since been booked into Winnipeg's Walker Theater,

which holds 1,650 people. By contrast, the Convention Centre has the

capacity for 6,000 concert-goers. "But this group wasn't going to do that

kind of number, not in this town," McEachern predicted.

McEachern noted that the Convention Centre did not have a signed contract

with Manson for the concert. "If we had a contract, we wouldn't break it,"

he said.

Paul Cambria, attorney for Marilyn Manson, said this morning that he had

not yet been notified about the Winnipeg decision. The lawyer expressed

confidence, however, in the Canadian legal system's ability to keep the

concert from being banned outright.

"I would find it pretty amazing if they were able to block a concert," said

Cambria. "Especially one of these. We already had one in Hamilton

[Ontario], of course without incident."