Post 221--Trudeau: An Emerging Secular Dictator

I promised you yesterday that I would continue with the topic of secularism trying to impose, force, its will on the rest of us. Even secular writers and media have joined the chorus of objections about Trudeau's hierarchy of rights that places, well, forces actually, pro-abortion and women's rights at the top of the pile, regardless of the negative impact on other rights that our legal system considers equal.  

The specific issue at stake here is Trudeau's withholding long-standing grants to the Canada Summer Jobs programme. Any organization that does not accept his views on abortion and on women's rights will no longer accept grants under that programme. The women's rights referred to here are their right to abort or not, long a volatile issue in Canadian politics and culture that even a conservative Prime Minister like Steven Harper did not dare touch. 

I will give the podium once again to yesterday's guest, lawyer John Carpay of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (www.JCCF.ca).  Below Carpay's article there is reference to another hard-hitting piece supporting Carpay. Go, read, and judge for yourself.   

Trudeau's Troubling Insistence That Charities Pick A Side On Abortion

One of the differences between a free society and a repressive regime is the right to remain silent.

A law that requires Canadians to say "please" and "thank you" would be a bad law.

Not because these are bad words, but because in a free country, nobody should be compelled to say anything. One of the differences between a free society and a repressive regime is the right to remain silent.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/JOHN WOODS

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau listens to a question about Child and Family Services at a town hall meeting at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg on Jan. 31, 2018.

In medieval England, King Henry VIII passed a law requiring all to declare their support for him (and not the pope) as the head of the Church of England. Thomas More had his head chopped off in 1535, merely for remaining silent and for refusing to say that the king was the supreme head of the church. So insecure and thin-skinned was Henry VIII that he could not stand Thomas More's silence.

And so it is with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his belief that abortion should be legal during all nine months of pregnancy.

That is the state of the law in Canada today. It has been so since 1988, when the Supreme Court of Canada (R. v. Morgentaler) invited Parliament to pass new legislation to provide at least some protection to the unborn, particularly during the latter stages of pregnancy. Parliament has not done so.

For our post-modernist prime minister, the silence of Canadians on the subject of abortion is not good enough. Like Henry VIII, Trudeau needs to hear his people say that they agree with him.

Starting this year, charities must state that they support abortion being legal if they wish to access a grant through the Canada Summer Jobs program, which provides federal government grants to non-profits and to businesses, to hire a summer student. Charities must further state that abortion is a Charter right, in spite of the fact that Parliament can legislate to protect unborn life.

This means that the Mustard Seed, which helps tens of thousands of Alberta's poor, homeless and addicted, regardless of the client's faith, creed or colour, will hire fewer students. Its CEO Stephen Wile stated:

"The Mustard Seed doesn't take a position on abortion, but with the government making this a requirement for funding, it's trying to force us from a neutral position to an affirmative position on abortion, and we're not prepared to do that. ... We're not willing to support the government's position in order to get the funds; it's just not worth it for us."

In response to a public outcry, Trudeau and his Labour Minister Patricia Hajdu have declared that this new attestation only applies to pro-life groups, not to charities who might happen to adhere to pro-life beliefs. As Trudeau put it: "Of course, you're more than allowed to have whatever beliefs you like." As Hajdu explained: "This is about the activities of the organization and the job description. ... This is not about beliefs or values."

These assurances have now proven to be utterly false.

AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Minister for Status of Women Patricia Hajdu.

Since the Feb. 9, 2018 deadline for applying for Canada Summer Jobs funding, numerous charities have been told, in writing, that they will not receive funding unless they check off the "I attest" box on the application, to confirm their support for legal abortion as a Charter right.

"It seems," stated Mustard Seed CEO Wile, "like the government is saying, 'The issue of where you stand on abortion is more important than the work you do and the people you serve,' and that's really sad. At the core of who we are, we're really against fear and hate, and unfortunately, the government is taking a position that instead of decelerating division, it's accelerating it."

Losing several thousand dollars of government funding is nothing compared to losing your head. But the underlying issue of government-compelled speech should not be dismissed lightly.

More blogs from HuffPost Canada:

• Progressives Are Making A Big Mistake Abandoning Freedom Of Speech
• We Must Teach Kids That Free Speech Has More Than One Side
• Doctors Should Not Be Forced to Prescribe the Pill

Pro-choicers should be just as worried about this policy as pro-lifers.

Even if a charity shared Trudeau's opinions about abortion, it would still violate freedom of expression to be compelled to state one's belief about abortion as a condition for accessing a government program that one is otherwise entitled to access.

How is this Canada Summer Jobs attestation different from requiring seniors to agree with Trudeau's beliefs in order to receive their pension cheques? If some seniors spend their days doing volunteer work for pro-life groups, should their pension benefits be cut off, for disagreeing with the prime minister?

If Trudeau can get away with this, what stops a future prime minister from compelling Canadians to express support for his — or her — beliefs, as a condition of accessing a government program or benefit?

=========

The URL for the above:   https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/john-carpay/trudeaus-troubling-insistence-that-charities-pick-a-side-on-abortion_a_23368528/

There are dozens more articles from all sorts of directions on this subject. A major one is Don Hutchinson's, "Justin's Pipe Smoke," found at            https://www.convivium.ca/articles/justins-pipe-smoke?_cldee=Ym9lcmpmQGhvdG1haWwuY29t&recipientid=contact-f45cf8cbefe7df118766001e0b613b64-cc4416a08b8f47f1857c08db376e408d&esid=ab8baaf4-054f-e811-80f6-3863bb35dde0

Post 220--Easter Bunnies and Secular Emptyness

I keep writing against secularism and you keep reading the stuff. I am grateful to you.  This issue is not a mere hobby horse on my part; this is serious stuff.  Our reading today is basically a story of the emptyness of secularism, but also its intolerance and its insistence on imposing itself, forcing itself upon Christians. Probably not as much on Muslims and other religions. For some reason a shield of protection has grown up around these religions so that secularists tend to keep a distance.

Today is a story about an Ontario social worker trying to shut down the foster home of a Christian couple who did not fully or enthusiastically support the myth and practice of the Easter bunny.  Now Easter is a most holy feast the celebrates the resurrection of Christ. Since the resurrection probably cannot ever be touched or proven by science, secularists deny the resurrection.  It beats me how they come to that conclusion, at least how they come to that conclusion on basis of science!  But so they believe!  Yes, do not misunderstand them: they are believers, as fully as Hindus, Sikhs and the rest of us. It is secularists' belief that makes them deny the resurrection, not science.

I am sorry that the format is too wide for this frame. I don't know how to fix that. But you can access both ends of the line by using the Home and End keys.  If one of you knows how to fix such problems, please contact me at  <  boerjf@hotmail.com >.

Well, let me not waste your time on my rants. Read the story by John Carpay himself. He is one of the very few lawyers for whom I have any use or respect as lawyers. I am trying hard to respect them as persons.

Easter Bunny ruling an affirmation of the freedom of conscience, religion, expression

Foster parents had a right not to be compelled to speak, John Carpay writes

 Mar 18, 2018 by John Carpay Hamilton Spectator

The Baars had refused CAS demands to proactively tell the two young girls in their care that the Easter Bunny is real. - Hamilton Spectator file photo

Government agencies have been reminded that they must respect the constitutional rights of foster parents. This month, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice rebuked the Children's Aid Society of Hamilton (CAS) for having closed down the foster home of Frances and Derek Baars. The Baars had refused CAS demands to proactively tell the two young girls in their care that the Easter Bunny is real.

The Court's recitation of the facts is almost surreal. CAS accepted the Baars as foster parents, knowing full-well that this Christian couple does not promote the cultural traditions of Santa and the Easter Bunny, as they would not lie to children. Two young girls, then four and three, were placed with Frances and Derek in December of 2015. The girls' biological mother communicated with the Baars by way of a journal, and thanked the Baars for having provided a good and happy Christmas for her girls. She made no mention of Santa Claus. But social worker Tracey Lindsay upbraided Frances and Derek for not having taken a photo of the girls with Santa. Ms. Lindsay then began to demand that Frances and Derek celebrate Easter by actively telling the young girls that the Easter Bunny is real. The Baars tried to compromise with Ms. Lindsay, informing her they intended have a hunt for chocolate eggs, buy the girls new dresses, and refrain from saying anything at all about a large imaginary rabbit.

CAS was stubbornly focused in its intention to control the minds and mouths of the Baars. CAS refused the Baars' offer to have the girls stay with another family over Easter. CAS refused the Baars' offer to keep their foster home open for infants, who are too young to appreciate or process information about mythical beings. CAS refused the Baars' offer to foster only children coming from religious or cultural backgrounds that do not celebrate Santa or the Easter Bunny.

The removal of the young girls from the care of Frances and Derek, on only one day's notice, was heart-breaking. The Court accepted the testimony of social worker Kathleen Kufeldt, that sudden removal of the girls from their environment would be traumatizing, and detrimental to the girls' best interests. The girls' own mother had expressed nothing but satisfaction with the loving care that her daughters were receiving from Frances and Derek.

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  Requirement to say Easter Bunny is real violated Hamilton foster parent’s charter rights: court

When cross-examined on her affidavit, Ms. Lindsay readily admitted that the girls were loved, cared for, protected, clothed, sheltered and well looked after. In court, CAS argued that the Baars lacked the capacity to meet the children's cultural needs. But neither Santa nor the Easter Bunny was a high priority for the girls' biological mother. No law requires foster parents to uphold the pet fancies of social workers.

The Court also took a dim view of Ms. Lindsay's hostility in questioning the Baars about same-sex marriage, and expressing fears that the Baars would mistreat or disrespect same-sex couples. The Court rejected Ms. Lindsay's claim that these questions and comments were somehow necessary or relevant. The Court noted that "there is potentially further evidence of an underlying animus" in the actions of CAS toward the Baars.

CAS violated the Baars' Charter-protected freedom of conscience and religion, by attempting to coerce Frances and Derek to violate their religious beliefs, as a condition of continuing to serve as foster parents. Further, the requirement to say something that the Baars did not believe (that the Easter Bunny is real) is compelled speech, which violates Charter-protected freedom of expression.

The court's denunciation of compelled speech is especially relevant to the Canada Summer Jobs program "attestation" in support of abortion being legal, and Ontario's Law Society now requiring lawyers to express their agreement with "equity, diversity and inclusion." This court ruling will help protect Canadians' freedom of conscience, religion, and expression. It will also help protect religious foster parents and religious adoptive parents, by preventing social workers like Tracey Lindsay from closing good homes to needy children. Last but not least, vulnerable children will benefit from having more foster homes become available.

(Here's the URL for this article:  https://www.thespec.com/opinion-story/8336010-easter-bunny-ruling-an-affirmation-of-the-freedom-of-conscience-religion-expression/

Lawyer John Carpay is president of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (www.jccf.ca) which represented Frances and Derek Baars in their court action against the Hamilton Children's Aid Society.

Post 198--Leftist Intolerance

Happy new year!  I was hoping to share with you some thoughts about Christmas, but I could not get around to it.  Then I thought, "Oh, well, I'll get something for new year."  Didn't do that either. And now we're already January 10.  A "happy new year" wish too late for you?  In Nigeria, even in April, if I meet up with a friend I had not yet seen that year, I would still wish him a happy new year.  (Now anytime you say anything about Nigeria, you have to specify the ethnic group or geographical location, for you cannot ever generalize about a nation of 180 million people. About the only two things you can say about the country is (1) everyone is Black, though of various shades; (2) everyone loves soccer or football. As I read this over, I confess to a bit of exaggeration, but Nigerians don't mind that--at least some don't!

Today I am passing on to you a sad, if not infuriating Alberta story about leftist intolerance of Christian schooling and the Bible. It comes to us from that revel Ezra Levant. I'm just going to let him loose and sock it to you without any further interference from me. It is about:

A left-wing bureaucrat attacked a Christian school for teaching the Bible. But now the school is fighting back in court!

EL

Last year we told you about the Cornerstone Christian Academy in Alberta. A bureaucrat at the Battle River School Division, Lauri Skori, literally ordered the school to stop teaching passages in the Bible that she personally disagreed with. For example, Skori ordered the school to stop teaching a passage from 1 Corinthians, because she finds it “offensive”. Not just that, but the bureaucrats tried to put a gag order on the school, to forbid them from talking to anyone about what the school board was trying to do! Things have gone from bad to worse. Rather than respect the Cornerstone Christian Academy’s religious freedom, the school board has served the school notice that it will be officially kicked out next year — so the school won’t get any funding. It’s effectively being shut down, because a left-wing, anti-Christian activist doesn’t like the Bible. But I’ve got good news: Canada’s best (and only?) civil liberties lawyer, John Carpay, is taking the school board to court, to stop the Battle River School Division from banning the Cornerstone Christian Academy. Here’s my interview with John, where he describes the situation, and what he’s doing about it: Last year we raised more than $5,000 for John his team to help the school — they tried to reason with the school board, and negotiate an amicable solution. That failed, so unfortunately, they have to sue. Let’s help them out. I’ve promised to help him raise another $2,000 to help pay for his team of lawyers to fight for the school’s freedom of religion, against government censors. You can read John’s lawsuit for yourself, here. If you agree that this anti-Christian bigotry is unacceptable, please join with me in helping to chip in to support the school by clicking here. Yours truly, Ezra Levant P.S. When I first heard that a bureaucrat was literally banning passages from the Bible, I thought it was a joke. Unfortunately not. Please click here to help fund the only civil liberties lawyer in Canada who seems to care. P.P.S. The mainstream media doesn’t care — they actually support Lauri Skori and the bigoted school board. So it’s up to us to spread the word about this. Please forward this e-mail to friends and family, and make www.TheRealBigots.com your Facebook status. Because the real bigots here are the anti-Christian extremists at the school board, don’t you think?

Post 171--Use of Bible Censored in Alberta Christian School!

Throughout this blog, I have talked about the creeping restrictions on expressions of the Christian faith in Canada. While freedom of WORSHIP has not been curtailed, though that cannot be far behind, freedom of RELIGION is another matter.  Freedom of worship, if very narrowly defined, takes place in Church, but freedom of religion takes place throughout our culture, in both private and public places--in the market place as it has come to be called. It is this religion thing that is under fire.  

It mostly happens under the radar, for the mainline media do not concern themselves with it. So it happens with very few people noticing. As a result when someone does notice and makes it public, she will be sidelined as a "r

adical" who does not deserve our attention and is berated even by such respected journalists as Andrew Coyne, whom, I hasten to say, I enjoy reading--without always agreeing.

It is not always brave individuals like Ezra Levant who monitor such situations; some church organizations do as well, among them the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) and non-church Christian organizations like the Association for Reformed Political Action (ARPA). You've met both of these organizations in this blog and no doubt will again.  

Today's report comes from Levant. It's heading reads:

"A school board in Alberta has LITERALLY BANNED PASSAGES FROM THE BIBLE."

The Cornerstone Christian Academy in Alberta is exactly what it says it is — a Christian school. Just like Alberta has Jewish schools and Muslim schools too. But the head of the government school board that oversees Cornerstone, a woman named Lauri Skori, has literally ordered the school to stop teaching passages in the Bible that she personally disagrees with. I know this sounds crazy. But it’s true. For example, Skori has ordered the school to stop teaching a line from 1 Corinthians, because she finds it “offensive": It’s shocking, but it’s not surprising. Christianity has been driven out of the public square everywhere in Canada. But surely this is a new low — Christianity is actually being banned in a Christian school. Government bureaucrats would never dream of telling Muslim schools they couldn’t teach passages from the Koran — even ones that call for the murder of infidels and apostates. But banning the Bible is now official school board policy. And, not surprisingly, the media and the political class are silent. Even supposedly Christian or conservative politicians are keeping their heads down — they don’t want to be attacked by the leftist mob at the CBC. Well, we’ve found one honest man — John Carpay, from the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. He’s agreed to take the case of Cornerstone Christian Academy. He’s written a scorching 8-page legal letter to the school board pointing out how what they’re doing is illegal — it’s unconstitutional. You can read that letter here. But they seem to be digging in their heels. And why not? No-one is coming to the aid of the school. Well, that’s where you and I come in. As you can see in my interview with John (at the end of the video here), I’ve promised to help him raise up to $5,000 to help pay for his team of three lawyers to fight for the school’s freedom of religion, against government censors. I’ve agreed to chip in the first $50 myself. If you agree that this case is outrageous, please join with me in helping to chip in to John’s legal defence fund, by clicking here.