There’s something Orwellian about telling the world how important religious freedoms are, and how minority groups must be protected — and then forcibly closing down services within the host country. Canada is set to take in more refugees from Afghanistan, who are targeted because of their views. Will they be any safer here?
The following clips are from a Parliamentary hearing on June 22, 2021, to study the persecution of religious minorities in Afghanistan. To address the elephant in the room, it’s beyond hypocrisy to pretend to care about what happens abroad, while attacking such liberties domestically. How can these people do this with a straight face?
Many will recognize the photo as Grace Life Church in Edmonton, AB. It had previously been fenced off for the horrid crime of allowing free worship.
True, this hearing is done FEDERALLY, while the various restrictions are typically imposed PROVINCIALLY. Nevertheless, Ottawa doesn’t seem to ever criticize or condemn such actions. All Parties (Federally and Provincially) are silent on things like this.
Fine, the Canadian Government isn’t having religious groups killed (yet), but we don’t exactly have freedom here. If churches and other institutions can be ordered closed, and pastors jailed, it isn’t really that much better. Even in Provinces where services are “permitted”, that can change in a number of hours, with 1 signature.
What do Federal “Conservatives” say? Well, they will try to score points condemning abuses of freedoms and civil rights abroad, even as they promote the practice here. In different circumstances, this complete lack of self awareness would be quite comical. That said, no one could be this oblivious to what’s going on, and it has to be done intentionally.
Mainstream media outlets will never address this either. Then again, they have regular subsidies they wish to keep coming in, and it’s never wise to annoy major donors.
The 4th video is Conservative Party of Canada MP Garnett Genuis of Alberta. It’s interesting that the “Official Opposition” considers these protections so essential in other countries, but is silent about it within Canada. Would it be bad optics to inform the guests here that their newfound freedoms can be revoked at anytime?
There’s complete silence from MPs/MPPs/MLAs on how easily these rights are being suspended, all under a very flimsy pretense. Section 1 of the Charter (which allows for reasonable limitations) was never intended to be used this way. And restrictions had to be “demonstrably justified”, not just speculated about. If there’s a silver lining, many are realizing that we don’t have rights, but privileges.
Even if religious services aren’t limited or closed in many areas right now, they have been. It’s been done on an arbitrary basis, with no science behind any of it. Moreover, there’s nothing to stop various Premiers and their unelected “Medical Officers” from doing it again when the political agenda suited it.
(1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zz5zGm3gJKg
(2) https://twitter.com/erinotoole/status/1384154709343162374
(3) https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/SDIR/StudyActivity?studyActivityId=11398396
(4) https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20210622/-1/35780?Language=English&Stream=Video
(5) https://www.ourcommons.ca/Committees/en/HESA/StudyActivity?studyActivityId=11221893
What I like about how you write is you back up your reporting with links. All of our freedoms are at the discretion of the government. It’s been there in the charter since Mr. Trudeau’s daddy put it there. I believe in complete freedom where the government cannot take them away.