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Thought police? See Parliament Hill

January 26, 2018   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

You’d better think the same way we do – and even if you don’t, you will still have to betray your beliefs on paper if you want any co-operation from this federal government.

That’s pretty much the message from the Liberal government in Ottawa when it comes to the youth summer jobs program that provides grant money to various employers to hire students.

Under new rules, applicants must agree by marking a box on an electronic form that they respect Charter rights including, ‘women’s rights and women’s reproductive rights.”

Wait a minute… what do women’s rights and womens’ reproductive rights’ have to do with summer job employment opportunities for youth and students?

If the government is so concerned about groups respecting citizen’s rights why don’t they have a long list of rights on these forms that must be respected and protected.

Don’t be fooled. This has NOTHING to do with women’s rights, women’s reproductive rights, or any other rights.

This is a government telling you what to think, and if you don’t agree with them you will pay a price.

This little box that must be checked is a blatant and obvious attack on religious and other groups that don’t necessarily agree with this current government’s views.

“In terms of church groups that are concerned that this may invalidate them from funding, in fact, my perspective is that it won’t, as long as their core mandate agrees with those hard won rights and freedoms that Canadians expect us to stand up for,” said Employment Minister Patty Hajdu.

Apparently the Minister of Employment – someone who holds a key position in government – is not familiar with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. It is this Charter that guarantees freedom of thought, freedom of belief, and freedom of religion.

Yes, there are religious and other groups that consider abortion to be wrong. So what? If that’s their belief, so be it. It is their RIGHT to believe that, as stated in the Charter of Rights.

How does a government even dare to consider telling citizens to abandon their beliefs or be cut off.?

What about other groups with no religious affiliation but have an executive or person in charge who has personal beliefs they are required to dismiss because they are the ones filling out the application?

There are all sorts of groups in this country whose core beliefs cover a full strata of ideologies that people don’t agree with. Again, so what? They can believe whatever they want to.

Will the government follow up and start going after other fringe groups, organizations, clubs, or groups who don’t necessarily toe-the-line and profess an admiration of the current government’s way of thinking?

This little box that must be checked off to please the government goes a lot deeper and is a lot bigger than agreeing to protect someone’s rights. It is an infringement of the rights of every citizen to believe what they want to believe.

It doesn’t matter what side of the fence you are on when it comes to ‘women’s reproductive rights.’ That’s your decision, your choice, your belief, and your thoughts on the subject should be respected.

However, when it comes to betraying your beliefs, no one should be checking off that little box when submitting an application for the youth summer jobs program. Instead people should be calling their Member of Parliament and demand it be removed from the application.

If you don’t stand up for the rights of other to believe what they want to believe, then maybe next time the government decides to penalize someone for not thinking the correct way – they may be coming after you.

                                                                                                       


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