Remember, Remember the 5th of November,
The gunpowder treason and plot, I see no reason
why Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot

Guy Fawkes thumbnail

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Issues Area Home

Issues Summaries
Abortion Veto for Dads
ACTA = Anti-Counterfeiting Surveilance
Adoption Veto for Dads
Adopted Children Disallowed NPs
Affirmative Action
Age Of Consent
BC Vital Statistics Act Misandry
BC Legislature MUST
Big Brother, Micro-Management
Bill C-22
Best interests of the Child
Birth Registration - Paternity Fraud
Birth Registration - Paternity Denied
Breach of Trust
"Case Law" is NOT Law
CCA Wood and Playgrounds
Child Support Tables / SOW Fraud
Child Trafficking by Public Officers
Corren Agreement
Court Ordered Sexism
Custody Orders not Enforced
Debtor's Prison Reinstituted
Day Care Universal
Deadbeat Dads
Disabled parents
Domestic Violence Propaganda
Division of Assets
Drugging of Children, State
Enticement Seduction
Ex Parte Orders
Fabian Socialism
False Accusations
Father Hatred Propaganda
Fatherlessness, State Imposed
Federal Reserve / Fiat Currency
Feminism = Socialism = Nazism
Fitness Test for Natural Parents in Divorce
Fitness Test for Students: "Transitions"
FMEP = Family Maintenance Enforcement
Forgiveness is NOT Compulsory
Freedom of Speech
Friendly Parent Rule, Max. Contact
Fundamental Justice
Globalism is Treason
Grandparents Raising Children
Habeus Corpus Abandoned
Homofacism
Homosexual Activism
Homosexual Marriage
Human Trafficking
Imputed Income
Inheritance Theft: Grey & Black Widow
Judicial Activism is Breach of Trust
Judicial Falsification of Court Transcripts
Judicial Freemasonry is Racketeering
Judicial Globalization is Treason
Judicial Interpretation
Law Societies' Self Regulation, Corruption
Lawyers Lying in Court
Letters to MP
Legislative Changes
Letters to MLA
Letters to Editor
Malicious Mother Syndrome
Malicious Prosecution
MCF = Ministry Children & Families
Misandry, Hatred of Males
Money as Debt / Money Masters
Move Aways
Narcissism
Natiional Sovreignity
Natural Parents Rights Eliminated, SSM
NAU - North American Union
Parliament MUST
Parental Alienation
Parental Kidnapping
Parenting Time Presumption
Passport & DL Removal
Pedophiles Fear Dads!!
Pedophiles Fear Dads New
Petitions
Poofy Judges
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Protestant Revolution, BBC
Sexual Abuse by a Public Officer
Shadow Government
Sole Custody is Child Abuse
Special Prosecutors for Homosexuals, Judges
Status of Women's Father Hatred
Star Chamber's Secret Overlords
Stockholm Syndrome Paradigm Shift
Supremacy of Parliament
Target Legislation
Teachers displacing Parents
Teachers Seducing Students
Tracts and Flyers
"Women's Shelters" Lesbian Gulags

Notable Authorities






Albrecht, Katherine :  RFID Spychips
Annett, Kevin: Canadian Holocost
Baskerville, Stephen: "Taken .. Custody
Baxter, Dorian: Canada Courtwatch
Beck, Glenn Beck: World Government
Bennett, Richard: Purpose Driven & Catholicism
Blick, Edward:  Global Warming & Marxism
Blumner,Court Ordered Sexism
Boys of St. Vincent <Mount Cashel>, NL
Burrows, Lynette: Homo Adoption
Carley, Dr. Rebecca: Vaccinations
Carr, William Guy:  Pawns in the Game
Chopra, Dr. Shiv: Health Canada
Cools, Senator Anne:  Lying Lawyers
Coffman, Dr. Michael:  Global Warming
Coleman, John:  Global Warming Fraud
Cromwell, Oliver: Supremacy / Parliament
Cuddy, Dennis L.
Cumbey, Constance :  New Age Nazism
Dodd, Norman:  NWO Fabian Socialists
EP-Australia
Federer, Bill: Endang'd Speeches, Quran
Farrell, Warren:  Why Men Earn More
FTSOTC 48 Recom's
Forseth, MP Paul:  FTSOTC Panelist
Gage, Richard: Architects & Engineers 9/11
Gairdner William
Galloway, Roger:   FTSOTC Panelist
Geldof, Sir Bob:  The Love..
Griffin, G. Edward:  Fed Reserve
Grignon, Paul:  "Money As Debt"
Gunderson, Ted:  FBI
Haeck, Lisa:  Sexual Abuse
Haines, Bruce, QC: Justice Review
Hein, Arnie:  Cross My Heart
Hill, MP Jay: EP Legislation
Iserbyt, Charlotte: Dumbing Down
Jones, Alex
Kay, Barbara, National Post
Kernberg, Dr. Otto: Personality Disorder
Kruk, Edward: Child Custody
LInde, Carey
Lively, Scott:  "Pink Swastika"
Luther, Martin: "Sola Scriptura"
Macdonald, Peter: TAXCAP
Martin, Malachi: Globalization, Occult
McManus, John:  Stopping NAU
McKay, Dr. Marty
Millar, David
Monckton, Lord Christopher
Monteith, Dr. Stanley:  Tax Exempt Foundations
Nash, Dave:  Cross Canada Run
Neufeld, Gordon: Hold - Kids
Nicolosi, Joseph:  Treatment of Homosexuality
O'Connor, Matt: Original F4J-UK
Pellman, Adrian, LLB:  Judicial Activism
Paul, Ron:  Sound Money
Perloff, James: Shadows of Power
Phenomenon: The Lost Archives
Pizzey, Erin: Women's Shelter Scam
Plywood Man, NWT
Quigley, Carroll: Banking, Globalization
Rhodes, Carol: "Freind..Court, Enemy
Riplinger, Gail: Luciferian Bibles
Roberts, Carey
Roberts, Elise
Roscoe, Peter:  Judicial Bigotry
Russo, Aaron: NAU, CFR, Rockefellers
Ruppert, Michael C
Saburido, Jacqueline:  Don't Drink
Sacks. Glenn
Secret Files of the Inquisition
Schlafly, Phyllis:  Global Governance
Simons, Frank: Courts From Hell
Schafer, Nancy:  Child Trafficking at CPS
Simpson, Kari:  Road Kill Radio
Sodhi, Eeva
Somerville, Margaret:“Same-Sex Marriage”
Stormer, John:  Betrayed ..  Bench
Story, Christopher:  "Perestroika Dec.
Sutton, Anhony:  Wall Street & Hitler
Trociuk Darrell, BC Birth Registration
Tyndale, William, "God's Outlaw", RIP 1536
V for Vendetta / Guy Fawkes the Hero
Vellacott, MP Maurice
Veon, Joan: "Central Banks Rule...
Ventura, Jesse:  Conspiracy Theory
Vieira, Dr. Edwin:  Fiat Empire
Wagener, William
Warren, Elizabeth: Collapse Middle Class
Watson, Paul:  EU's Nazi  Origins
Wiebe, Ken:  Kill Status of Women
Wooldridge, Nancy:  Canadian Grans
Zepezauer, Frank:  Feminist Crusades

Your Articles

Let Ex Husbands Be Fathers
Perception vs Reality
Some Facts...
Both Parents Vital
Broken Homes, Bleak Future
Justice Review
Fatherneed
Rights of fathers Ignored?

Petitions, Class Action

Support one of over 50 class-actions against unconstitutional 'sole custody' by Indiana Civl Rights Council

thetruthandjusticefoundation.org

Support one of over 50 class-actions against unconstitutional 'sole custody' by Indiana Civl Rights Council

BC Statutory Amendments

Will Parliament Remedy the "No Fault" premise of Divorce Law?

The Canadian Parliament might also consider eliminating the threat to the matrimonial bond  inherent in "No Fault" Divorce.  Permitting one marriage partner to unilaterally end a joint relationship with impunity is very destabilizing to Canadian families, and creates too much business in Family Law .  We think Canadians still get married for more reasons than just establishing a  temporary monogamy within which to share spousal benefits and to establish paternity claims.   We think Canadians still  think of marriage as a relationship of Trust and security, in the tradition of the oft spoken vow of "For Better or Worse".  

With "No Fault Divorce", there is no remedy when the Trust placed in a "Spouse" is breached.   There is therefore no deterrent for matrimonial predators who by becoming a "spouse" have free license 24/7 to take children, inheritance and family assets, and hold these hostage from the distraught father.   There is no fund established with the "saved" litigation costs to insure the victim of Divorce  as there is in other "no-fault" schemes.    Since ~1972 Canadian legislation has been gutted of such dearly held values by "No Fault Divorce" and has been devolved into a division of assets and other financial obligations.    Only the lawyers gain by putting so much more within their grasp.

We think there is substantial merit in:

  1. Reestablishing the "Fault" in Divorce legislation.  If couples prefer to live under a cohabitation agreement there is nothing to prevent them.  But if a couple wishes to live as a "married" couple, why should legislation preclude them from living as "married" in the historic sense?

  2. Reestablishing the Enticement laws, providing the injured spouse with claims against third parties who entice their spouse to end their marriage.  This one change will make the ubiquitous father-hatred groups unprofitable to run, and leave families to succeed or fail of their own accord.  It also gives children a chance at recouping their inheritance from these professional Misandrists

  3. Reestablishing the Seduction laws, providing the injured spouse with claims against third parties who seduce their spouse into adulterous relationships.

More...  Issues

















What happens to kids, when their Dads are taken away from them?

We apologize that the following figures have not been developed for the Province of BC specifically.  We hope to do this over time.  We do know, however that women often move to BC from Alberta and the rest of Canada to have their divorces done here in BC where the misandry of the Family Courts will maximize their powers to destroy their husbands.

Children from fatherless homes account for:

  • 63% of youth suicides. (Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services, Bureau of the Census).

  • 71% of pregnant teenagers. (Source: US Dept. of Health & Human Services)

  • 90% of all homeless and runaway children.

  • 70% of juveniles in state-operated institutions come from fatherless homes (Source: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Special Report, Sept 1988)

  • 85% of all children that exhibit behavioral disorders. (Source: Center for Disease Control).

  • 80% of rapists motivated with displaced anger. (Source: Criminal Justice & Behavior, Vol. 14, p. 403-26, 1978).

  • 71% of all high school dropouts. (Source: National Principals Association Report on the State of High Schools).

  • 75% of all adolescent patients in chemical abuse centers. (Source: Rainbows for all God's Children).

  • 85% of all youths sitting in prisons. (Source: Fulton Co. Georgia jail populations, Texas Dept. of Corrections 1992).

Children from fatherless homes are:

  • 11 times more likely to exhibit violent behavior than children from intact "married" homes.

  • 5 times more likely to commit suicide.

  • 32 times more likely to runaway.

  • 20 times more likely to have behavioral disorders.

  • 14 times more likely to commit rape.

  • 9 times more likely to drop out of high school.

  • 10 times more likely to abuse chemical substances.

  • 9 times more likely to end up in state-operated institutions.

  • 20 times more likely to end up in prison.

"37.9% of fathers have no access/visitation rights." (Source: p.6, col.II, para. 6, lines 4 & 5, Census Bureau P-60, #173, Sept 1991.)

"40% of mothers reported that they had interfered with the non-custodial father's visitation on at least one occasion, to punish the ex-spouse." (Source: p. 449, col. II, lines 3-6, (citing Fulton) Frequency of visitation by Divorced Fathers; Differences in Reports by Fathers and Mothers. Sanford Braver et al, Am. J. of Orthopsychiatry, 1991.)

"Overall, approximately 50% of mothers "see no value in the father's continued contact with his children...." (Source: Surviving the Breakup, Joan Kelly & Judith Wallerstein, p. 125) Only 11% of mothers value their husband's input when it comes to handling problems with their kids. Teachers & doctors rated 45%, and close friends & relatives rated %16.(Source: EDK Associates survey of 500 women for Redbook Magazine. Redbook, November 1994, p. 36)

"The former spouse (mother) was the greatest obstacle to having more frequent contact with the children." (Source: Increasing our understanding of fathers who have infrequent contact with their children, James Dudley, Family Relations, Vol. 4, p. 281, July 1991.)

"A clear majority (70%) of fathers felt that they had too little time with their children." (Source: Visitation and the Noncustodial Father, Mary Ann Kock & Carol Lowery, Journal of Divorce, Vol. 8, No. 2, p. 54, Winter 1984.)

"Very few of the children were satisfied with the amount of contact with their fathers, after divorce." (Source: Visitation and the Noncustodial Father, Koch & Lowery, Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, Vol. 8, No. 2, p. 50, Winter 1984.)

"Feelings of anger towards their former spouses hindered effective involvement on the part of fathers; angry mothers would sometimes sabotage father's efforts to visit their children." (Source: Ahrons and Miller, Am. Journal of Orthopsychiatry, Vol. 63. p. 442, July 1993.)

"Mothers may prevent visits to retaliate against fathers for problems in their marital or post-marital relationship." (Source: Seltzer, Shaeffer & Charing, Journal of Marriage & the Family, Vol. 51, p. 1015, November 1989.)

In a study: "Visitational Interference - A National Study" by Ms. J Annette Vanini, M.S.W. and Edward Nichols, M.S.W., it was found that 77% of non-custodial fathers are NOT able to "visit" their children, as ordered by the court, as a result of "visitation interference" perpetuated by the custodial parent. In other words, non-compliance with court ordered visitation is three times the problem of non-compliance with court ordered child support and impacts the children of divorce even more. Originally published Sept. 1992

Child Support

Information from multiple sources show that only 10% of all non-custodial fathers fit the "deadbeat dad" category: 90% of the fathers with joint custody paid the support due. Fathers with visitation rights pay 79.1%; and 44.5% of those with NO visitation rights still financially support their children. (Source: Census Bureau report. Series P-23, No. 173).

Additionally, of those not paying support, 66% are not doing so because they lack the financial resources to pay (Source: GAO report: GAO/HRD-92-39 FS).

The following is sourced from: Technical Analysis Paper No. 42, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Income Security Policy, Authors: Meyer and Garansky.

  • Custodial mothers who receive a support award: 79.6%

  • Custodial fathers who receive a support award: 29.9%

  • Non-custodial mothers who totally default on support: 46.9%

  • Non-custodial fathers who totally default on support: 26.9%

source:   http://njlaw924.com/id39.html

What happens to Canadians when Judges Drive Dads and Boys into servitude and compliance

Judges and their elite Star Chamber entrench their power and status to rule over Canadians with impunity and unbridled narcissism.

Feminist and Homosexual Activists as Judges effect their political agenda without the consent of the Canadian demographic.  They with full knowledge and intent (scripted in the sixties & seventies by their Activist writers) circumvent due democratic process and knowingly contravene the founding legal constructs of Canada in the BNA & in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  Activist Judges happily and routinely breach the Trust placed in them by their employer, the Canadian Taxpayer.

Lawyers routinely Entice into self-destruction and financial rape vast numbers of families entering their doors.  Because of the Statutory self-regulation of the BC Law Society, we know of no limiting factor to cap the Activism of the Judiciary other than prosecuting Judges and Lawyers who exceed the powers granted them by Statute.

The BC Law Society pimps BC women, and use them as their hookers.  With others (also conspicuously funded by the Taxpayer),  Law Society members instruct women to hook fathers and families into the Courts and the financial ruin a "Legal Marriage" entails.  Children NEED this threat to their security to be EXTERMINATED.

Faced with the entrenched Father Hatred and Affirmative Action of the burgeoning civil service, boys and young men despair.  Having no vision for a Future or a university education, they become prone to fulfill the Father Hatred prophecies of BC university's Women's Studies faculties and Feminist Activists.

Children Raised in Sole Custody in profoundly greater risk

2005-xx-xx  Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect

"Children of single parents were at higher risk of physical abuse and of all types of neglect and were overrepresented among seriously injured, moderately injured, and endangered children. Compared with their counterparts living with both parents, children in single parent families had:

  • a 77% greater risk of being harmed by physical abuse (using the stringent Harm Standard) and a 63% greater risk of experiencing any countable physical abuse (using the Endangerment Standard);

  • an 87% greater risk of being harmed by physical neglect and a 165% greater risk of experiencing any countable physical neglect;

  • a 74% greater risk of being harmed by emotional neglect and a 64% greater risk of experiencing any countable emotional neglect;

  • a 220% (or more than three times) greater risk of being educationally neglected;

  • an approximately 80% greater risk of suffering serious injury or harm from abuse or neglect;

  • an approximately 90% greater risk of receiving moderate injury or harm as a result of child maltreatment; and

  • a 120% (or more than two times) greater risk of being endangered by some type of child abuse or neglect."

Judicial Accountability Act Proposals

2006-11-10  Top judges rebuke Tories Federal plan would allow police to help appoint judiciary - workopolis.com;   "Beverley McLachlin, Canada's Chief Justice, along with a powerful council of the country's top judges issued an unprecedented rebuke yesterday to Justice Minister Vic Toews for hatching a plan to arbitrarily change the way judges are chosen.  The Canadian Judicial Council expressed dismay that Mr. Toews is planning to introduce Guy Fawkes thumbnail"significant changes to the composition and functioning of the Judicial Advisory Committees," secret groups which are set up in each region to vet candidates for the 1,100 federal judgeships across the country.   Chief Justice McLachlin, who chairs the council, urged Mr. Toews to include the judiciary and key legal bodies in any discussion of changes to the committee vetting process."

We need in the very least some kind of JUDICIAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT which will look something like::

  1. Divide the Law Society into two groups of Judges and Practicing Lawyers to protect the Lawyers who would make Cases against Judges.  There would be some Law Society Members who may practice as Barristers, and some as Solicitors, but a Judge must RETIRE from the Practice of  Law and become unable to affect the Law Society while they act as a Judge.  On removal of a Judge for  Judicial Activism, the Law Society may deny their return to Practice from  Retirement for specified cause, such as the case made during  an unsuccessful Criminal Charge  of  Breach of Trust  or Treason.

  2. The Judges naturally divide into two bodies, the Provincial and Federal Judicial Societies to parallel the Provincial and Federal Courts.  Membership in both Judicial Societies must be precluded.  Federal Judges would be tried by Provincial Judges according to the JUDICIAL ACCOUNTABILITY ACT, and the Provincial Judges would be tried by the Federal Judges.  They could be tried both in Tort and in Criminal Court for Breach of Trust and for Treason.

  3. Make Judicial Appointments for a FIXED TERM of no more than five years (Jimmy Pattison where are you when we need you?)

  4.  Judicial Re-Appointment must meet a Test for Judicial Re-Appointment which demonstrates the prescribed Impartiality (that is an Activism Free record.) and Non-Infamy with the Electorate.

  5. Automatic Temporary Suspension Without Pay for a Judge who is going to Trial  in Tort or in Criminal Court, pending its outcome.

  6. Eradication of Freemasonry from the Judiciary and Law Societies.  Both are granted special privileges by Parliamentary Statute which they receive In Trust..  Judicial Candidates and sitting Judges must be vetted for Occult practices resulting in Public Safety concerns such as Pedophilia.  Pedophilia is an established part of Occult worship  (See Malachi Martin  among others) and is reported to be a tolerated practice of some high ranking Judges.

  7. Trial by Jury of Judges before non-allied and non-associated Judges, e.g.. Federal Judges tried before Provincial Judges, visa versa.. 

  8. NO SPECIAL PROSECUTORS for Judges or other Public Servants being tried.

Under the "federal" division of powers in the BNA (Constitution Act, 1867)) Education falls into the Provincial domain.  A parallel Provincial Statute to amend the licensing  and Suspension of Teachers would be necessary to stop the present use of our Schools for Political Indoctrination by Activists.  See also Four Missions

Kinship Families, Grandparents raising Grandchildren

Natural Grandparents Rights Proposals;   Social Works &  Foster Parents get funding for raising other people's children, Grandparents don't because they're a "Kinship Family".  See Saskatoon G I F T (Grandparents Involved Full Time)  Dorothy Bird: (306) 382-3650 

We say that's WRONG, and Grans should not be jeopardizing their financial stability to raise an unexpected New Arrival.   2008-01-09_Documentary to focus on kinship families  "Tammy Brockhaus, with her grandson, Alex, is one of thousands raising a grandchild in Canada. W-5 is airing a documentary on the issue of grandparents raising grandchildren on Feb. 9 .. Brockhaus is a 58-year-old widow who has been raising her six-year-old grandson, Alex, since he was 30 days old. While the last six years have proved to be a challenge for her, Brockhaus, who also has three grown children, has found fulfillment raising a child the second time around."   

Removal of Judges

Do we have any such provision?  Who executes the required actions in the event a Judge has to be removed?  Submit new info on Removal of Judges

Removal of judges from office, Oklahoma Constitution

(a) In addition to other methods and causes prescribed by the Constitution and laws, the judges of any court, exercising judicial power under the provisions of Article VII, or under any other provision, of the Constitution of Oklahoma, shall be subject to removal from office, or to compulsory retirement from office, for causes herein specified, by proceedings in the Court on the Judiciary.

(b) Cause for removal from office shall be: Gross neglect of duty; corruption in office; habitual drunkenness; commission while in office of any offense involving moral turpitude; gross partiality in office; oppression in office; or other grounds as may be specified hereafter by the legislature.

(c) Cause for compulsory retirement from office, with or without compensation, shall be mental or physical disability preventing the proper performance of official duty, or incompetence to perform the duties of the office"

Phyllis Schlafly and Stephen Baskerville

On February 14, 2006 Both Phyllis Schlafly and Stephen Baskerville join together in a landmark interview
"War Against The Family".mp3

Phyllis
Schlafly

"The Family Courts are <generally> a bunch of second rate hangers-on   ...  build each other's businesses through referrals...Family Law is a <parasitic> self-sustaining Industry"

Stephen
Baskerville

"Why isn't "Focus on the Family" working for Equal Parenting?

Stephen Baskerville's Home; American Coal. for Fathers and Children

Terminology

Habeas Corpus :  "literally, "you may have the body". A Habeas Corpus is a legal writ that protects an individual against arbitrary imprisonment by requiring that any person arrested be brought before a court for formal charge. If the charge is considered to be valid, the person must submit to trial; if not, the person goes free. When the law is suspended, then individuals can be imprisoned indefinitely and without charge."      ..... 

More, Glossary of terms

2006-03-10  The right to abandon your child by Mona Charen;

"This is one of those moments when you want to grab liberals by the lapels and demand, "Well, what did you expect?" ... A group called the National Center for Men has filed a lawsuit they are calling "Roe v. Wade for Men."   ...   More than three decades ago Roe vs. Wade gave women control of their reproductive lives but nothing in the law changed for men. Women can now have sexual intimacy without sacrificing reproductive choice. Women now have the freedom and security to enjoy lovemaking without the fear of forced procreation. Women now have control of their lives after an unplanned conception. But men are routinely forced to give up control, forced to be financially responsible for choices only women are permitted to make, forced to relinquish reproductive choice as the price of intimacy."

COMMENT:  Roe V. Wade was a "Femi-Narcissistic" decision, looking after the interests of the Mother only.  The principal established there established was extrapolated into a Mother's "murder rights" expressed in minimal sentences when murdering their children.  Equal Parenting eliminates much of this.

Father dealt difficult hand by the system "Even last week, when the family court file of Elaine and Leo Campione was released to the press -- in significant measure because Mr. Campione didn't oppose the media's bid to see it  ..  There is, to be frank, an underlying perspective of feminist oppression from which all else springs.  ..  Women are seen first as victims -- generally of male power and particularly of husband power -- and presumed to be truth-tellers and good mothers until proven otherwise. The starting point for men is that they are abusers and deadbeat dads in the making unless they can prove the contrary, and if it takes years for them to demonstrate that, oh well." 

Freedom of Speech, Bill C250


Bill C250:

http://www.freedominion.ca/libertyday.htm

The End of Religious Liberty in Canada, R. Albert Mohler

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/weblogs/mohler/?adate=5/24/2004#1264412

It's all over but the funeral. Free speech and religious liberty are now effectively dead in Canada, and recent developments across our northern border should awaken Americans to the peril of political correctness and its restrictions on freedom.

On April 28, the Canadian Senate passed bill C-250 by a vote of 59 to 11. In passing this legislation, the Canadian Parliament added "sexual orientation" to the nation's laws criminalizing "hate speech." The end result is that the Bible may now be considered a form of criminalized hate literature and Christians who teach that homosexuality is sinful may face criminal charges.

Even before the passage of C-250, Canadian legislators had been moving to restrict free speech and religious liberty. The concept of "hate speech" implies that certain forms of speech are to be criminalized for being out of step with the government's ideological positions. Canada's extensive hate speech laws already criminalized any statements considered to be disparaging to ethnic and minority groups. By adding sexual orientation to the list of protected classes, the Canadian Parliament has not only shut down free speech; it has opened a legal can of worms that will be most difficult to handle. Since "sexual orientation" is undefined in the law, lesbians and homosexual men are unlikely to be the only persons demanding coverage under the law. As the statute now stands, criticism of pedophilia or polygamy--or any sexual act or relationship for that matter--could well be cause for criminal action.

The law was promoted by Svend Robinson, the Member of Parliament [MP] for Burnaby-Douglas. Robinson is a notoriously liberal and flamboyant legislator, who also promotes himself as something of a symbolic leader for Canada's gay community. Robinson's animus toward Christianity has been evident for some time, and he has described Christian leaders as "ecclesiastical dictators." Responding to one critic, Robinson showed his true colors: "You people are sick. God should strike you dead."

In a bizarre twist to this tale, Robinson missed the critical vote in favor of his bill, because he had just taken an extensive medical leave from his political responsibilities after admitting to the theft of a ring he had intended to give to his male partner. His theft was caught on camera and, in the aftermath of the scandal, Robinson released a statement which may or may not have constituted a resignation from office. No one seems to be exactly sure about exactly what Robinson meant by what one Canadian newspaper called his "non-resignation resignation letter."

Robinson aside, the Senate's passage of this bill represents an immediate threat to free speech and Christian conviction in the nation of Canada.

Editorial opinion in Canadian newspapers has been mixed, but the threat to religious liberty is immediately clear when one listens to the arguments made by C-250's proponents. Writing in The Toronto Star, Carol Lowes explained that C-250 is necessary because, "Some Christian charities, priests and pastors attempt to convince people of their wrongs and cultivate guilt or shame about perceived sins in their target audiences." Really? The obvious implication of Ms. Lowes' argument is that pastors must never tell anyone that they are sinners. How convenient.

A challenge to Christian publications was offered by Lois Sweet, a journalism professor at Carleton University in Ottawa. "Ways in which gays and lesbians have been portrayed in the religious media can lead people to believe that they are not human and [are] totally defined by their sexuality," she said. "To present them as people who threaten society in some way is hate mongering."

Marianne Meed Ward, writing in The Toronto Sun, warned preachers that they will have to be careful in addressing any issue of sexuality. "Expressing views on alternative expressions of sex is not a crime," she said. Nevertheless, she presented a blatant warning about "expressing" such views: "But preachers (and everybody else) will have to exercise caution in how they express their views. And that's not a bad thing. We don't need ads showing a slash through a gay couple. We don't need placards saying 'God hates fags.' We don't need people quoting Leviticus out of context...." So, preachers in Canada have now been warned that their interpretation of Leviticus could now become a matter of hate speech. Ms. Ward gets to decide what Leviticus means in its context? Hermeneutics is now translated into a potential crime.

When preachers are told that they will "have to exercise caution in how they express their views," religious liberty is effectively dead. This is especially clear when comments made by the bill's proponents identify any criticism of homosexuality--whatever its motivation and form--as criminalized hate speech.

Christian groups in Canada have responded with understandable alarm. "Today the Senate sounded the final death knell in legislation that will severely limit free speech and freedom of religion and even freedom of the press in Canada," said Brian Rushfeldt, executive director of the Canada Family Action Coalition. Rushfeldt described C-250 as "a draconian piece of legislation that will criminalize people who express an opinion contrary to homosexual behavior, including views based on religion, conscience, morality, and even medical or humanitarian concerns." He continued: "Given the undefined, ambiguous wording in this severely flawed piece of legislation, Christians and other faith groups are worried that expressing their religious or moral views, or even quoting from the Bible or another religious text, may become a criminal act."

Indeed, some Canadian legal experts argue that adding "sexual behaviour" to the hate speech legislation now makes it a crime to teach that sex outside of marriage--whatever its form--is wrong.

Anne Cools, a senator from Ontario, described the bill as "an intent to create . . . a section which would be used to cleanse many people of their moral opinions." Canada's first black senator, Cools expressed concern that the law will be used to criminalize churches opposed to homosexuality. "Once you put a power before [authorities], and then try to rely on goodness for the power not to be exercised, you're indeed naive."

"All sexual acts are not equal," Cools asserted. "I believe in justice for all...but I also understand that the essential requirement of life itself is that men mate with women." Better watch it Senator Cools, you may have just committed a hate crime.

University of Western Ontario professor Robert Martin has described Canada as "a totalitarian theocracy." He went on to argue that Canada is "ruled today by what I would described as a secular state religion (of political correctness). Anything that is regarded as heresy or blasphemy is not tolerated."

Svend Robinson and other promoters of C-250 played a crude game of doublespeak in arguing for the legislation. Their explanations are reducible to the claim that C-250 will never be used to criminalize Christian speech--except when such speech needs to be criminalized. Some have described Christians as "paranoid" in responding to the bill. That's not the way Jason Kenney, a Roman Catholic MP from Calgary sees the situation. "This isn't at all a hysterical reaction. It's a completely reasonable fear, given the trends in the courts and human rights commissions. In Owens, a Saskatchewan judge ruled that parts of the Bible can constitute hate speech against gays. In the Surrey School Board case, they were ordered to put gay material into a Grade 1 class."

Alan Borovoy, general counsel to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, once described Canada as "a pleasantly authoritarian country." Columnist John Leo of U.S. News and World Report, agrees with Borovoy's description.

As Leo explains, "Since Canada has no First Amendment, anti-bias laws generally trump free speech and freedom of religion. A recent flurry of cases has mostly gone against free expression." Leo went on to suggest that parents might be held legally liable for a child who says something irritating about homosexuals to a classmate in school. Religious groups could quickly get in trouble for teaching certain biblical passages or defending historic church doctrines.

The pattern of criminalizing speech about homosexuals is spreading across liberal societies. In Sweden, pastors are explicitly warned that any sermons critical of homosexuality can lead to criminal charges. The same logic is spreading through the courts and legislatures of many European countries--and now has jumped the Atlantic to Canada.

The truly threatening character of the Canadian legislation is further demonstrated in the fact that police do not have to charge persons with breaking a law. Any Canadian citizen can file a complaint against any other citizen, resulting in charges. At that point, the defendant is simply left to the dangerous whims of the liberal judiciary and governmental human rights commissions. The potential legal costs would alone intimidate some persons from talking about homosexuality.

The most important part of the newly-revised criminal code reads: "Every one who, by communicating statements, other than in private conversation, willfully promotes hatred against any identifiable group is guilty of . . . an indictable offense and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years."

During a recent debate, the Canadian attorney general refused to comment on whether or not the Bible is, in itself, hate speech. That matter, we are now warned, will be left for the courts to determined.

We are fooling ourselves if we believe this threat to religious liberty will stay on the Canadian side of the border. This same logic is already accepted by many law professors and judges in the United States. The passage of C-250 is a warning to us all. When free speech is denied and the preachers are told what they can and cannot say, religious liberty is effectively dead.

___________________________

R. Albert Mohler, Jr. is president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. For more articles and resources by Dr. Mohler, and for information on The Albert Mohler Program, a daily national radio program broadcast on the Salem Radio Network, go to www.albertmohler.com. For information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to www.sbts.edu. Send feedback to mail@albertmohler.com.

http://www.crosswalk.com/news/weblogs/mohler/?adate=5/24/2004#1264412

 

     
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