Election promises from political parties of all stripes intrigue me. Of course the parties have to tell us what they stand for but the multi-billion dollar promises drawn from our pockets often strike me as a strange game with monopoly money. I think the Tory promises which will come only when they balance the budget may be a first.
One Conservative promise which might get lost in the shuffle is the proposed creation of an office for religious freedom within the Foreign Affairs department. I certainly see religious freedom as one aspect of human rights. Religious freedom is protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In fact it is listed at the beginning under Fundamental Freedoms. http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/charter/page-1.html#anchorbo-ga:l_I-gb:s_2
This is not the case in many countries around the world and I have yapped about this on a number of occasions. Last weekend a Christian group met on a bridge in China to protest the harrassment of a congregation which didn't follow government guidelines. Although the congregation had grown to 1000, only about 100 gathered because of fear of reprisal. Police dispersed the group and detained a Toronto Star reporter, although in Chinese government fashion they insisted he wasn't under arrest.
While the Conservative proposal is interesting, it seems to me that our government needs to speak out about human rights violations wherever and whenever they are evident, regardless of religion or creed. A week ago The United States through Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chastised the Chinese government for its lousy human rights record and it was gratifying to hear. Canada gave up on speaking out against Chinese repression during the Liberal government and the Conservatives haven't done any better.
Did you notice this campaign promise? Does it matter to you -- would it influence the way you would vote? Should Canada be more bold in addressing human rights violations around the world?
4 comments:
This one slipped in under the radar for me. Interesting.
Jason Kenney referred to David McGuinty and Bob Rae as "rabid secularists" for questioning the proposal.
Maybe it has to do with us abandoning our formerly neutral stance with respect to the Israeli/Palestinian conflcit. Maybe it has to do with what McGuinty called "the blurring line between church and state."
Maybe this one's too hot to handle.
I was intrigued, though my cynical- side picked up the "wooing- votes- of -new -Canadians -vibe". Regardless of motive, yes it caught my attention (when not much else has).
I remember just a little while ago when we were campaigning for a peace department. I think that would be more worthwhile.
I didn't hear about it until now. I just seem to catch the mud slinging.
They should make a law that prohibits one party from talking about the shortcomings of another. I would rather hear what they plan to do rather than what the other guy does wrong.
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