Freedom Denied
09/08/10 22:59
Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms states the following: "Whereas
Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God
and the rule of law:..." It also states under the heading of Fundamental
Freedoms: a) Everyone has the freedom of conscience and religion,
freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of
the press and...
One would question, then, why Montreal's Loyola High School, a private
Catholic school for boys that has for decades taught a course in world
religions, be ordered in 2008 by Quebec's Ministry of Education to teach
a strictly secular course entitled "Ethics and Religious Culture" from
grades one to graduation? Loyola did not refuse to teach the course but
merely requested permission to teach it from their Catholic viewpoint,
as the province's curriculum includes the teaching that homosexuality is
normal behaviour. The Ministry of Education denied their request,
stating that the school was "too religiously biased." It is common
knowledge that they wish to force the school to abandon its Jesuit
principles.
As a result, Loyola took the Ministry to the Superior Court of Quebec.
In June of this year, Justice Gerard Dugre′ ruled in favour of Loyola
High School, referring to the Supremacy of God clause in the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He stated the province's Ministry of
Education was guilty of displaying "a totalitarian character" in forcing
the school to teach a secular course that is morally and religiously in
opposition to Catholic teaching. He stated that the Ministry's attempt
to force this course upon Loyola High School violated their freedom of
religion.
The Globe & Mail newspaper posted an article dated June 21, 2010 in
which it stated, "In a decision that sets back Quebec's efforts to strip
religion from the province's institutions, a judge has ruled that the
government showed Inquisition-like intolerance in the way it imposed a
secular ethics course on a private Roman Catholic school."
Amazingly, Quebec Premier Jean Charest has stated that his government
will appeal the ruling. Some Quebecers have become very militant on the
side of gay rights and are increasingly putting great pressure upon
politicians to deprive citizens of their religious freedoms. Instead of
taking a stand for the rights and freedoms of Quebecers, Premier Charest
is cowardly bowing down to pressure from a minority group wishing to
bully the majority. Shame on him.
Since Loyola High School won the recent court case against the Quebec
government, Michelle Courchesne, Minister of Education, Recreation &
Sports has singled out the school by thoroughly investigating everything
the school does in order to find everything possible to discredit it.
The school may have won the first legal battle, but the war itself is
not yet over. Wielding a large stick, Minister Courchesne dug around
until she found enough ammunition with which to threaten closure of the
school for this Fall's classes for their 300 students.
Further, an atheist organization called the Centre for Inquiry Canada
states that the Supremacy of God clause that Superior Court Justice
Dugre′ referred to in his ruling must be removed from the Canadian
Charter because God must not be seen as a source of authority due to the
fact that not everyone believes He exists. That's about as intelligent
as an insurance company stating that they will refuse to honour a
client's claim after their house burned down from an electrical failure,
stating that because no one actually "saw" the electricity start the
fire, the fire inspector's opinion is only one opinion of many, correct?
The fire could have been started by any number of things, including
house owner negligence.
The people of Quebec need our prayers. Several reports coming out of
this province over the past few years indicate that life is becoming
increasingly difficult for evangelical Christians who live there. Our
brothers and sisters in Christ need our prayers. Their children in the
secular school system need our prayers. They are becoming inundated with
godless influences. Please pray.
Should you wish to contact fluently bilingual Premier Charest to express
your concerns, write to:
The Honourable Jean Charest
Premier of Quebec
Edifice Honore′-Mercier
835, boul. Rene′-Levesque Est
3e etage Quebec, QC
G1A 1B4
Fax: 1-418-646-1854
Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God
and the rule of law:..." It also states under the heading of Fundamental
Freedoms: a) Everyone has the freedom of conscience and religion,
freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of
the press and...
One would question, then, why Montreal's Loyola High School, a private
Catholic school for boys that has for decades taught a course in world
religions, be ordered in 2008 by Quebec's Ministry of Education to teach
a strictly secular course entitled "Ethics and Religious Culture" from
grades one to graduation? Loyola did not refuse to teach the course but
merely requested permission to teach it from their Catholic viewpoint,
as the province's curriculum includes the teaching that homosexuality is
normal behaviour. The Ministry of Education denied their request,
stating that the school was "too religiously biased." It is common
knowledge that they wish to force the school to abandon its Jesuit
principles.
As a result, Loyola took the Ministry to the Superior Court of Quebec.
In June of this year, Justice Gerard Dugre′ ruled in favour of Loyola
High School, referring to the Supremacy of God clause in the Canadian
Charter of Rights and Freedoms. He stated the province's Ministry of
Education was guilty of displaying "a totalitarian character" in forcing
the school to teach a secular course that is morally and religiously in
opposition to Catholic teaching. He stated that the Ministry's attempt
to force this course upon Loyola High School violated their freedom of
religion.
The Globe & Mail newspaper posted an article dated June 21, 2010 in
which it stated, "In a decision that sets back Quebec's efforts to strip
religion from the province's institutions, a judge has ruled that the
government showed Inquisition-like intolerance in the way it imposed a
secular ethics course on a private Roman Catholic school."
Amazingly, Quebec Premier Jean Charest has stated that his government
will appeal the ruling. Some Quebecers have become very militant on the
side of gay rights and are increasingly putting great pressure upon
politicians to deprive citizens of their religious freedoms. Instead of
taking a stand for the rights and freedoms of Quebecers, Premier Charest
is cowardly bowing down to pressure from a minority group wishing to
bully the majority. Shame on him.
Since Loyola High School won the recent court case against the Quebec
government, Michelle Courchesne, Minister of Education, Recreation &
Sports has singled out the school by thoroughly investigating everything
the school does in order to find everything possible to discredit it.
The school may have won the first legal battle, but the war itself is
not yet over. Wielding a large stick, Minister Courchesne dug around
until she found enough ammunition with which to threaten closure of the
school for this Fall's classes for their 300 students.
Further, an atheist organization called the Centre for Inquiry Canada
states that the Supremacy of God clause that Superior Court Justice
Dugre′ referred to in his ruling must be removed from the Canadian
Charter because God must not be seen as a source of authority due to the
fact that not everyone believes He exists. That's about as intelligent
as an insurance company stating that they will refuse to honour a
client's claim after their house burned down from an electrical failure,
stating that because no one actually "saw" the electricity start the
fire, the fire inspector's opinion is only one opinion of many, correct?
The fire could have been started by any number of things, including
house owner negligence.
The people of Quebec need our prayers. Several reports coming out of
this province over the past few years indicate that life is becoming
increasingly difficult for evangelical Christians who live there. Our
brothers and sisters in Christ need our prayers. Their children in the
secular school system need our prayers. They are becoming inundated with
godless influences. Please pray.
Should you wish to contact fluently bilingual Premier Charest to express
your concerns, write to:
The Honourable Jean Charest
Premier of Quebec
Edifice Honore′-Mercier
835, boul. Rene′-Levesque Est
3e etage Quebec, QC
G1A 1B4
Fax: 1-418-646-1854