On February 19 of this year, Prime Minister Harper announced the establishment of the Office of Religious Freedom (ORF).
This new office will be dedicated to promoting freedom of religion and belief around the world as well as in Canada.
Democracy, freedom, and the rule of law are fundamental principles of a free society. One of the basic freedoms is the right to religious expression and assembly without persecution.
The Prime Minister at the announcement said: “Ladies and gentlemen, around the world, violations of religious freedom are widespread and they are increasing. In Iran, Bahá’ís and Christians face harassment, imprisonment, and in some cases death.
“In Pakistan, Ahmadiyya Muslims, Shiites Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and Hindus are vulnerable to persecution and violence. In China, Christians who worship outside government-approved boundaries are driven underground and their leaders arrested and detained…
“Elsewhere we watch in horror as sanctuaries are destroyed and believers are attacked and in some cases slaughtered, Shia Muslim pilgrims in Iraq, Coptic Christian adherents in Egypt, Christians at worship in Nigeria, the list, appallingly, goes on and on.
“In the face of these injustices and atrocities, Canada will not be silent. Indeed, Canada has not been silent.
“Under our government, …Canada defends human rights around the world. And we have not only spoken out; we have also taken action. And we have rallied support for religious freedom, for example, among the leaders of the G-8, of the Commonwealth and at the Francophonie (Summits).”
I was very proud of our government for taking this very important principled stance.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier once said: “Canada is free and freedom is its Nationality.”
And later Canada’s greatest human rights champion, John Diefenbaker said: “I am Canadian, a free Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship God in my own way, free to stand for what I think is right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.”
As your freely chosen Member of Parliament for Okanagan-Shuswap, I also pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind our heritage of freedom.
-Colin Mayes is the Mmember of Parliament for Okanagan-Shuswap.
