Note: “Call your banker” initiative detailed below!
Attacks on your rights growing and accelerating
I must say, when I began writing these weekly updates for C3RF members way back on 14 Sep, 2018 I thought I might be hard-pressed to come up with enough information to make a regular go of it. Fact is, the attacks on your Charter Rights and Freedoms are coming so fast and furious that it is hard to keep up with them.
Islamophobia does curtail free speech
Casting back to the origins of the C3RF in the early days of Motion M-103, recall that “Islamophobia” and its impact on free speech was a singular issue. It was billed as just another form of “religious discrimination” – like “antisemitism”. This was supposedly the case as it involved discrimination against individuals on the basis of their practised religion. After all, the Motion’s sponsor, MP Iqra Khalid, stated that “Islamophobia is the irrational hatred of Muslims that leads to discrimination”. We now see, however, that the good MP was deluded. This simple fact is demonstrated by recent events in Europe that affirm Islamophobia has come to include any criticism of religious icons, practices and doctrines and not simply discrimination against practitioners of this particular faith.
This reality was in play last week as the European Court of Human Rights decided to outlaw criticism of Islam’s prophet. The decision found that defamatory statements critical of the prophet go “beyond the permissible limits of an objective debate” and “could stir up prejudice and put at risk religious peace”. Really, who determined the “limits” and is it truly “prejudice” to discuss personalities whose words and actions are central to the practices of a belief system? Here we see the impact of the fight against “Islamophobia” in Europe - a fight that began in earnest in the mid-nineties and had a twenty-year head start on Canada’s M-103 initiative. On its present course, does Canada even have twenty years before it outlaws criticism of Islam and its founding principles? Is Canada’s commitment to individual Charter Rights, especially freedom of speech, sufficiently robust to withstand the Islamophobia juggernaut that is now ravaging Europe’s free speech rights?
Other rights come under attack – freedom of religion, conscience and association
When assessing Canada’s commitment to “free speech”, one would do well to study its willingness to defend other “fundamental” freedoms that are similarly afforded to Canadian citizens through the Charter. Unfortunately, several other fundamental freedoms are now coming under attack and there are many breaches that can be evaluated. A case in point is the 2018 Supreme Court decision (7-2) that ruled against Trinity Western University and its ability to offer its students a Christian environment as they studied law. Freedoms of religion, conscience and association were abrogated by the Court as they “balanced” them away in favour of the equality rights of an “identifiable group”. This was an interesting case as it signaled the Court’s movement away the primacy of “fundamental” rights and its own 2001 decision (8-1) to protect these same rights in a case that featured the same university.
Other rights come under attack – now it’s your right to privacy
So much for the protection of fundamental, individual rights by Canadian Courts. How serious are our own, elected representatives when it comes to this critical task? One might be concerned when it comes to this week’s news that the Government of Canada, through Statistics Canada, is asking banks across the nation to supply personal financial data on hundreds of thousands of Canadians – unbeknownst to these same citizens. The collection of such sensitive information, without permission, can clearly be seen to abrogate Section 8 of the Charter and its call to disallow “unreasonable search and seizure”. At this point in time, the Liberal government continues to justify its trampling of these individual rights with no intention to test its actions under the full light of the Charter.
This invasion of your privacy rights is even more worrisome when one considers a number of other information exchange agreements that Canada is entering into with other countries - including China. One such arrangement sees tax information being shared when individuals are under investigation for evasion. Will the new StatsCan initiative open the door for the international transfer of additional data including yours? Such a capability, although clearly against the interests of the citizen, would fall in line with U.N. Agenda 2030 and its call for nations to provide financial support for the implementation of its seventeen Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). These goals include the combatting of “climate change” and ensuring the safe, orderly and regular flow of international migration. There are dots here that are begging to be connected. One could be forgiven for asking, is the government of Canada working in the interests of its citizens or a global imperative?
What to do – why not contact your bank and discuss the status of your personal financial information?
Someone needs to get the ball rolling when it comes to forcing the StatsCan, data-grab initiative to pass Charter muster. Our politicians seem to be stymied by an intractable Liberal, majority government so I suppose its up to us, as aggrieved individuals, to apply pressure. You can do this by intervening personally with your bank manager. Tell him or her that you have a Charter right that secures your personal property from unreasonable search and seizure. Demand that your data be protected and that you be informed if government agencies come looking for its retrieval. More than this though, tell bank management that you will consider moving your finances elsewhere if the bank refuses to act on your behalf. In the end, if your political leaders won’t help you and you are too small to defend your own rights, perhaps the banks will move to do so. One thing is for sure, if you fail to show up for this fight you will be screwed. Show up and you, and your kids and grandkids, will have a chance. Good luck to us all!
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU CONTACT YOUR BANK MANAGER – WHAT DID HE OR SHE SAY?
C3RF Twitter Highlights
Theme-based Twitter highlights this week home-in on two issue that look to be connected, the StatsCan data-grab and the U.N. Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. I say “look to be connected” as they both can be seen to have their roots in the goals outlined in U.N. Agenda 2030. Indeed, when one looks at the actions of our current government through the 2030 lens the irrational becomes rational. It all seems to fall into place. Coincidence? Here’s a smattering of related tweets:
Ongoing operations and trends
C3RF is committed to raising public awareness on matters that involve your fundamental Charter Rights. As can be seen above, the list of threats to these freedoms is increasing and growing fast. It’s as though they represent a threat to certain political agendas and must be diminished come hell or high water.
Please note that efforts aimed at preserving the fundamental rights and freedoms of Canadians are not without cost. For those of you who have recently contributed to our coffers, thank you very much. We cannot continue to operate and progress such initiatives without such aid. Having said that, we could certainly use a lot more of it from all others and hope you can contribute towards making a difference. If you are able to make a monthly donation, no matter how small, even $5/month, it will help us plan our finances and provide funding for a rainy day which is sure to come.
And while you're considering making a difference, please follow C3RF on Twitter, on Facebook and on our web site and share with friends our great content and a realistic outlook on the continuing battle for Charter Rights in Canada.
Major Russ Cooper (Ret'd)
Co-Chair C3RF
