Harper recently closed a speech or something with "God Bless Canada" and created some commotion. See http://redtory.blogspot.com/2006/01/harper-gives-canada-finger.html for an amusing sample.
If this were a standalone incident, I would shrug it off. But with the american talibangelists oops televangelists (thanks Ryan) and other right-wing nuts out there, I am disappointed he would break the very Canadian "keep religion OUT of politics" custom and am therefore quite uneasy.
This, coupled with the Chief of Defence Staff breaking the "keep politics out of the military" custom and publically voicing his political opinion are a GREAT CAUSE OF CONCERN. (Yesterday he commented at a press conference against the Liberals and expressed gratitude for having a Conservative government.) He also said "we have to export stability, or, if we do nothing, we will end up importing instability."
This is a subtle but significant shift in the tectonic plates of our society. Both the CDS and Harper are following the Republican example a little too eagerly, without regard for the progressive, independent and secular social bedrock that defines and ties us together as Canadians. I AM AFRAID. VERY AFRAID.
3 comments:
[sarscasm] I trust the next time a co-worker sneezes, no one is caught saying "Bless you" because religion has no place in the workplace. [/sacrcasm]
Seriously, though, I think you overreact. Canada is country that until a few years ago gave constitutional protection to Protestant and Catholic school boards in Quebec.
Until the 1960s, the Quebec government abdicated its role in education let the Church run the Catholic system.
Our national athem make more than a pass reference to our deity (the French version is even more specific about whose deity it is).
* God keep our land glorious and free
* Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux / Car ton bras sait porter l'épée / Il sait porter la croix
Saying God bless Canada is a pretty harmless statement. As long as Prime Minster Harper doesn't enact a state religion or transfer government authority to the religion of his choice, I'm pretty tolerant (and secure enough) about letting folks express their personal (and harmless) thological beliefs.
- D
(By Zeus, I am a great writer!)
Overreacting? Didn't I say right at the get-go that "If this were a standalone incident, I would shrug it off."?
Re-read my comment - you'll see that it's all the other stuff that concerns me.
PS - lol - yes you ARE a good writer!
Post a Comment