The Minister of National Defence Advisory Panel on Systemic Racism and Discrimination recently released a document which caused a bit of a firestorm in Canada. And it would seem with good reason.
The section called "Redefining Chaplaincy" would effectively remove anyone from consideration from any of the major religions practiced in Canada. Clearly the Advisory Panel has an incomplete understanding of faith and the rights accorded to all Canadians under the provisions of Charter 2.
Only those unfamiliar with the full panoply of faiths practiced in Canada and our history of freedom of religious expression could arrive at the simplistic and incomplete conclusions of the Advisory Panel. Every one of the major world religions incorporates language and ideas that may not find acceptance among current political thinking.
However, current political modes have never been the standard by which religious and belief rights are measured.
The recommendations of the Advisory Panel clearly encroach upon freedom of belief. It was a Canadian - McGill Law Professor John Peters Humphrey - who framed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the internationally accepted document that enunciates our collective freedoms.
And Canada was among the very first nations to enthusiastically endorse the document which weighs in clearly about the need to protect freedom of religious expression. In 1851, the Parliament of Upper and Lower Canada enacted the Freedom of Worship Act. It provided legal protection to the "free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference."
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has written: The freedom to believe and practice as we choose is closely related to core values of liberty and autonomy. Religious freedom in Canada means that there are no state-sponsored religions and that the government cannot prefer some religious beliefs or groups over others. Similarly, religious belief cannot be preferred to non-belief.
We strive to ensure that any restrictions on freedom of religion are necessary and minimally intrusive and that our public institutions treat all individuals equally, regardless of religious affiliation. Yes, religious freedom of expression is in our Canadian DNA, and woe betide the government that attempts to abridge or erode that freedom.
Canada is regarded worldwide as the international leader in the realm of interfaith dialogue and understanding. So the Advisory Panel's meddling defies logic.
One can only conclude that The Advisory Panel has inadvertently strayed into a thicket where it clearly has little expertise or understanding. Minister Anand would be well advised to remind the panel of the long Federal Liberal tradition of protecting and advocating for religious freedoms.
Kerry Colborne is the principal broker of Force 10 Capital Management Inc. in Oakville and was the Conservative party candidate for the Oakville riding in the 2021 federal election. Her personal website is online here.
