December 8, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) – Earlier this week, I was asked by a friend why Canadian politics “is so depressing.” At times, that’s hard to disagree with—far-left politicians run nearly every province in the country, and Trudeau’s federal government is determined to fork millions of Canadian taxpayer dollars to the international abortion industry to fund the procedure in the developing world—even where abortion remains illegal.
But it is also true that hard work is being done right across the country by dedicated men and women to fight for life, conscience rights, parental rights in education, and a free society.
That work often goes unnoticed, but let me provide you with four recent examples:
- Jason Kenney, the new leader of the United Conservative Party of Alberta, proved that he is willing to stand up for parental rights when he and his colleagues opposed Bill 24, which made it illegal for school staff to tell parents if their children joined a Gay-Straight Alliance Club. With Christian parents under attack across the country, it was a relief to finally see a politician willing to defend them—especially in the face of NDP Premier Rachel Notley calling Christian parents “super-cruel.”
- Garnett Genuis, a pro-life Member of Parliament from Edmonton, was named the 2017 Parliamentarian of the Year by his colleagues—the youngest recipient of this honor by over ten years. Since his election in 2015, Genuis has drawn attention to the plight of religious minorities around the world and emphasized the importance of religious liberty throughout his work. He also spoke at the 2017 March for Life.
- Bill 34, a much-needed piece of legislation that protects medical professionals from being forced to participate in assisted suicide, passed third reading in the province of Manitoba and will become law. With attacks to freedom of conscience ramping up across Canada and some medical associations claiming that doctors and nurses do not have the right to opt out of participation in killing, it is heartening to see some politicians taking steps to ensure that conscience rights are protected.
- In Ontario, Member of Provincial Parliament Sam Oosterhoff, a young pro-life politician who was elected at the age of only 19, has introduced Bill 182. The Compassionate Care Act will “ensure that the government develops a framework which will lead to improved access to and education about hospice palliative care in Ontario.” With the legalization of assisted suicide in 2015, many have been pointing to the huge lack of access to palliative care across the country, and it is hugely encouraging to see politicians like Oosterhoff step forward to address them and ensure that compassionate options are available to Canadians who may be in desperate need of them.
It is true that so-called “progressive” politicians across the country are pushing forward with their dangerous agendas, but it is equally true that there are some politicians willing to push back.
Rather than simply complaining about how terrible things are, it is our job to step up and support the politicians who are willing to defend fundamental rights in the face of smears and hostility, and work to get more such men and women into the halls of power. When they stand up for us, we must stand up for them so they will be encouraged to continue fighting.
