(LifeSiteNews) –– Citing the continued persecution of Christians in Canada, a Conservative MP has launched an initiative calling on “all levels of government” to put an end to “anti-Christian bigotry.”
Started by Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) MP for Durham, Ontario, Jamil Jivani, the “Protect Christians in Canada” initiative seeks to raise awareness and put an end to “anti-Christian bigotry in Canadian institutions.”
“We need to do more to protect Christians in Canada. Now when you see a Christmas tree like this in Parliament, you might think that’s a sign of respect for Christians. But what good is the Christmas tree here in Parliament when you have a federal government that will not lift a finger to protect Christians from governments and corporations abusing their power,” said Jivani in a video posted to X Tuesday with a link to his petition.
I’m sounding the alarm.
We must protect Christians in Canada from governments and corporations abusing their power in our country, and from anti-Christian bigotry.
I’ll present this petition in Ottawa in the new year.
Sign and share if you agree:https://t.co/YqyuQ7IBhL pic.twitter.com/boiE3v7Nyr
— Jamil Jivani (@jamiljivani) December 3, 2024
“What good is a Christmas tree here in Parliament when you have a federal government that will not fight anti-Christian bigotry in Canadian institutions?”
Jivani’s petition calls for “All levels of government must take action to protect Christians in Canada.”
“Many Christians in Canada are concerned about government and corporate overreach in their communities, workplaces or schools. Anti-Christian bigotry and discrimination also affects Christian citizens and organizations in our country,” reads the petition, which is now open for signatures.
“Take a stand in support of Christians in Canada.”
Crime ‘sprees’ targeting churches must ‘stop’
Jivani was recently elected as a Conservative MP in a by-election, and since that time has been outspoken in his defense of Christians.
In his video message, he said that the time is “now” to “take action” to “defend parental rights of mothers and fathers,” and to “defend conscience, rights of unionized and non-unionized workers, including healthcare professionals.”
“We have to stop the crime spree targeting churches, including arsons and vandalism and we need to defend the legal status of Christian charities and the freedom of expression of Christian churches,” he said.
Jivani said that in February next year he will present the petition to the House of Commons.
“We need as many people as possible to show support for the Christian communities in our country. This is not about forcing other people to live according to Christian values. No, this is about whether Christians in Canada have the freedom to live according to their own traditions and to practice their own faith without corporations and governments engaging in overreach,” he said.
“I’m sounding the alarm. We must protect Christians in Canada from governments and corporations abusing their power in our country, and from anti-Christian bigotry.”
In recent months, the federal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has gone on the attack against pro-life charities, as well as stayed silent on the dozens of church burnings that have plagued the nation.
Since the spring of 2021, 112 churches, most of them Catholic, have been burned to the ground, vandalized or defiled in Canada.
The church burnings started in earnest after the mainstream media and the federal government ran with inflammatory and dubious claims that hundreds of children were buried and disregarded by Catholic priests and nuns who ran some of the now-closed residential schools in Canada, particularly a school in Kamloops, British Columbia.
Jivani has urged support from his political opponents for a bill that would give stiffer penalties to arsonists caught burning churches down, saying the recent rash of destruction is a “very serious issue” that is a direct “attack” on families as well as “religious freedom in Canada.”