Are Conservative Christians Unsuitable for Government Jobs?

During the last federal election in January, the Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party of Canada of the time spoke repeatedly of how Liberal values are Canadian values and that Liberals do not hold to the same values as social conservatives who embrace traditional values on sexual morals and family. If his assertion were true, then it would be logical to conclude that social conservatives are not real Canadians and are actually dangerous to Canada. Furthermore, since I am a social conservative, there must be no place in Canada for people like me.

Well, it is nice to know that some things don't change. Things like the Liberal Party's disdain for conservative Christians and their values. Yesterday, the Liberals (now in Opposition) called on the Conservative government to reverse its decision to hire former B.C. Conservative candidate Darrel Reid as top aide to Environment Minister Rona Ambrose. The reason? Mr. Reid's past comments on gay rights, abortion and "sexual mores" while he was president of Focus on the Family in Canada.

As cited in today's National Post, in 2003, Reid apparently compared Canada to Nazi Germany for bringing in a new law to include homosexuals as a protected group under Canada's hate crimes propagation laws. He argued, as VOMC also did at the time, social conservatives could be subject to prosecution if they spoke against homosexuality. Although this legislation has not been used in this way yet and I am not sure that referring to Nazi Germany was the wisest choice to use as an example, VOMC's newest DVD "Faith Under Fire: Canada" provides evidence of the legitimacy of Reid's concerns. The Opposition Leader, Bill Graham, however, said in the House of Commons, "Colleagues, look around this House. Are there members in this House who are like colleagues of Adolf Hitler, who are Nazis? This is the type of person the Prime Minister is bringing to his high political office and to the House."

Does he want an answer to that question? Because the spread of disinformation and intolerance was a hallmark of the propaganda and social engineering machine of Nazi Germany. It is also a hallmark of the Liberals, as evidenced when Graham also demanded an explanation from the Prime Minister for a letter that he claimed Reid sent to the Western Standard in which the writer called on Muslims to demonstrate "theirs is a religion of peace, rather than a religion based on threats, intimidation and terrorism." Nothing new there; lots of people have been calling on Muslims to do so (including other Muslims).

But no, Mr. Graham goes on the offensive. "The rights of minorities in Canada are fundamental to our common citizenship, yet the Prime Minister has named Reid as a key political operator in his administration," Mr. Graham declared in his opening remarks in Question Period. After reading the quote from the letter he claims Reid wrote, Mr. Graham said Canadian Muslims are "people of peace" and called on Mr. Harper to make a decision. "Does the Prime Minister choose our Canadian Muslim voices, or does he support his recent political appointment?"

Too bad that apparently Mr. Graham and his aides can't read. The author of the March 13 letter was signed "Darrell Reid." The Reid that was appointed as an aide spells his first name "Darrel." Oops, wrong guy.

Today, Graham withdrew the remarks, saying he has since found out that Reid never made the remarks concerning Muslims. Graciously, Prime Minister Stephen Harper responded by thanking Graham for admitting the mistake.

The bigger mistake, however, is the Liberal Party's continued opposition to allowing those with conservative Christian values a voice in Canadian society and government. It would appear that only the views of secularists and religious minorities are appropriate. This exclusionary and discriminatory worldview is what the Liberal Party of Canada really needs to apologize for.