About this time last year, Jason Kenney appointed a well known anti-gay activist to the Refugee Board. It was controversial because there were concerns that he would have a say in whether or not we accept refugees fleeing persecution from sexual discrimination.
And remember in some countries they can be imprisoned or even put to death.
A longtime Conservative who opposes same-sex marriage has been appointed to the tribunal that decides whether gays get refugee status in Canada. Doug Cryer, a former director of public policy for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, has also publicly defended the right of churches to denounce homosexuality.
"Doug Cryer of the EFC said the church has a right to say that homosexual behaviour is sinful, just as it can say that adultery is sinful," according to a November 2006 edition of Canadian Christianity.com. "It is part of God's teaching," Cryer told the publication.
The Evangelical Fellowship is also home to the 'Bully from the Pulpit', Darrel Reid, who is now Harper's deputy chief of staff. We were told by former George Bush insider and now Jason Kenney's right hand, whatever his right hand does these days, Alykhan Velshi; that it would not be a problem.
... the minister doesn't apply a religious litmus test to nominations. Just because someone opposes same-sex marriage doesn't mean that they oppose refugee status for homosexuals, he said.
But we realized today that Jason Kenney didn't need Cryer to end protection for gays and lesbians. Kenney did that himself.
Mad yet? I'm furious. They lost the vote on same-sex marriage, now they're just going ahead with their agenda anyway. (Join this Facebook group to get rid of Jason Kenney)Citizenship and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney blocked any reference to gay rights in a new study guide for immigrants applying for Canadian citizenship, The Canadian Press has learned.
Internal documents show an early draft of the guide contained sections noting that homosexuality was decriminalized in 1969; that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation; and that same-sex marriage was legalized nationally in 2005. But Kenney, who fought same-sex marriage when it was debated in Parliament, ordered those key sections removed when his office sent its comments to the department last June.
And again not a word from our government. Everything they do is in absolute secret. I shudder to think what we're going to find out when we finally get them out of office.
IS THIS REALLY YOUR CANADA?
Absolutely excellent post! One thing that really resonated with me was your statement "I shudder to think what we're going to find out...." And I shudder to think what else we don't have a clue about behind the secret curtain.
ReplyDeleteThanks for another piece of the story, Emily.
It's very scary
ReplyDelete