Freedom of Conscience & Freedom of Speech in Canada

David Rand, President, Atheist Freethinkers

This is a summary of a talk at the Days of Atheism event in Warsaw, Poland. Because of time and translation constraints, some of the points included here were not covered during the presentation given on March 28^th 2015

Introduction

In general, Canada is an open society with democratic governance which protects fundamental human rights. Nevertheless, there are many problems, some of which have been exacerbated in recent years because of the increasing spread of Islamist extremism and the overwhelming influence in Canada of Islamism’s objective ally: the ideology of multiculturalism.

Our Organization Libres penseurs athées – Atheist Freethinkers (LPA-AFT)

• Foundation, Atheists Without Borders convention
• Affiliation IAFT-AILP, AAI
• Our Atheist Manifesto
• Our participation in Rassemblement pour la laïcité (RPL) (Alliance for Secularism)
• Our web sites (www.atheology.ca, www.atheologie.ca), our blogs, our press releases, etc.

The current political situation in Canada and in Quebec

• Harper government federally, ally of Christian evangelistic right, muzzling scientists
• Office of Religious Freedom (our Press Release, 2013-02-22, “Office of Religious Freedom: A contrivance which will protect neither non-believers nor apostates”)
• Quebec: PQ defeated by PLQ in April 2014 (see Charter of Values/Secularism)

Federal Legislation

• Preamble to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982 Constitution) which specifies “the supremacy of God”
• Anti-blasphemy legislation (Criminal Code §296)
• Hate Propaganda legislation and the religious exception (Criminal Code §319.3.b)
• Our Press Release, 2015-01-08, “Atheist Freethinkers Condemns Horrific Attack on Charlie Hebdo,…”, calling for repeal of both of the above.
• Our participation in the International Coalition Against Blasphemy Laws
• Multiculturalism Act

Provincial Legislation

• Human Rights commissions which threaten freedom of speech
• CDPDJ (Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse): recent disturbing proposal by CDPDJ president Jacques Frémont to prohibit “public incitement of hatred” on various grounds including religion

The Quebec Charter of Values/Secularism

• Our Press Release, 2013-09-17, “The Quebec Charter of Values: A major advance towards secularism”
• Our participation in the RPL
• Defeat in April 2014
• Our brief “Freedom From Religion” presented before the parliamentary commission.
• Some “secular” groups in Canada outside Quebec opposed the Charter, a shameful betrayal of secularism

Charlie Hebdo

• Demonstrations in various Canadian cities, including Montreal, in support of Charlie Hebdo
• Cowardice of anglo-Canadian media (except National Post) in not printing CH cover cartoons.
• Our Press Release of 2015-01-08 about Charlie Hebdo and the need to repeal 2 federal provisions (blasphemy and religious exception in hate propaganda).
• The January 27^th event at the Lion d’or, talk by Charlie Hebdo journalist Zineb El-Rhazoui
• Our Press Release of 2015-02-24 about the importance of publishing the cartoons.

The Niqab in Citizenship Hearings and the Hijab in Quebec Courts

• Ban imposed December 2013 by a minister of the Harper government
• Ban struck down by federal court
• Harper government appealing
• Our Press Release of 2015-02-26 supporting the niqab ban and the government’s appeal.
• How the crazy multiculturalist position adopted by NDP (Mulcair) and Liberals (Trudeau) capitulates to Islamism and thus indirectly strengthens Harper and the Christian right (just as the failure of French leftists to speak truthfully about Islam strengthened the Front National).
• Cartoon of Justin Trudeau

Conclusion: How multiculturalism and communitarianism enable Islamist extremism

• Inept efforts of Quebec government to prevent Islamist “radicalisation”
• Need to cancel the ERC (Ethics and religious culture) program in Quebec schools: We suggest keeping the ethics and morals aspect but replacing religion with philosophy for children.
• Need to tell the truth about Islam in particular and monotheisms in general.