CHP
Commentary

​2021 has arrived! The dramatic changes that have taken place in our social interactions, in our economy and in our conduct of elections and worship services in 2020 have created some anxiety about the future and our ability as a society to deal with unexpected challenges. It is essential, if Western democratic institutions are to survive, that we find ways to understand current events and respond to them wisely and with as little fracturing of our society as possible.

​Which would you choose? No meaningful government, or a government in complete control of your life — or neither? If your response is neither, keep reading. If your response is that a limited, responsible government that respects individual freedoms is what is best, let’s talk….

​Winter has arrived in Canada. Over the years, we Canadians have learned to adjust to winter conditions. Visitors from warmer parts of the globe are sometimes surprised by the snow and frigid temperatures but they also learn to adapt. As Canadians, we like to help foreign visitors learn to cope with the challenges of winter.

The passage of C-7 this past week, expanding the reach of euthanasia in Canada, did not come as a surprise. Even so, it still hurts! It’s a slap in the face to all of us who care about the protection of the vulnerable against the insatiable demands of the pro-death culture that surrounds us. What is sometimes overlooked, even by pro-life advocates, is that the deliberate taking of innocent human life is not only a crime against humanity; it is blatant rebellion against the sovereignty of Almighty God.

​How do you normally spend Christmas? How are you planning to spend Christmas this year? Your answer to this year’s Christmas largely depends on where in Canada you live and what your provincial government allows you to do. Yes, you heard that correctly. Our governments decide for us what we’re allowed to do for Christmas.

​As I write, Canada, the U.S. and the citizens of most nations around the world are experiencing anxiety, confusion and distress; governments, and the bureaucrats who sometimes speak for them, are implementing draconian lockdown orders and enforcing them with disturbing zeal. The hyped-up fear of COVID-19 and the justified fear of governments assuming dictatorial powers have worked together to shake public confidence in the institutions that have long been taken for granted.

​“This pandemic has provided us with an opportunity for a re-set”; these are the words of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he addressed a UN conference recently. He went on to say, “this is our chance to reimagine economic systems”, and to combat poverty and climate change, among other things, and to “building back better”.

​On Friday, November 13, 2020, the BC Court of Appeals ruled against the board of the Delta Hospice Society (DHS). DHS has fought to establish and retain the right to refuse membership in the society where applicants promote euthanasia and intend to force the Irene Thomas Hospice, operated by DHS, to provide MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying). The Delta Hospice Society President and the board have been fighting a legal battle for about a year to prevent the takeover of the palliative care society by hundreds of pro-MAiD activists who are trying to ensure that every hospice in BC participates in physician-assisted suicide.

​Tomorrow we will commemorate Remembrance Day. This year, many of us will miss the moments of shared tears as we stand beside our friends, neighbours and family members in public ceremonies to honour our veterans. This day was proclaimed by King George V, one hundred and one years ago, with this proclamation, “All locomotion should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.”

Canada today stands at a crossroads. Many of our fellow-citizens have rejected God, have rejected biblical morality and have rejected respect for human life. Often we see the dwindling numbers of churchgoers or the rising numbers of gender-confused young people and we wonder if there are enough Canadians with a biblical world view to prevent the complete collapse of the social order.

​How many recent Liberal scandals and ethical violations can you name? The SNC-Lavalin scandal, the WE Charity scandal (and its numerous related mini-scandals), the blackface scandal, the Aga Khan island vacation scandal, and maybe a few others? The list is getting longer and more convoluted.

​I want to point out that the phrase separation of church and state, and its accompanying idea—institutionalized Secularism—has no place in Canadian history; and it shouldn’t be a part of Canada’s future, either.