Years ago my father would instruct my sisters and me to do something…“or else.” We never asked what the “or else” was…we knew better.

Justin Trudeau has given us the “or else” for the Canada Summer Jobs Program and it isn’t pretty. The leader of our government doesn’t play fair. Canadian businesses and other organizations will do what they’re told, and think what they are taught by the government, or they will be disciplined.

Member of Parliament, Brad Trost, has broken the news that with the commencement of the Summer Jobs Program on December 19th:

“In order to receive federal Canada job grants, employers must attest that:

• both the job and the organization’s core mandate respect individual human rights in Canada, including the values underlying the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as other rights. These include reproductive rights and the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, race, national or ethnic origin, colour, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression.”

MP Trost goes on to ask this very disturbing question: what about other government funding? Will more programs become ideologically-based? What about pensions — imagine having to attest to these “values” to get your Canada Pension cheque?

There is no room for divergent viewpoints in the “new Canada.” Big Brother has told us what we must believe. He has said it and that settles it. He seems to think that, since he was elected by Canadians, he can dictate to Canadians what they may do, say and think. In the 2015 election, Canadians failed to think through the implications of their vote.

Mr. Trudeau had already given Canadians a foretaste of his governing style: In May of 2014, as Liberal Leader, not yet the Prime Minister, Trudeau announced, “I have made it clear that future [Liberal] candidates need to be completely understanding that they will be expected to vote pro-choice on any bills.” He gave us fair warning that his governing style would be: “Do it my way or else.”

Canadians are no longer free to express an alternative viewpoint in the “new Canada.” There is only one acceptable opinion! It’s “Whatever you say, Supreme Leader” or there will be no money for you now, and perhaps no rights for you soon!

Businesses are not exempt! They must join our government in the bedrooms of our nation to qualify for government programs. Excuse Me? Legitimate, tax-paying, employment-providing organizations are to be excluded from government programs unless they swear allegiance to the whims of our “elected dictator?”

But don’t worry: ‘In the presentation made to MPs, the government notes that the changes will not make churches or religious and faith-based organizations themselves ineligible for the program, saying “that an organization is affiliated with a religion does not itself constitute ineligibility.”’

Do you believe this assurance? You shouldn’t. That looks a lot like double-speak to me. We could add the rest of the sentence, “that an organization is affiliated with a religion does not itself constitute ineligibility…as long as their affiliation doesn’t affect their agreement with our newly changed rights.”

Where does Trudeau’s leadership sit on the democratic scale? Well, dictatorship comes to mind. Does this sound too harsh? Add up all that our Prime Minister has said himself, and also the actions his government has taken.

In 1995, the Supreme Court of Canada “read into” the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms the phrase “sexual orientation” (words which never were and still are not actually part of the CCRF). But, notice above, “reproductive rights” (abortion), “gender expression” and “gender identity,” have now been read into our CCRF by our Prime Minister.

There is a formula for amending our CCRF but that carefully crafted formula seems to be unnecessary in the “new Canada.” There’s an easier way today…without discussion…our leaders amend our highest document by simply reading whatever they want into the CCRF. Of course, this government has read Liberal philosophies into the document, creating new classes of privilege (it calls them “rights”), which it falsely claims derive from the Charter itself.

Under today’s government, our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is being twisted to treat Canadians unequally. There are the ones who kowtow before a government that controls our homes, businesses, churches, and public life. These have full rights and privileges. Then there are those who would prefer to stand on their feet rather than grovel on their knees. They believe in the freedoms and equalities outlined in our previous understanding of rights and freedoms. These Canadians, under our current government, don’t get to take part in government programs nor are they allowed to speak freely. They are second-class citizens. To paraphrase George Orwell’s prophetic statement in Animal Farm: “All are equal but some are more equal than others.”

There is a path back to sanity. There is a path back to all Canadians being equal under the law. It will take Canadians standing up and pushing back! It will take the Christian Heritage Party; the only political party with a will to maintain the worldview that brought us freedom and equality. We are the only political party willing to allow dissenting voices as the price of freedom of speech, dissenting religious beliefs as the price to freedom of religion, the only political party willing to place all, including members of government, under the same law.

There is a looming crisis for those who are under the illusion that Canada remains a free and democratic country. It’s time to put on your boots and get on the battlefield. A battle that’s not fought will be lost by default.

Join CHP Canada today. If you’re a member already, have you committed your energy and financial support to the battle? This is the time for action, while we still have a voice.