CHP Leader’s Advice for the New Government
Ottawa, ON - Greetings fellow Canadians. I’m Rod Taylor, National Leader of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada. In the next few minutes, I want to propose—to our newly elected Prime Minister and the government he will lead . . . and to the newly elected or newly re-elected Members of Parliament representing the opposition parties—some suggestions intended to strengthen our nation and to restore a measure of economic and social vitality.
For some time now, Canada has been deeply divided on a number of issues, and this division was manifested even more bitterly during our recent election. All parties claim to represent the best interests of the Canadian people . . . yet that division and rancour has hindered the pursuit of the common good.
In the drafting and passing of legislation, it is impossible to avoid controversy. Yet, in a civilized society such as ours, it should be possible to conduct legitimate debate, without personal attacks and vicious sniping. Many of us regret the rise of the cancel culture and the increasing difficulty of communicating with those who have decided not to listen. Our Parliament—a place of speaking—should not be a place of cancelling the speeches of others.
As the new government convenes, and Members of Parliament begin to face each other and the issues of the day, I suggest—as much as is possible—that they assume good intentions on the part of their political opponents and seek opportunities to build friendships in spite of political differences.
In addition, I suggest the following items for discussion, ones that I believe would help our nation to recover from its economic malaise, its crippling debt and its moral paralysis.
May the 8th—tomorrow—is the annual National March for Life in our nation’s capital and across the country. I suggest that all parliamentarians avail themselves of the opportunity to meet and mingle with the thousands of pro-lifers gathered in Ottawa for the sacred task of protecting innocent human life. For those Members of Parliament who have advocated, in the past, in favour of abortion and euthanasia, I encourage them to set aside their preconceptions and meet some of the passionate and committed proponents of a pro-life point of view. It’s easy to condemn the views of people you don’t know or understand, but those who take a broader view can make better decisions. Canada would benefit and could show real leadership by adopting policies that protect human life.
Most politicians recognize that Canada’s $1.2 trillion in debt is a significant problem and one that is draining our financial resources. We pay $54 billion per year in interest alone on our federal debt. The only way to get out of this deep hole is, first, to stop digging and then to cut up the credit card. The new Parliament should implement mandatory balanced budgets—a policy the CHP has proposed for many years—and make deficit spending illegal. That would require discipline and sacrifice. It would limit politicians, on both sides of the aisle, from buying votes with taxpayer dollars. In addition, I call on MPs in the new Parliament to immediately vote to end the automatic pay increases they have been receiving every year. This would be a small step of solidarity with the Canadian voters and taxpayers who have been the unhappy victims of government-induced inflation.
I call on the government and all parties represented in the house to end the war on carbon dioxide. The Liberals say they are willing to abandon the consumer carbon tax; the Conservatives propose to eliminate all carbon taxes but to pursue carbon capture technologies instead. But, I call on all parties to recognize the fact that carbon dioxide is not a toxin; it’s plant food and a beneficial component of our atmosphere. The government could save massive amounts of money and significantly improve our economy by eliminating the costly efforts to either tax or capture carbon.
The government could also demonstrate real leadership in justice and human rights by protecting women and girls from being forced to compete with biological males in sports competitions and being forced to share washrooms, change rooms and showers with biological males. This is an issue that all parties should be able to agree on as the current unwelcome presence of biological males in female sports and washrooms is a clear violation of women’s rights and feminist principles.
These are just a few ideas that I think would get the new government off to a good start. Our nation faces a perilous future. Our children need to see a good example from our parliamentarians, and the voters and taxpayers need to see Members of Parliament working together to accomplish good things.
We’ve just gone through a very difficult election. Many Canadians (of all political stripes) are unhappy with the results. . . and public opinion has become unsettled and cynical in regards to politics and media spin. Our people are burdened with debt and lack confidence in the economy, and in the integrity of government agencies.
This government—if it wants to rebuild that confidence—must take steps to show that it shares our concerns and is willing to share our burdens.
In closing, I wish the members of the new government and all those elected and appointed to serve the people of Canada, wisdom and understanding and a genuine desire to do the right thing for the right reason, without inordinate partisan bickering and conflict. Canada can be a world leader. We should be. We, in the Christian Heritage Party, and all Canadians of good will, will pray that it may be so.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms begins with these words: “Canada is founded on principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law.”
If our nation is founded on these principles, it behooves the Prime Minister and all Members of Parliament to remember them and to live by them . . . and to legislate, taking them into account.
Thank you for your attention. I hope to see many of you at the March for Life tomorrow. God bless you all.
For more information, contact CHP National Office at 1-888-868-3247 or by email at nationaloffice@chp.ca
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