Christian activists capturing Tory races (Canada)

[Minstrel Boy]

Christian activists capturing Tory races

Some in party worry new riding nominees will reinforce notion of 'hidden agenda'

Friday, May 27, 2005 , The Globe and Mail

Ottawa — Christian activists have secured Conservative nominations in clusters of ridings from Vancouver to Halifax -- a political penetration that has occurred even as the party tries to distance itself from hard-line social conservatism.

At least three riding associations in Nova Scotia, four in British Columbia, and one in suburban Toronto have nominated candidates with ties to groups like Focus on the Family, a Christian organization that opposes same-sex marriage. But organizers say many more will be on the ballot during the next federal election, a feat achieved by persuading parishioners, particularly new Canadians, to join the party and vote for recommended candidates.

"The difficulty, from a party perspective, is that it begins to hijack the other agendas that parties have," said Ross Haynes, who lost the Conservative nomination in the riding of Halifax to one of three "Christian, pro-family people" recommended by a minister at a religious rally this spring in Kentville, N.S.

Candidates who are running on single issues such as opposition to same-sex marriage "probably can't get elected because they certainly don't represent any mainstream population view," Mr. Haynes said.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20050527.wxtories27/BNStory/National/

[annabanana]

1. They are going to "republicafy" the Tory party..

So, If the Torys in Canada LIKE what they're seeing South of the Border . . well that's what they're gonna get.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Oh God, it's spreading ! Can't you guys get FOF outlawed?

[trogdor]

3. They'd have to impose a quota on Americans.

I suspect when they say "new Canadians" they mean our own holy rollers who have taken up residence up there for the purpose of imposing their worldwide agenda on Canada. If that's the case, I apologize with the greatest, most heartfelt remorse to our northern neighbors.

OTOH, it might, at least temporarily, turn off enough people in non-fundy parts of Canada to keep the Tories from power. Perhaps if they get burned at the polls, they might do something.

[laheina]

4. We gave them our repug cooties.

Kind of like giving your significant other a social disease.

[Tyler Durden]

9. NO! just give us Liberals preference!

I've got THREE Liberals at age of majority NOW, and THREE MORE in the next 8 years.

Let US in. We'll be more than happy to let them all know about the US and the shit. It sure didn't do any good here for the last 35 years of activism for me anyway.

[iverglas]

20. "new Canadians"

I suspect when they say "new Canadians" they mean our own holy rollers who have taken up residence up there for the purpose of imposing their worldwide agenda on Canada.


Actually, no. He's referring to some elements of the largely visible-minority immigrant community, in particular the conservative-Christian Chinese community and the conservative-Muslim community from a variety of national/ethnic backgrounds.

We do have our very own culture up here.

When press conferences were held around the same-sex marriage reference to the Supreme Court of Canada, just about the best speaker was a Chinese-Canadian guy who laid this crap on the line.

As he told it (and obviously, he's right), the Chinese Christian community in Canada, in particular, has often been pressed into service by right-wing political elements who are manipulating them for their own ends, and defining their interests and views for their own purpose.

That's not to say that conservative-Christian Chinese congregations and leaders have not been in the forefront of the effort to eliminate same-sex marriage. The Chinese Christian community tends to be religiously conservative, but is divided. Some years ago, when the United Church of Canada was discussing the ordination of gay men and lesbians, a number of Chinese-Canadian congregations left the church. (The UCC is a very religiously-liberal, socially-progressive institution, which has many ties to China through earlier mission/development work.)

The Conservatives are trying to exploit the fact that in places like Toronto, "new Canadians" and members of visible minorities make up a significant proportion of the population (like, approaching half). And in the process, operating on, or advancing, the racist premise that they're all alike.

http://www.samesexmarriage.ca/advocacy/ccnc180205.htm

Chinese Canadians to Harper: not all alike

Chinese Canadian National Council

The Chinese Canadian National Council (CCNC) has issued a statement to Conservative Leader Stephen Harper that takes him to task for assuming all Chinese Canadians - and other ethnic minorities - hold the same position on the same-sex marriage issue.

"Throughout this debate, we have stated very, very clearly that it is incorrect to say all Chinese or other ethnic minorities are against equal marriage," said Kristyn Wong-Tam, spokesperson for the CCNC. "We now want to make it very clear to Stephen Harper that he is wrong. And, more so, we want him to know it is patronizing and insulting to us for him to have suggested - in the House of Commons - that the ethnic minorities are monolithic in their opposition to civil marriage being extended to gays and lesbians."

The CCNC was responding to Mr. Harper's statement: "Up until a few years ago, even within the modern era of the Charter, Canadian law and Canadian society took for granted that marriage was intrinsic by definition an opposite-sex institution. So obvious was this, until now, a formulary statute was never adopted by this Parliament. This view was not even restricted to the numerous faces and cultures that have populated our great country from all corners of the earth, though it has been a universal view among them <CCNC emphasis added>."

Ms Wong-Tam said the Chinese Canadian National Council supports the government's gay marriage legislation because its members believe that no minority group should be excluded from civil society -- and that includes civil marriage.

[Spazito]

5. Well, well, well, this is gonna be fun!

Harper is going to have his hands full with these candidates and I LOVE it! He is going to be VERY busy putting out fires all over the place to try and save his faux 'moderate' agenda.

Canadians don't appreciate religious zealots, bigots and imported agendas so the faux Cons have some big problems here, lol.

[FlaGranny]

6. This country didn't appreciate

those things either, but look what happened. Be VERY careful and VERY afraid. These are people who will get their way by ANY means. If they did it here, they can do it anywhere, if good people aren't ever watchful. We once dismissed them as fringe and ridiculous. Now we fear for our very survival as a free country because of them.

[Spazito]

8. Canadians have been watching VERY closely what is happening

in the US re the bush cabal and it's ties to the radical right-wing religious zealots. The faux Cons couldn't even win an election when the Liberals were at their lowest point because of the Sponsorship scandal in the last election and the main reason is because Canadians believe they have a hidden agenda to take Canada in a religious right-wing direction. Having these extreme candidates will only hurt the Cons which is fine with me.

I certainly will do my part in exposing the Focus on the Family's extreme viewpoints and how the faux Cons are supporting their extreme views and so will our media. Thanks to DU, we will have plenty of information to share!

[FlaGranny]

18. I hope you are right.

Twenty-five or 30 years ago, we never thought that in a million years anyone would take them seriously here, either. Infiltration, lies, and deceit got them where they are now. It was a long term plan that succeeded because too many people weren't paying attention. So, pay attention Canada.

[anitar1]

19. i sincerely hope you are right. These people are

dangerous mental cases. Reminds me of pit bulls. When they bite , they do not let go.

[tanyev]

7. Oh, no.

Moving to Canada is plan B for my Canadian husband and myself. Why can't these freaks be satisfied focusing on their own damn families?

[enigmatic]

12. Don't worry about this

This is going to be the death knell of both Harper and the CPC; since I've been up here the one thing made painfully clear is that Canadians don't cotton to religious dogma in their political leaders.

They are a minority in their own party, and even if they pick up a few ridings here and there, it's at a cost to the CPC itself in the long run.

[tanyev]

15. Thanks, I'll try to remember that.

I just never thought the religiosos could take over this country, and look where we are. It's very disconcerting to realize the country you actually live in is very different from the country you thought you lived in.

[daleo]

10. Religiosity isn't very effective in Canada's political culture

I don't know why - maybe it is a reaction to the French Catholic vs English Protestent divide of past days. At any rate, blabbing about how Godly you are seems to turn off most Canadians.

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

17. It makes us look like Americans.

;)

[whosinpower]

11. What this really means is that....

Conservatives are further alienating themselves from mainstream Canada. They can blather all they want about the corruption of the liberal party - however, it is the liberals who have maintained power for the longest period of time in Canadian politics - and they maintain power for a reason....Canadians like them. Conservatives STILL have not got their head around why Canadians are so apposed to them - it boils down to a few crucial issues - the implementation of the GST tax, Free Trade and the failed Meech Lake accords. BTW - it was the failure of the Meech Lake Accord which ultimately resulted in Lucien Bouchard to defect from the conservatives and form his own Bloc Quebecois(the seperatists) The conservatives have been blaming the rise of seperatism on the liberal party, but this really isn't the total truth.

[croat]

13. As if I needed...

...yet another reason NOT to vote for the bloody Cons!

[newyawker99]

16. Hi croat!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Gloria]

14. This doesn't help the Tory's recent attempts to look more

"moderate" on social issues. I heard a report a while back on CBC/Radio Canada about their convention and how some of them were upset because the line on social issues had been moderated and they felt it sounded just like the Liberals.....