Ontario Speaker Upholds Ruling Against Pro-Palestine Keffiyeh in Legislature
The Story: Despite pressure from the Leaders of every elected Party—including Premier Doug Ford—Speaker of the Ontario Legislative Assembly Ted Arnott is standing by his ruling that bans the black-and-white keffiyeh. Although it was made famous by terrorist leader Yasser Arafat, activists claim that the keffiyeh is merely a Palestinian cultural symbol. Speaker Arnott, however, reiterated the long-standing rule that all attire which makes a statement—even an uncontroversial one such as cancer awareness—is prohibited in the Legislature.
This rule can be set aside by a unanimous vote of the house, which has been attempted twice by the NDP since the Speaker’s ruling. Both times, however, a small number of Progressive Conservative MPPs defied Ford and upheld the ban.
MPP Sarah Jama, who was removed from the NDP caucus over pro-Hamas statements made two days after the October 7 massacre, defied the ban and was ordered to leave the legislature for the remainder of the day, which she refused to do. While the Speaker did not have her removed by force, he did bar her from voting.
The Significance: As surely as the Emperor has no clothes, the black-and-white keffiyeh is a political symbol—and one that supports antisemitic and anti-Christian terrorism. But just like the aforementioned story, there are many cowards who would deny what they know to be true merely to avoid the uncomfortable consequences of speaking the truth.
This is disturbing on two levels. Firstly, Christians owe a duty to the truth because Christ Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. To deny what we know to be true for political gain is akin to— though not as severe as—Peter’s trifold denial of Jesus.
Secondly, it should cause great consternation that every Party leader in our largest province believes that it is politically expedient to support a terrorist ideology. This demands an answer to a terrifying question: have we imported our own destruction?
This question must be answered, but for now we can appreciate the courage of Speaker Arnott, MPP Robin Martin, and the other MPPs who refused to allow a lie to stand.
Read More: Joanne Shuttleworth, The Wellington Advertiser, “Arnott sticking to decision to ban keffiyeh in legislature”
Toronto Raptors Forward Receives Lifetime Ban for Betting on Basketball
The Story: The National Basketball Association (NBA) has banned Toronto Raptors Forward Jontay Porter for life after completing an investigation into allegations that the 24-year-old violated the NBA’s prohibition on betting—including by betting against his own performance in Raptors games.
Single-game sports betting became legal in Canada after just 15 MPs voted against Conservative MP Kevin Waugh’s pro-legalization private member’s bill in the House of Commons.
The Significance: Jontay Porter’s decision to bet on NBA games he participated in is grievously immoral. To earn an illegal financial profit, Porter had to lie, cheat, and steal. His actions compromised the integrity of an entire sport, and his severe punishment is well-earned. However, a word must be said about the environment in which Porter committed his crime.
Until 2014—when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced his support of legalized sports betting—every major North American sports league opposed gambling, arguing that the practice would compromise the integrity of their respective sports. Since then, sports betting has been legalized in Canada and in 36 US states. Today, every major professional league has official partnerships with betting companies, and star athletes—including Wayne Gretzky, Connor McDavid, LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, and Tom Brady—are heavily compensated to act as ambassadors for various sportsbooks.
Because of this, the NBA should not be surprised that their efforts to tempt everyday people with sports betting also succeeded in tempting one of their own athletes. The NBA and other major sports leagues sought to make a profit by encouraging individuals to spend their money on a highly addictive behaviour that has led to the failure of some men to provide for their families as they use their earnings to finance ever-increasing gambling debts. The moral environment that a society chooses will either encourage citizens to behave morally or will entice them toward sin. The NBA, for its part, has chosen the latter. By comparison, the integrity of basketball seems like the least consequential outcome of the NBA’s decision to promote sin.
Read More: The Associated Press, “Toronto Raptors player bet on his team to lose. He is now banned for life from NBA”
Three Alberta Men Convicted of Mischief for Role in Coutts Blockade
The Story: Three Alberta men—Marco Van Huigenbos, Alex Van Herk and George Janzen—have been convicted by a jury “on charges of mischief over $5,000.” The charges stem from the 2021 convoy blockade of the Coutts border crossing by opponents of federal vaccine mandates. The men will now face up to 10 years in prison for their role in the blockade.
Elsewhere, the Federal Government appears to have intervened to prevent the deportation of Pakistani national Zain Haq—an Extinction Rebellion-affiliated climate activist who has been arrested several times for blocking critical infrastructure and had been facing deportation over violations of his student visa conditions. According to The National Post, “Haq received a cryptic call from the office of Joyce Murray — the Liberal MP for his riding of Vancouver Quadra — telling him to stay by his phone. He was soon contacted by a CBSA case officer telling him he could stay in the country.” Haq’s lawyer expressed his belief that one cabinet member was “listening and paying attention to the timing and decided to step in.”
The Significance: The contrast between these two stories could not be starker. On the one hand, three Canadian citizens are facing up to 10 years in prison for participating in the blockade of critical infrastructure over opposition to federal vaccine requirements. On the other hand, a non-citizen who has repeatedly participated in the blockade of critical infrastructure for left-wing ideological reasons appears to have had his deportation case dismissed with the help of a federal cabinet minister.
Canada should be a nation of laws, and laws against the blockade of critical infrastructure are necessary and well-founded. However, a nation will only truly be a nation of laws if that law is equally applied. In this case, the disparity seems to be clear—and very clearly ideological. A nation cannot long survive with such unequal justice which, in truth, is not justice at all.
Read More: Rachel Emmanuel, True North, “Coutts trio found guilty by jury, faces 10 years in prison”
Read More: Tristan Hopper, The National Post, “Trudeau government intervenes at last minute to save serial blockader from deportation”
Nova Scotia Liberal MLA Introduces Protections or Down Syndrome Children
The Story: A Bill introduced in the Nova Scotia Legislature by a Liberal MLA seeks to push back against false narratives around children with Down syndrome. Harvey’s Law, which has been introduced by MLA Keith Irving, would seek to widely distribute accurate information on Down Syndrome. The information—including information on life expectancy, cognitive development and quality of life, all of which contradict common negative myths around Canadians with Down syndrome—would be given directly to parents who receive a pre-birth diagnosis.
The Significance: An estimated 90% of Canadian babies with Down syndrome are aborted—primarily due to parents’ unfounded fears about the impact these children will have on their own lives, and worries about the life those children will end up living.
For Christians in Canada who believe in the value and sanctity of human life, one of the vital battles of our time is to reject the evil viewpoint that some lives are worth less than others. Seeing humans with mental or physical challenges as less valuable is the antithesis of God’s truth that each one of us was made according to his plan—whatever imperfections we may have (Psalm 139:13-16).
Yes, physical and mental challenges are a sign of the fall and the brokenness that our world will carry until the new Heavens and the new Earth. But until Jesus returns to set everything to right, people with Down syndrome carry one of our greatest truths: that beauty and joy in this present world are often found in what others call broken.
Read More: We Need A Law, “Bill to improve Down syndrome information introduced in Nova Scotia”
Quick Hit
Over 1000 babies killed by late-term abortions in 2023: According to numbers provided by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), 1,190 children were killed by late-term (over 20 weeks gestation) abortions in Canada—excluding Quebec, where the number of babies killed by abortion is not tracked. 131 of those dear children were born alive after a “failed” abortion and were left to die.
In ancient times, humans sacrificed their children on the altars of Moloch. Today, we sacrifice them on the altars of self-worship. For this sin, Israel faced destruction and exile to Babylon (Jer. 32:35-36). We deserve no less. May God have mercy.
Read More: Run with Life: “1,190 late term abortions in Canada for 2022/2023 (excluding Quebec)”
A Truth to Consider
