Buckingham Palace announced this week that King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer and will begin receiving regular treatment. Let us pray that Canada’s monarch would be healed from this disease and granted a long, righteous reign. May God save the King.
Federal Conservative Leader Defends Alberta Gender Policies
The Story: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre strengthened his public support for Parental Rights this week while doubling down on his long-standing argument that the issue should be regulated by the provinces.
In a press scrum, Poilievre was questioned about his position on Danielle Smith’s recently-announced gender policies. “Let parents raise kids and provinces run schools and hospitals. That’s my common-sense approach,” Poilievre said, while accusing Prime Minister Trudeau of “spreading disinformation” and using the issue to divide Canadians.
In a surprising move, the Conservative Leader went further by asking, “puberty blockers for minors? I think we should protect children and their ability to make adult decisions when they’re adults.”
The Significance: While the public is overwhelmingly supportive of parental rights, social conservatives are all too familiar with Conservative leaders who avoid all questions on social issues. Thus, it is a welcome surprise—and a testament to the overreach of gender idealogues—that socially libertarian Conservatives like Danielle Smith and Pierre Poilievre are standing strong on an issue of morality.
Although no major Canadian political leader has addressed the underlying problem of transgender ideology—the rejection of humanity as created “male and female” in God’s image (Gen. 1:27)—we should be grateful that some of our political leaders, including the likely next Prime Minister, are willing to stand up for the biblical role of parents, even if they don’t fully realize that’s what they’re doing.
As Christians, we should pray for all these leaders to remain strong in their commitment, and we should become examples of love toward anyone, especially any child, who is struggling with gender confusion. “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me” (Matt. 25:40).
Read More: John Paul Tasker, CBC News, “Pierre Poilievre says minors should not have access to puberty blockers”
Federal Government Budgeted $200M to Enforce Vaccine Mandate on Public Servants
The Story: According to documents obtained by Blacklock’s Reporter, the Canadian Government budgeted nearly $200 million to enforce mandatory vaccines on public servants. The $198.6 million budget line had been allocated to force vaccinations on between 3,000-5,000 unvaccinated bureaucrats—including the cost of responding to legal challenges.
The budget also included nearly $20 million for rapid tests, which would accommodate $24,000 worth of tests per employee.
The Significance: Stories of financial waste and corruption in the Federal Government are common. What is particularly disturbing about this story, however, is just how many financial resources the Government was willing to put into their vaccine mandates.
While officials claimed that the mandatory vaccinations were necessary in order to protect the health of “fellow Canadians,” they could have hired 2,000 nurses with that same budget. An additional 2,000 nurses would have surely had a bigger impact on the overall well-being of our “fellow Canadians” than setting aside the money for legal action against 5% of the public service—the majority of whom were working from home.
In the end, this should be a sobering example to Canadians that this Government prioritizes control over the actual well-being and flourishing of the citizens they are meant to serve.
Read More: Clare Marie Merkowsky, LifeSite News, “Trudeau gov’t budgeted $198 million to enforce COVID mandates on federal employees”
Saskatchewan Ends Funding for Drug Paraphernalia
The Story: The Government of Saskatchewan has announced that it will stop funding drug consumption paraphernalia such as crack pipes and “other associated supplies” at so-called harm reduction sites in the Province. Saskatchewan Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Tim McLeod stated, “[the provision of supplies] somehow implies that illicit drug use is safe and it’s not safe. There is no safe use of illicit drugs.” The Province will continue to fund needle exchange programs at the so-called harm reduction centres.
The Significance: The sad effects of “safe supply” and “harm reduction” policies—including the expansion of tent cities and the proliferation of mentally absent people filling city streets—are clear evidence of the false worldview presented by secular progressivism.
This worldview stands in almost direct contrast to the Christian worldview: rather than being created to “glorify God and enjoy him forever,” the purpose of a human’s life is simply to maximize pleasure and maintain bodily autonomy. Rather than being moral agents responsible for their sins, human beings have simply been victimized by their environment, and cannot be held responsible for their own decisions. Rather than finding redemption in Christ who redeems repentant sinners, redemption is found in simply being “true to yourself,” however destructive that may become. Rather than having hope for a final restoration in heaven, human life will permanently end after death and there is no reason to use this life to love God or neighbour.
In almost every way, the “safe-supply” worldview is completely opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Thankfully, the Province of Saskatchewan is choosing to recognize the emptiness of the progressive worldview. Pray for faithful evangelists who will proclaim the rest of the story to those who have been ravaged by the effects of drug abuse.
Read More: Wayne Mantyka, CTV News, “’There is no safe use’: Sask. government defends decision to restrict harm reduction measures”
Two Men Jailed During Coutts Blockade Reach Plea Deal
The Story: Two men arrested at the Coutts border blockade are now free after reaching a plea deal. Chris Lysak and Jerry Morin were two of four members of the blockade who had been awaiting trial on charges of conspiring to commit murder.
Earlier this week, Lysak pled guilty to a restricted weapons charge. Morin likewise pled guilty to a charge of conspiring to traffic a firearm.
Because both men had been jailed for nearly two years—including Morin’s 74 days in solitary confinement—both were immediately released on time served.
The Significance: While we still don’t know the full story or what evidence the Crown prosecutors have, it’s fair to assume that downgrading charges from conspiracy to commit murder to conspiracy to traffic a firearm would reveal that the Crown is not confident in their ability to get a conviction at trial.
As a result, many Canadians who were already concerned about the process are now outraged after both men were held without bail for over 700 days for allegedly being “too dangerous to release while awaiting trial”—only for the crown to strike a deal that freed them instantly.
While cracking down on firearms trafficking is incredibly important, the fact that authorities went after these men with such severity, while organized crime’s firearms smuggling issues in larger cities like Toronto have gone unchecked, makes the whole series of events that much more disturbing.
If there was indeed anyone conspiring to commit murder, they should face justice. But if it turns out that there was never enough evidence to detain these men for nearly two years, Canadians will only continue to lose faith in our justice system—and that is a serious outcome.
Read More: Isaac Lamoureux, True North, “Two members of Coutts Four released after plea deal, major charges dropped”
Poll: Majority of Albertans Support Parental Consent for Abortion
The Story: A new poll has found that 52% of Albertans support legislation that would require minors to receive parental consent before obtaining an abortion. The poll also found that 62% of Albertans support parental notification when minors undergo an abortion procedure. The poll, conducted by National Public Research Canada, surveyed 6,047 Albertans via phone on the same day Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced a string of policies to prohibit transgender surgeries for minor children and strengthen parental rights in Alberta schools. Alberta does not currently require parental consent for a minor to obtain an abortion.
The Significance: While many commentators continue to insist that there is no possibility of reopening the abortion debate in Canada, the results of this poll show that this is not true. The parental rights movement—which took shape after average voters vocally expressed their concern with the effects of gender ideology—has demonstrably affected an issue that has long been considered politically untouchable. We should pray and work toward a similar wave of opposition to abortion.
Although the majority of people in one of Canada’s largest provinces are at least willing to see moderate restrictions applied to abortion, we should mourn that so many oppose even this sensible policy.
This poll is also a sad reminder that parental consent—which is required for a child to receive light painkillers, get a tattoo, and more—is not required for the irreversible, life-altering decision to abort a preborn child. This is indicative of Canada’s legally vacuous abortion regime: not a single law anywhere in Canada restricts or regulates abortion. Underage girls who are pregnant and in crisis should face this challenge with parents who love them rather than alone and in darkness.
Finally, because Christ has conquered death, the deadly tragedy of abortion will be reversed under the Lordship of Jesus. As a result, the end of abortion in Canada is simply a question of timing. Whether or not we do indeed end the practice before Christ’s return, we know it will end for all time at Christ’s return. Thus, when we fight for life, we are fighting as those who cannot lose. Do not lose heart.
Read More: Melissa Gilligan, CTV News, “Alberta abortion survey linked to conservative call centre”
Quick Hits
ArriveCAN hearings suspended to avoid interference in criminal investigation: A Parliamentary committee hearing on the sourcing of the $54 million-dollar ArriveCAN app has been suspended in order to avoid the possibility of interfering in police investigations. Prior to the suspension, allegations of bribery, the deletion of 1,700 emails, and at least two possible criminal cases were revealed. The Federal Auditor General is expected to release her report on ArriveCAN next week, but there is no timeline for the police investigation. Canadians should keep a close eye on the investigation and demand answers on what is likely the largest financial scandal in Canadian history.
Read More: Brian Lilley, The Toronto Sun, “MPs raise spectre of ‘scary’ ArriveCan report as auditor’s work awaits”
PMO sent invitation to Ukrainian SS member: The resignation of former Speaker of the House Anthony Rota over the Hunka scandal has been recontextualized following revelations this week that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) was aware of the former Nazi Waffen SS member at least three days before his appearance in the House of Commons. Ukrainian veteran Yaroslav Hunka, who “fought the Russians in World War II,” was invited on September 19 by the Prime Minister’s Office to a reception with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to follow his appearance in the House on September 22. Despite knowing of this mistake, the PMO stayed silent publicly and, in an act of political backstabbing, allowed Liberal ministers to publicly denounce Speaker Rota and call for his resignation. In a scandal full of political grandstanding and blustering that made everyone involved look bad, Prime Minister Trudeau still somehow managed to prove himself the worst of the bunch. Et tu, Justin?
Read More: Marie Woolf, The Globe and Mail, “Prime Minister invited Waffen-SS veteran Hunka to his official reception for Zelensky
A Truth To Consider
