Toronto Principal Commits Suicide Following Racism Allegation
The Story: A family and community are mourning a beloved Toronto principal who committed suicide following alleged bullying and harassment during a University organized Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training session. After challenging the claims of the DEI presenter at a Toronto District School Board (TDSB) session, principal Richard Bilkszto was the focus of repeated attacks from the presenter—including an allegation of white supremacy. The TDSB Executive Superintendent refused to back up her colleague, however, and instead praised the presenter for making educators feel “uncomfortable.”
Bilkszto lost work over the incident, and was later awarded an Ontario Workplace Safety And Insurance Board ruling against the TDSB for lost wages. Despite the ruling, the school board refused to investigate the presenter’s actions. Following Bilkszto death however, Ontario’s Minister of Education has stated that his office is “reviewing the incident.”
The Significance: Richard Bilkszto wasn’t just a beloved and respected principal, he himself was a precious human created by God. Tragically, the struggle to control the narrative, to fight over power, to insist on one’s own way over the ability to have discussions on difficult topics has led to his death.
This is the end result of a misplaced obsession with diversity. When people are afraid to speak up when something is wrong, ideology bullies and character assassins get what they want and keep doing it. Bible-believing Christians have the theological confidence necessary to speak the truth without fear and should do so joyfully and regularly.
Read More: Jonathan Kay, Quillette, “Richard Bilkszto, a Toronto Educator Who Stood up to Woke Bullying—and Paid the Price”
Prime Minister Trudeau Announces Major Cabinet Shuffle
The Story: On Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a major cabinet shuffle amid slumping poll results for his Liberal Party. Leaving just eight ministers in their current portfolios, Prime Minister Trudeau shifted 23 cabinet members to new roles and completely removed seven others. The list of exiled ministers include David Lametti, who was named Canada’s Minister of Justice after Jody-Wilson Raybould attempted to stop Justin Trudeau’s interference in the SNC-Lavalin affair. Lametti also led the effort to expand euthanasia to minors and people struggling with mental illness. Other high-profile moves include the removal of Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino and the transfer of former Defense Minister Anita Anand to the lower-profile Treasury Board portfolio.
The Significance: Despite the drastic portfolio changes, this shuffle is not a very significant change of direction. Prime Minister Trudeau is one of the most centrally-controlling Prime Ministers in Canadian history and shifting cabinet responsibilities will not change that reality.
Removing Ministers such as Mendicino and Lametti, who constantly bungled controversial topics in public, might improve the Liberals’ communication strategy but the dangerous and disastrous policy direction of the Government on issues such as public safety and euthanasia will not change. In addition, this overhaul of Cabinet should be taken as a scathing indictment of Prime Minister Trudeau’s leadership. If only eight ministers were truly doing a good enough job to continue in their role, one must ask what the Prime Minister was doing allowing the others to remain in their portfolios all this time.
Read More: Ryan Tumilty, National Post, “Trudeau Drops Seven Key Ministers in Biggest Cabinet Overhaul Yet.”
BC Restaurant Employee Sues Employer Over Abortion Coercion
The Story: Jessa Banih Tindaan is suing her former employer for allegedly pressuring her to get an abortion and, later, punishing her for refusing to do so. Tindaan, a temporary foreign worker from the Philippines, was employed as a server at Arigato—a sushi restaurant in Kamloops, BC—when she learned she was pregnant. Her employer responded to the news by telling her to “terminate the pregnancy.” Despite Tindaan’s refusal and explanation of her religious and moral objection to abortion, her employer repeatedly pressured her, culminating in an ultimatum to either abort her baby or be sent back to the Philippines.
Directly after she refused the ultimatum, Arigato reportedly cut Tindaan’s hours in half and skimmed $2.40 per hour from her wage. Tindaan is no longer working for the restaurant but is still in British Columbia. Her baby is due in September.
The Significance: While pro-abortion advocates frame abortion as a means of empowering women, abortion is often used as a tool of oppression. According to a recent study, 24% of women who recently had an abortion said the abortion was either unwanted or coerced. Other polls have that number as high as 60%. These shocking numbers rarely receive news coverage as they contradict the predetermined narrative and unmask the inherent cruelty and misogyny in abortion.
This story is also a reminder that the same sin that corrupts politicians and journalists also corrupts businessmen and investors. Free markets are not exempt from the effects of the Fall. As a result, even capitalism must be held in check by biblical morality. If not, we will see more children sacrificed at the altar of Mammon.
Read More: Tim Petruk, Castanet, “Pregnant worker sues sushi restaurant over abortion, wage skimming allegations”
Sudbury Man Dies After Failing to Receive Kidney Transplant Due to Vaccination Status
The Story: A Sudbury man has died after being denied an organ donation due to his vaccination status. Garnet Harper, 35, received a life-threatening kidney disease diagnosis in early 2022 and otherwise qualified to receive a kidney transplant. However, according to Harper’s family, doctors refused to refer Harper for a transplant without proof of COVID-19 vaccination. While on life support, health officials asked Harper’s family to consider donating Harper’s organs. According to his wife, Megan, “they call you while you’re sitting next to your dying loved one and they ask you if they can have his organs … meanwhile, he wasn’t good enough to receive organs from them … I can’t describe the feeling.”
The Significance: Harper’s death is a reminder of what has become a deadly war on conscience. Despite the designed purpose of the COVID-19 vaccine—protection from death and disease—the medical professionals employed to save Harper’s life refused to help him, showing that this vaccination mandate has nothing to do with protecting lives and everything to do with restricting freedom of conscience.
This story also highlights the implicit danger of entrusting the entirety of healthcare delivery to the State. Political control will ultimately determine who will be making important ethical decisions in a hospital or clinic. In this case, the decision to refuse Garnet Harper a kidney transplant was made by bureaucratic health officials who, presumably, paid little attention to biblical standards of compassion. Christians should expect increased medical hostility directed toward their values as the world drifts further away from the truth.
Read More: The Sudbury Star, “Sudbury man refused kidney transplant due to vaccination status dies: Report”
Report Unveils Significant Abuse in Manitoba Senior Care System
The Story: A recent report reveals widespread abuse and mistreatment in Manitoba senior care facilities. According to the provincial auditor’s report, residents were subjected to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. According to the report, the Protection for Persons in Care Office (PPCO) had failed to properly investigate and handle instances of elder abuse and, as a result, has been disbanded by the Province’s Minister of Justice.
The Significance: This story demonstrates the inevitable societal carnage of repeatedly devaluing human life. If the lives of unborn and elderly humans are societally disposable, no one should be surprised when senior citizens are abused inside so-called care facilities. As we examine this story, however, we must be careful to remember that the command to “honour your father and mother” is not limited to children submitting to the authority of their adult parents. Instead, the command encompasses all of life—including caring for one’s parents in old age.
Christians believe in the innate dignity of every human being with a fervency that cannot be replicated by secular ethics. Because of this, Christian’s should model Christian parent-honouring by caring for their parents and grandparents in old age either by inviting them into their own homes when independent living becomes impossible or by regular visits to the senior’s home they may be living in—all while ensuring that they are never allowed to be mistreated in a professional healthcare facility.
Read More: Ian Froese, CBC News, “Manitoba to disband office created to protect seniors in care following scathing report”
A Truth To Consider
