Conservatives Win By-Election in Historic Liberal Seat
The Story: In a stunning by-election result, Conservative Party Don Stewart successfully defeated the Liberal candidate in the long-held Liberal riding of Toronto-St. Paul’s. While many pundits expected the race to be close, the riding had been won by the Liberals for the last 10 elections and is in the centre of “Fortress Toronto,” thought to be one of the Liberals’ few remaining strongholds. Since the Liberal loss, speculation has swirled that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may resign before the upcoming election—with at least one sitting Liberal MP openly calling for his resignation.
Less notable on the national stage, but possibly more dramatic, is a local Conservative nomination in Calgary Signal Hill. The initial vote count in the nomination appeared to show that former UCP MLA Jeremy Nixon had won by a single vote. However, following a recount of the 2,500+ votes it was confirmed the actual winner was his opponent, David McKenzie, who won by a mere 7 votes.
The Significance: Pundits across all media and thousands of politicos on social media have, are, and will continue to speculate on the future of the Prime Minister. Summer in Canada is always rife with wild speculations and the by-election will only fuel the gossip and rumours. The point here, however, is not the dramatic headlines. This was the first test of whether or not the polls showing support for the Liberals collapsing was real and the answer is a resounding yes. We will almost surely have a new Prime Minister in the near future—one way or another.
The extremely close vote in Calgary Signal Hill must be considered within this context. Jeremy Nixon didn’t just lose out on being a nominee by 7 votes, he also almost certainly missed out on being a member of the governing party.
Christians across Canada need to realize the moment they are presented with and get involved. Get involved in your local nominations. Perhaps somebody reading this should consider running. As we appear to be headed toward a change of course in our nation, we must not simply be excited observers, but also take an active role and get involved.
Read More: John Paul Tasker, CBC News, “Conservatives win longtime Liberal stronghold Toronto-St. Paul’s in shock byelection result”
B.C. Murderer Sentenced to Less than Four Years in Prison
The Story: An Indigenous B.C. man who pled guilty to drunkenly murdering his Indigenous girlfriend, April Monk, by beating her over the head with a glass bottle will serve only 19 additional months for a total of less than four years in prison. Donald Beynon also violated a no-contact order against his girlfriend and has four previous convictions for intimate partner violence.
In sentencing, the judge referenced Benyon’s Indigenous ancestry and “intergenerational trauma” as aspects to consider regarding his moral culpability. The judge also said the “Indigenous background” of Monk should be “considered.”
The Significance: Perhaps more starkly than almost any other recent case, this judgment highlights the absurdity of racial sentencing. The judgment reads more like a math problem than any serious attempt to bring about justice as the judge tries to balance the race of the murder against that of his victim.
The most frustrating aspect is that, at the core of this absurdity, there is a kernel of truth: trauma, especially trauma caused by a parent, can cause wounds that never heal by themselves. But rather than addressing the root of the trauma by proactively helping parents be better parents, by requiring personal responsibility, and by providing opportunity, our nation ignores the problem until someone is murdered—then blames the residential schools.
This is not merely a government failure, but a Christian one. Do we feed the Indigenous hungry? Clothe the Indigenous naked? Do we fulfill the Great Commission to our Indigenous brothers and sisters to help them find meaning in Christ? Or do we, like many other Canadians, just forget about them until another murder makes the headlines?
Read More: Kaija Jussinoja, CTV, “B.C. man who killed girlfriend while under no-contact order to spend 19 more months in jail”
Human Rights Appointee Faces Antisemitism Allegations
The Story: Birju Dattani, the new head of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, is under investigation for anti-Israel and antisemitic activities by the Government that just appointed him. Dattani has allegedly spoken at events alongside Islamic fundamentalist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, defended the use of terrorism to further political causes, called for the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) of Israel, and posted links that compared Israel to Nazis in Warsaw.
Dattani denied being antisemitic and said that he is “wholly committed to combating antisemitism.”
The Significance: This is far from the first time that the Liberals have appointed someone of questionable moral character to a key human rights role. Perhaps most infamously, Diversity Minister Ahmed Hussen gave over $130,000 to Laith Marouf, a known antisemite, to develop an anti-racism strategy.
This should not be surprising from a government that acts as though the only moral virtue that exists is that of the oppressed. To them, Dattani has two great virtues that mask any potential failures: his religion and his skin colour. This belief is not only insultingly reductive to Dattani and all those judged by it, but it is also directly contradictory to the dignity we all possess as images of God our Creator and the personal responsibility we have to be virtuous.
Perhaps the Liberals would do well to remember the borderless words of the Christian preacher Martin Luther King: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Read More: Ari David Blaff, The National Post, “New head of Canadian Human Rights Commission investigated over allegations of anti-Israel activity”
Alberta Opens Gambling Market
The Story: Alberta Minister of Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally has announced that the Government of Alberta will open up a regulated online gaming market in the province. The industry, which is currently controlled by a government monopoly, will begin admitting competitors into the marketplace, incentivizing private companies to push gambling services in the province.
The Significance: The Government of Alberta’s decision to open gambling to the free market is an abdication of fundamental governmental responsibility. The free market is a powerful economic system that, when kept within its proper sphere, is able to incentivize market actors to provide genuine necessities and services to one’s neighbours.
However, when the same processes that incentivize necessary goods and services are used to promote harmful practices, the Government must take responsibility to stop the free market from perpetuating the harmful practices. This is a simple inference from the biblical principle that the purpose of Government is “to punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right” (1 Pet. 2:14). When they fail to prohibit harmful behaviors such as the addictive, destructive, and wasteful practice of gambling, they have failed in their basic responsibility.
A Government cannot change the wicked heart of man—only the Holy Spirit can do that. However, a Government can restrain the wicked heart of man by prohibiting wrongful activities and incentivizing good behavior. Because of this, the Government of Alberta should reverse course on open market gambling.
Read More: Jessica Welman, SBC Americas, “Alberta will open up regulated online gaming market”
Quick Hit
Alberta NDP elects Naheed Nenshi as Leader: The Alberta New Democrats have selected former Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi as their next leader. Despite the former Mayor’s brand as a non-partisan moderate, he has repeatedly supported left-wing initiatives including gender transition for children. Responding to Premier Danielle Smith’s recent child protection policies, former Mayor Nenshi commented, “I don’t care about you saying that most Albertans are on my side, because that’s not what minority rights are about. Smith I want you to understand that votes aren’t worth a few dead kids.” Albertans would do well to recognize that, underneath the veneer of moderation, lies a depth of radical progressivism.
A Truth To Consider
