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Exposing America’s Radical Right-Wing Political And Religious Involvement In Canada

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For years Canadians have taken pride in the progress made within the country towards progressive and equal laws. While there is a growing majority of Canadians as a whole who support full equality for adults and the complete protection of all children from bullying and the risk of suicide due to sexual orientation or identification, whether at home or while attending school, there is also a growing opposition that seems to get some of its fuel from south of the border.The development of ties between the current Conservative Party of Canada and United States right wing groups such as the Council for National Policy is frightening to those who have grown up believing in the fundamentals of Canadian ideals. At an address given to the Council’s meeting in Montreal back in 1997, where according to documents the conservative right of America decided to pursue the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, Prime Minister Stephen Harper touted the honor and greatness of like-minded conservatives joining forces.

“Canada is a Northern European welfare state in the worst sense of the word,” said Mr. Harper when addressing the Council. “In terms of the unemployed, of which we have over a million-and-a-half (approximately 3%), don’t feel particularly bad for many of these people. They don’t feel bad about it themselves, as long as they’re receiving generous social assistance and unemployment insurance.”

“The Supreme Court, like yours, which, since we put a charter of rights in our Constitution in 1982, is becoming increasingly arbitrary, putting universal Medicare in our constitution, and feminist rights. This distresses conservatives like myself quite profoundly, but I will warn you, it’s a widespread view, and I will always say, one that could only be maintained as long as the United States basically provide us with military protection.
The Council is described as “a secretive group of wealthy donors that has funnelled billions of dollars to right-wing Christian activists.” At its meetings, the rich and influential who adhere to the outward beliefs of right-wing evangelical or conservative Christians are able to join forces and create campaigns and projects that further their cause under a cloak of secrecy.

Off-limit meetings to the public and media create a further anonymity that is not beyond reproach. Those who are “honored” to attend receive unanimous approval from the Council’s Executive Committee. Speakers who have addressed the Council include Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld, President George W. Bush, and Justice Thomas. Alberta Economic Development Minister Mark Norris addressed the group in 2003 to discuss the Alberta oil sands.

The Reverend Fallwell was a strong supporter of Tim LaHaye, founder of Council for National Policy
“I found out that he’d done something no conservative minister had ever done before: He’s organized hundreds of churches into a political bloc. More than any other person, Tim LeHaye challenged me to begin thinking through my involvement in politics.”

Regular readers know well Beverly LaHaye, who, with her husband Tim, founded Concerned Women For America, a radical right-wing extremist group focused on opposing homosexuality. CWA regularly issues misguided warnings about  the fall of America should same-sex marriage or the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell take hold. Last year, a top CWA leader falsely claimed that homosexuals often get syphillis, die at a dramatically earlier age, an end relationships quickly.

In a recent press release The Institute for Canadian Values (ICV), an organization supported by Fallwell, put out the following statements concerning legislation being introduced in Ontario that makes gay-straight alliances required in any school that receives public funding when students request it:

“Bullying must be combated with strong, stiff programs and penalties.  Children’s lives depend on it.  It is most unfortunate that the Premier sees bullying as an opportunity to advance his radical sex gender teaching in law.  It is egregious, with the force of law, to impose this bizarre social engineering experiment on Ontario’s children under the pretence of protecting the vulnerable.  There is no proof that forcing all schools, Public and Catholic, to teach this material and host gay clubs will stop bullying.  This guise doesn’t hold water with standard pedagogical practices.  Our schools don’t have to teach the intricacies of every element of difference to combat bullying.  Teachers don’t need a 219 page curriculum guide extolling the virtues of being short, overweight, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or any other identifying factor. They simply need to combat bullying.”

This isn’t the only statement that has been made by the ICV concerning what Pope Benedict called “liberal family values”:

“Charles McVety, President of the Institute for Canada Values states “Bill C-389 (click here for description and debate) is a danger to our children. If ‘gender identity’ is enshrined in the Criminal Code of Canada, any male at any time will be permitted in girls bathrooms, showers and change rooms as long as they have an “innate feeling” of being female, according to Megan Leslie’s speech as she co-sponsored  the Bill.  If I then try to stop such a man from showering with my little girl at the local pool I could be in breach of the Criminal Code of Canada and could face imprisonment for two years.”

Dr. Charles McVety, lives in Toronto, Ontario and has worked tirelessly to halt all LGBT supportive legislation. As head of the Institute for Canadian Values and Canada Christian College, an institution that is not recognized nor accredited by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, he works to continue the education of those who call themselves Evangelical Christians. Both organizations espouse the views of the evangelical that teach homosexuality, transgendered and any deviation from the “I am a girl” or “I am a boy” philosophy is wrong in God’s eyes and therefore defaces the country and religion.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blkFl0-ZJdY&w=480&h=360]

 

He also is the current national chairman of the organization known as Christians United for Israel, where he works with Pastors Hagee, Fallwell, Caldwell and the current president, Gary Bauer, who was past-president of the Family Research Council and former chairman of The Campaign for Working Families.

Even though he currently heads up a so-called “college” his educational background is rather questionable. Dr. McVety attended the University of Toronto for only two years, before he left without a degree. He transferred to the Canada Christian College, which was started by his father, where he graduated with a B.A. and M.A. later garnering an honorary doctorate from the St. Petersburg State University in Russia. The College offers degrees in Theology that include Bachelor’s and Master’s programs, with concentrations in Religious Studies, Music, Israel Studies (Christian Ambassador to Israel), Business and Communications. They also have a specialty in Christian Counselling that includes the ability to gain a doctorate within the field.

The Canada Christian College, states that it has a mission to educate young men and women the Bible, which is the word of God, “the only rule and standard according to which all dogma should be judged.”While this is a respectable mission, it seems to fly in the face of reality. According to their website they require that all students bring themselves in line with the mission and principles of the college which includes the following:

 

Obey Jesus’ commandment to His disciples (Jn. 13:34-35) echoed by the Apostle Paul (Rom. 14; 1 Cor. 8, 13) to love one another.


Yet their founder works advocating for resolutions and legislation that undermine the very principle to love your neighbour and to show respect for others. It is also interesting to note that the College works hand in hand with the Canadian College of Christian Counsellors. This association, that bestows upon itself the ability to accredit and license these counsellors, is nothing more than an extension of the arm of the ever incestuous christian right. Within its ranks are many who advocate for anti-gay therapies. The current head of the CCCC, Dr. Clarence Duff, holds degrees from Liberty University and has lectured extensively at Christian universities throughout the United States. He has close ties to the Fallwell family as well as other right wing theologians and idealogues.

These organizations are growing within the borders of Canada and are directly fueled and perhaps even funded by these hate groups. Under the direction of those who have fought a battle against the LGBT community and progressive ideals, they are learning and avoiding many of the same mistakes they have made before. Their rhetoric while strong and unnerving to many, is striking a chord with simple people who are battling between staying faithful to a God they have been taught to love since birth and the ideals that are inherently Canadian, including that, ‘“the state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation.”’

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‘I’m Not Suicidal’: Kari Lake Pushes Hillary Clinton Murder Conspiracy Theory

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April 22, 2024

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake is promoting a conspiracy theory suggesting Hillary Clinton wants to assassinate her. Her remarks came just one day before she lost her attempt to have the Supreme Court review what some have called her conspiracy-theory fueled lawsuit about electronic voting machines.

“Lake, who filed the lawsuit during her failed campaign for governor in 2022, challenged whether the state’s electronic voting machines assured ‘a fair and accurate vote.’ Two lower courts dismissed the suit, finding that Lake and former Republican state lawmaker Mark Finchem had not been harmed in a way that allowed them to sue,” CNN reported Monday.

Also on Monday Law&Crime reported that when she filed her lawsuit, a Dominion Voting Systems spokesperson “rejected Lake’s cybersecurity claim, telling Law&Crime it was ‘implausible and conspiratorial.'”

Democracy Docket, founded by top Democratic elections attorney Marc Elias, called it “the end of the road for a conspiratorial lawsuit,” and Lake and Fincham, “election deniers.”

READ MORE: ‘Old and Tired and Mad’: Trump’s Demeanor in Court Detailed by Rachel Maddow

Lake, a far-right conspiracy theorist who has yet to concede the 2020 election, which she lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs, has a history of pushing exaggerated and baseless claims.

On Sunday, as MeidasTouch Network reported, Lake promoted an old, anti-Clinton conspiracy theory but twisted it to try to make it appear she was in danger from former U.S. Secretary of State and former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton.

Lake on Newsmax listened to a clip of Secretary Clinton calling Trump’s fondness for Russian President Vladimir Putin a “bromance,” and saying the ex-president is “just gaga over Putin, because Putin does what he would like to do: kill his opposition, imprison his opposition, drive, you know, journalists and others into exile, rule without any check or balance.”

Then Lake promoted a thoroughly debunked conspiracy theory by responding, “Oh, boy. Oh, that’s really rich coming from a woman like Hillary Clinton, who’s, how many of her friends have just like, mysteriously died or committed suicide?”

“I mean, honestly, that’s rich of her. What President Trump wants is to root out the corruption and deliver our government back to We The People and she looks very nervous. She talked about her friend Mark Elias, Mark Elias has meddled in in his and his cohorts have meddled in the elections.”

She called Democratic policies, “destructive, deadly and frankly, in some ways, diabolical,”and added, “it’s almost comical that Hillary Clinton is talking about Trump wanting to kill his opponents.”

READ MORE: ‘Election Interference’ and ‘Corruption’: Experts Explain Trump Prosecution Opening Argument

“I just want to say as I’m as I’m speaking about this topic, I want everyone out there to know that my brakes on my car have recently been checked and they work. I’m not suicidal. And Hillary, I don’t mean any harm to you. Please don’t send your henchmen out to me. We understand what you’re about. ”

Watch below or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Rally Behind MAGA’: Trump Advocates Courthouse ‘Protests’ Nationwide

 

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‘Old and Tired and Mad’: Trump’s Demeanor in Court Detailed by Rachel Maddow

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12 hours ago

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April 22, 2024

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MSNBC top host Rachel Maddow, inside Manhattan’s Criminal Courthouse on Monday declared Donald Trump appeared “old and tired and mad,” as she delivered observations about the ex-president on trial for 34 counts of falsification of business records alleged in the alleged pursuit of election interference to protect his 2016 presidential run.

Trump “seems considerably older, and he seems annoyed. Resigned, maybe, angry. he seems like a man who’s miserable to be here,” the award-winning journalist told MSNBC viewers Monday afternoon.

“I’m no body language expert,” she conceded, “and this is just my observation. He seemed old and tired and mad.”

The New York Times’ Susanne Craig, from inside the courthouse Monday morning reported: “Trump is struggling to stay awake. His eyes were closed for a short period. He was jolted awake when Todd Blanche, his lawyer, nudged him while sliding a note in front of him.”

The Biden campaign was only too happy to pick up and report Craig’s observation, adding “feeble.”

Former Obama senior advisor David Axelrod, pointing to his piece at The Atlantic, wrote of Trump: “He has charmed & conned, schemed & marauded his way through life. He was bred that way. But the weariness & vulnerability captured in courtroom images betray a growing sense in Trump that he could wind up as the thing his old man most reviled:
A loser.”

Watch Maddow’s remarks below or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Election Interference’ and ‘Corruption’: Experts Explain Trump Prosecution Opening Argument

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‘Election Interference’ and ‘Corruption’: Experts Explain Trump Prosecution Opening Argument

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15 hours ago

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April 22, 2024

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Prosecutors for the State of New York in their opening statement drew a direct line between the October 2016  “Access Hollywood” leaked audio and Donald Trump’s alleged “hush money” payoff to two women, including the adult film actress Stormy Daniels, telling the jury it was “election fraud, pure and simple.”

Legal experts are dissecting the prosecution’s opening argument. Professor of law, MSNBC contributor and former FBI General Counsel Andrew Weissmann summed it up, saying New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg “squarely places the NY criminal trial in the election interference/corruption bucket– exactly what the DC and GA indictments allege, just 4 years later.”

“And the NY alleged ‘cover up’ is reminiscent of the two MAL [Mar-a-Lago] alleged obstruction schemes post-presidency, to keep prosecutors from uncovering evidence of that scheme,” Weissmann added.

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo late Monday morning in his 45-minute opening argument told jurors, “This case is about criminal conspiracy and a cover up,” according to MSNBC’s Joyce Vance.

READ MORE: ‘Rally Behind MAGA’: Trump Advocates Courthouse ‘Protests’ Nationwide

“The defendant, Donald Trump, orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election,” Colangelo told jurors, CNN reports. “Then he covered up that criminal conspiracy by lying in his New York business records over and over and over again.”

“This was a planned, coordinated long-running conspiracy to influence the 2016 election, to help Donald Trump get elected through illegal expenditures,” Colangelo, a former U.S. Department of Justice Acting Associate Attorney General, told jurors.

“Another story about sexual infidelity, especially with a porn star, on the heels of the Access Hollywood tape would have been devastating to his campaign,” Colangelo added. “’So at Trump’s direction, Cohen negotiated the deal to buy Daniels’ story,’ and prevent it from becoming public before the election.”

“It was election fraud, pure and simple.”

Vance, an MSNBC legal analyst, professor of law and former U.S. Attorney, explains: “The scheme the prosecution is outlining is catch & kill to elect Trump-awful but lawful. Trump crossed the line into illegality when he created false business records to conceal his payments to Cohen to cover up the payments to Stormy Daniels.”

READ MORE: Fox News Host Suggests Trump ‘Force’ Court to Throw Him in Jail – by Quoting Him

“It’s always the cover up,” she adds.

Professor of law and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General Harry Litman adds, the prosecution told jurors “a straight election-interference story.”

Colangelo, Litman says, told jurors that Trump’s then personal attorney Micheal Cohen “then discussed the [Stormy] situation with Trump who was adamant he did not want the story to come out. Another story…on the heels of the Access Hollywood tape would have been devastating to his campaign.”

MSNBC legal contributor Katie Phang describes Colangelo’s opening argument, saying he is “working methodically and chronologically through the conspiracy, identifying the main characters and their involvement. He speaks clearly and succintly [sic].”

Trump has been criminally indicted in four separate cases and is facing a total of 88 felony charges, including 34 in his New York criminal trial for alleged falsification of business records to hide payments of hush money to an adult film actress and one other woman, in an alleged effort to suppress their stories and protect his 2016 presidential campaign, which could be deemed election interference.

Watch an MSNBC clip below or at this link.

 

READ MORE: Gaetz: ‘Corrupt’ Republicans Could ‘Take a Bribe’ and Throw House to Dems, Blocking Trump Run

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