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.

 

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.”’