Ontario PC leadership candidate Randy Hillier writes about freedom of conscience:
Last year, Ontario’s College of Physicians and Surgeons came close to implementing a policy that would have made it “unethical” for doctors to decline, as a matter of conscience, to perform controversial medical procedures on otherwise healthy patients. If adopted, the policy would have compelled doctors who consider abortion the taking of innocent life to provide such a “service” themselves or risk losing their license to practice medicine in Ontario.
Fortunately, after an outcry from the public prompted some sober second thought, the College stepped back from the policy, allowing doctors to continue exercising their conscience in the performance of their duties. In doing so, however, it also warned doctors that they could still be subject to prosecution by other quasi-judicial bodies such as Ontario’s human rights tribunals.
This is just one of many reasons why I believe that Ontario’s human rights tribunals need to be drastically reformed, if not abolished altogether.
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This is why I am supporting Randy Hillier for leader of the Ontario PC Party. For me, getting rid of the OHRC is the most important issue facing us, because if we lose our freedom of speech, conscience, thought, we lose everything.
I must agree. The Human Rights Councils are the scariest entities in our country, and have no place in a free society. There must be another way to help minorities.
Is there the equivalent of a Thomas More society in Canada? i.e. legal counsel for those forced to act against their conscience. While we wait for things to be set right in Canada, I would hope that we have in place some organization that will support those caught in the middle on these issues.
Two years ago, I attended the annual Pro Life conference put on by Campaign Life Coalition in Moncton, NB. A doctor spoke at that conference, stressing the importance of medical people forming into support groups as soon as possible as the day was coming when they would be forced to act against their conscience.
Does anyone know of any such groups? I am meeting with my parish priest next week and this is one of the topics. Since our parish is rich in doctors and lawyers, this type of group is something I am going to recommend that he initiate.
Yes, there is a newly form Catholic group for doctors in Canada:
http://www.canadiancatholicphysicians.com/
and
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09051210.html
See also:
http://www.hippocraticregistry.com/index.html
I live in MD, USA. No one believes me when I say that Canada has thought and conscious police in “The Human Rights Councils”. I hope [Pres] Obama (USA) never takes up this lead from your country.
May God help and have mercy on us all. (I can say this, right? Where’s your server?)
Heh, it’s not quite so bad as you say gbm3. The outrage of the people still has sway, and invocations of God’s help and mercy are not illegal. But yes, in some ways the HRCs are like Thought Police who wish they had more power.
There is a marvellous book called Shake Down. Andrea has written about it before and she used to work for the author, Ezra Levant. I am half way through and am amazed at the number of cases of “hate crimes” that have been prosecuted by these pseudo-courts.
I do think that Obama shows signs of doing this. Especially with regards to the “gay agenda” – they are on the lookout for thought crimes, they call them “homophobia”. Certainly teachers and school staff have been put on alert to watch for that type of thought crime.
Google the video Silencing the Christians. It is quite alarming, and very difficult to get around, as it too is censored.
I certainly would not put my trust in Barack Obama to protect fundamental freedoms like freedom of speech and conscience. Obama tows the progressive line and believes that by imposing leftist values on the general population he can make the world a warm, fuzzy place. Remember during the election campaign his wife said that when Barack became president he would demand that the American people shed their cynicism? Mind you, I view that assertion with a great deal of cynicism!