This past week the federal Conservative government followed through on a promise made in 2011 to establish the Office of Religious Freedom. For many in our region, the concept itself will be appealing because of a heritage of not only valuing religious freedom but of ancestors who came to Canada, fleeing other lands, specifically for the right to practice their religion freely.

In fact, many of the thousands of new Canadians who have recently come to Steinbach and the surrounding area have also come, in part, because of the freedoms we have. Freedom of Religion is included in a group of freedoms that Canadians value (along with, for example, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly and freedom of mobility).These freedoms need to all be defended. They are not a buffet of freedoms from which you choose to keep some and leave others. They are all integral to what makes Canada great.

The Office of Religious Freedom, which was announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and as such its focus is to promote religious freedom and oppose religious hatred and intolerance abroad. It, hopefully, will be a beacon of light for other countries and to those who suffer anonymously and silently under religious oppression.

And while the mandate of the Office of Religious Freedom seems more generally to look outward, it will serve as an important reminder to be vigilant of protecting our own religious freedom here in Canada. The loss of a freedom, religious or otherwise, is not always the result of one specific and resounding event. More often, it comes as the result of incremental changes, perhaps even changes that are not seen as significant at the time they occur. This incremental change, over time, adds up to substantial and sometimes irreversible loss of valued freedoms and rights. The Office of Religious Freedom reminds each of us that all of our freedoms are worth defending every time. It’s what makes Canada a great country.

SCHS Information Meeting

A reminder that the Steinbach Christian High School is holding an information meeting on Bill 18 this Sunday at the school beginning at 7:30pm.

I have now literally received thousands of emails from individuals who have gone to www.protectourschools.ca to express their concern about this legislation which will remove the discretion that faith based independent schools like SCHS have to ensure that activities within their schools are not in contradiction with their faith principles.

Sunday at 7:30 pm at the SCHS is a great time to learn more about Bill 18 and its impact.