http://www.interlaketoday.ca/2012/11/30/dont-dare-stand-up-to-harper

Don't dare stand up to Harper

Friday, November 30, 2012 12:58:06 CST PM

The Canada Revenue Agency recently threatened 'Canadian Mennonite' magazine with the loss of its charitable status, for appearing to promote opposition to a political party, or to candidates for political office. The magazine's offending editorial asked readers to remember the core beliefs of peacemaking, compassion for the poor, and care for creation, before deciding whom to vote for in the 2011 election.

On the surface, such an exhortation sounds totally benign and non partisan, but on further consideration, I can see why the Harper government would find it highly offensive. While the magazine explicitly avoids endorsing candidates or political parties, the statement may be construed as anti - Harper.

After all, peacemaking is the antithesis of his love of flexing his military muscle. Compassion for the poor has no place in an agenda that ruthlessly cuts funding to public service agencies, and makes laws that harm the poorest and most vulnerable of our citizens, creating rather than alleviating further poverty. e.g. while many jobs are lost as a result of government policies, it has become much more difficult to access unemployment benefits. Also, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, which kept many old people from abject poverty, is to be eliminated, and the age to receive Old Age Security is to be raised from 65 to 67. All this will create great hardship for many. But we mustn't criticize, directly or by implication, or we will be deemed subversive.

A government that cared for creation would not cut funding for the Experimental Lakes Area, or suppress information that identifies public needs, i.e. the long form census. Nor would it relegate any conservation measures to second place, or no place at all, behind profits from highly polluting industries.

So, yes, a magazine that speaks out for peace and compassion and the environment, is sowing dissent.

However, if we live in a democracy, we assume that we have freedom of the press, and a right to peaceful dissent, without fear of reprisal. Unfortunately, such an assumption is wrong. We no longer have freedom of speech, unless we speak in support of the current government. Civil servants who dare to contradict the government, soon pay the price. Scientists are muzzled. The National Research Council in Winnipeg is shut down. This move has driven several other science based businesses out of Winnipeg.

Environmental organizations, such as the Sierra Club and Tides Canada, are labelled as radical extremists by the likes of Joe Oliver and Vic Toews. Public debate is stifled, while cuts to environmental, scientific, and social organizations, which do important studies and research and fact finding, continue unabated.

Meanwhile, charitable tax status is given to blatantly political groups that are anything but charitable. Among these is the Fraser Institute, which promotes free markets and trade above all else, and attacks such public benefits as our health care system and Manitoba Public Insurance, on the grounds that these do not generate profits for the private sector. Some others who have charitable status are the Friends of the Oilsands Interpretive Center in Alberta, which is partly funded be the Alberta government, and, believe it or not, Imperial Oil!

The criteria for charitable status are plain. Support and promote the Harper agenda, and your status is assured. Dare to criticize or question, and you will be punished. The government has recently granted the Canada Revenue Agency and additional $8 million, in order to give it more power to investigate the political activities of not for profit agencies. And we thought 1984 was past!

Martha Owen

Pinawa

After all, peacemaking is the antithesis of his love of flexing his military muscle.

And what a tiny muscle it is.
Bwahahahahahaha