Canadians under threat by own government

United Church Asks for Clarity on Meaning of “Zero Tolerance”

13 May 2015
      
Toronto: In a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper [PDF: 2 pp/264 KB], The United Church of Canada has asked for clear reassurance that the government does not intend to limit the democratic rights and freedoms of individuals and organizations opposed to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.

The church’s letter was prompted by a recent CBC news story that cited the possibility of the government using hate crime laws to clamp down on activities they consider to be singling out Israel for criticism.

“The CBC story picks up on concerns in the larger Canadian context about a growing climate of fear and possible infringements of democratic rights through recent legislation. Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney has said that the concerns raised in the CBC article are ‘inaccurate and ridiculous.’

However, coupled with comments made by the Minister himself at the United Nations in New York, and by his office in response to a request for clarification as to the meaning of ‘zero tolerance,’ we believe that Canadians need clear reassurance from our government,” says the letter.

READ MORE: http://www.united-church.ca/communications/news/releases/150513