June 26, 2021: The following letter was drafted and issued by US Missouri Senator Josh Hawely to Nadine Maenza (Chair to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom). Senator Hawley's letter was issued in response to a growing concern about the intensity and pace of veiled communism spreading throughout Canada under the authoritarian leadership of a compromised and unhinged Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. Also note that Senator Hawley copied his letter to The Honorable Kirsten Hillman (Ambassador of Canada to the United States).
Canadians have been struggling in all forms of life and witnessed a rapid erosion of its traditional culture over the past 2 years as Trudeau and his provincial Premiers (feckless sycophants) have imposed forces of tyranny from every conceivable corner (policing, excessive public health policies, institutionalized censorship & forced control of speech, government overreach, and unrelenting attacks against religious & personal freedom to name a few). Equally shocking is the fact that American Senators are responding to the Canadian peril and hour of need with a far greater sense of urgency and concern than virtually all Canadian political leaders (with the exception of Pierre Poilievre and Derek Sloan).
The following text and content (below) was taken directly from Senator Hawley's government website. The reason for his concern is certainly obvious to all Canadians and should be seen as a rallying call for Americans (and citizens from other free nations) to rise up in support our oppressed Canadian neighbors.
Please read and share this content as quickly and broadly as possible.
By: Extremely American Colin Wright
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Senator Hawley Calls on U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to Consider Adding Canada to Watch List
Thursday, June 24, 2021
Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom urging the commission to consider adding Canada to its watch list in response to the country’s crackdown on religious freedom. In the letter, Senator Hawley cites recent instances of Canadian pastors being arrested and jailed for holding worship services that do not comply with strict COVID-19 restrictions.
“I am troubled that our Canadian neighbors are effectively being forced to gather in secret, undisclosed locations to exercise their basic freedom to worship,” Senator Hawley writes. “Frankly, I would expect this sort of religious crackdown in Communist China, not in a prominent Western nation like Canada. Canadian authorities’ arrest of faith leaders and seizure of church property, among other enforcement actions, appear to constitute systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
Last year, Senator Hawley urged the Department of Justice to bring federal lawsuits to uphold the rights of houses of worship burdened by unjust restrictions.
Full text of the Hawley letter is available here and below.
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June 24, 2021
Chair Nadine Maenza U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 732 N. Capitol Street, N.W., Suite A714 Washington, DC 20401
Dear Chair Maenza:
One of the most fundamental human rights is the freedom to practice one’s faith according to the dictates of one’s conscience. Last year, I urged the Department of Justice to bring federal lawsuits to uphold the rights of houses of worship burdened by unjust restrictions. Now I am writing to express my deep concern that this freedom is in peril across our nation’s northern border.
In recent months, there have been numerous instances of Canadian pastors being arrested and jailed for holding worship services that do not comply with COVID-19 restrictions. On June 14, Pastor Tim Stephens of Fairview Baptist Church in Calgary, who was previously arrested in May, was arrested again at home in front of his wife and children. Media outlets captured heartbreaking video of the pastor’s children sobbing as they held their father’s hand through the barred window of a police car. Pastor Stephens’ alleged violation was holding an outdoor worship service in a park, which was apparently discovered by a police helicopter flying overhead.
Other Canadian pastors, such as Pastor James Coates of GraceLife Church in Spruce Grove, have similarly faced arrests and enforcement actions. Authorities reportedly seized and fenced off the GraceLife Church building in April, which sparked a protest of hundreds of people in opposition to the move.
I am troubled that our Canadian neighbors are effectively being forced to gather in secret, undisclosed locations to exercise their basic freedom to worship. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states that “[e]veryone has the following fundamental freedoms,” which include the “freedom of conscience and religion.” The arrests and actions taken to enforce overly burdensome and unjustified orders, however, do not seem to live up to this praiseworthy statement. Frankly, I would expect this sort of religious crackdown in Communist China, not in a prominent Western nation like Canada.
Canadian authorities’ arrest of faith leaders and seizure of church property, among other enforcement actions, appear to constitute systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. I urge the Commission on International Religious Freedom to take whatever action is necessary to address and rectify this situation, and consider adding Canada to the Commission’s Watch List.
Thank you for your attention to this pressing matter.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator
CC: The Honorable Kirsten Hillman Ambassador of Canada to the United States 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20001