In 2016, REAL Women of Canada launched a petition to the Canadian government to allow Christians to robustly exercise their religious beliefs and conscience rights both in their private and public acts, without coercion, constraint or discrimination.  From 2016 to 2019, over 6000 signatures were gathered.

The petition was necessary: Christians in Canada have been experiencing discrimination because some of our laws are contrary to the practice of Christians’ religious or conscience beliefs.  Examples of discriminatory practices include:

  • The lack of protection for physicians and other health care workers, who refuse to participate in abortions or assisted suicide procedures for religious and conscience reasons.
  • The failure to protect faith based institutions, business owners, organizations and others, such as those employed in the wedding industry, for refusing to support same-sex marriage. Other infringements of religious rights of Christians include government discriminatory policies, such as the Summer Jobs Program.
  • The attempt by several provincial law societies to prevent the establishment of a Christian Law School at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia.
  • Discrimination against Christian parents who oppose sex-education curriculums, and the establishment of transgendered rights in schools, which are contrary to parents’ religious beliefs.
  • The infringement of public safety and conscience and religious rights of individuals, by the proposed amendment to the Human Rights Act to provide recognition and rights for the special interest groups in the public sphere.
  • The dismissal of Christians from employment for publicly proclaiming their Christian beliefs, such as opposition to same-sex marriage.

The petition specifically requested that Christians and their institutions be protected from discrimination under the physician-assisted suicide legislation and the same-sex marriage legislation.  The petition also requested that the government enact a policy to provide a review of any new legislation that may, in future, be brought forth by the government in order to ensure it does not impinge upon the religious rights of Christians in accordance with the Canadian Bill of Rights and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The petition, in both official languages, was tabled on 19 separate occasions in the House of Commons by the following MPs: Dean Allison (Niagara West, ON), David Anderson (Cypress Hills–Grasslands, SK), Michael Cooper (St. Albert–Edmonton, AB), Ted Falk (District of Provencher, MB), Ed Fast (Abbotsford, B.C.), Greg Fergus (Hull–Aylmer, QC), Diane Finley (Haldimand–Norfolk, ON), Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park–Fort Saskatchewan, AB), Tom Kmiec (Calgary Shepard, AB), Dave MacKenzie (Oxford, ON), Bev Shipley (Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, ON), Mark Strahl (Chilliwack-Hope, B.C.), Kevin Sorenson (Battle River-Crowfoot, AB), Brad Trost (Saskatoon-University, SK), Dave Van Kesteren (Chatham-Kent-Leamington, ON), Arnold Viersen (Peace River-Westlock, AB), Cathay Wagantall (Yorkton-Melville, SK), Mark Warawa (Langley-Aldergrove, B.C.), and Chris Warkentin (Grande Prairie-Mackenzie, AB).  In each instance, the MP stood up in Parliament and presented the petition, which is then recorded in Hansard, the House of Commons official transcript.  Some MP’s accompanied their submission of signatures with supportive comments, which were also recorded in Hansard.

Some members of Parliament will only table a petition from their constituents, if it is putting forward one of their preferred issues.  Practically speaking, it is preferable if a constituent brings the signatures to his or her own MP for tabling in the House of Commons.  A minimum of 25 signatures is required, written on the same page as the petition, not on the reverse side, or separate page. Other MPs will gladly table from every riding and province, especially if it is an issue they are trying to promote. An MP is not obliged to table the signatures he or she receives.

We are grateful that many REAL Women members made heroic efforts to collect signatures.  Since the topic was religious freedom for Christians, churches were a favourite place to obtain signatures, especially if the pastor understood the vulnerability of our religious rights. Unexpectedly, we did get feedback from a pastor who felt that since we were petitioning for Christians only, we were therefore discriminating against other religions. This gave us an opportunity to remind him that freedom of religion for Christians strengthens the freedom of all Canadians, and conversely, if the religious rights of Christians are not respected, the rights of Canadians belonging to other religions are also threatened.

The Parliament of Canada website classified our petition under: freedom of conscience and religion, same-sex marriage, Christianity, and Churches.

REAL Women would like to thank our members for making this timely petition such a success!