Surrey Leader, March 2, 2011: Letter writer, L. Virk suggests that as a Christian Heritage Party candidate I want to “place a patent on Canadian culture,” and “we cannot compare Canada to France, England or the Netherlands.”

As the Charter of Rights and Freedoms states, the freedoms we enjoy come from the recognition that we are a nation that recognizes the supremacy of God and the rule of law. In much of the world, the intersection of cultures results in conflict. But in Canada such clashes are avoided precisely to the extent that all of us embrace and uphold these values for ourselves and our community.

That said, it is naive to think that all cultures are compatible with Canadian values. Consider the freedom guaranteed in the Charter to practise, or not practise, any religion as dictated by their conscience. It is not lawful for any individual or group of individuals to abridge that freedom, yet Sharia Law requires, for instance, that all apostate Muslims renounce their apostasy or be put to death. These two approaches to faith are fundamentally antithetical and cannot be reconciled.

It is only because of a rigorous adherence to political correctness by politicians in Canada which has silenced much-needed honest discussion on Western values and in specific our cultural heritage which is derived from a Judeo-Christian worldview. As a consequence, Canada is vulnerable to exactly the same problems that have brought strife, inequity and suffering to France, England and the Netherlands.

Indeed, Canada was built by immigrants. They came here because of our great cultural heritage which allows for freedom of expression, religion, association and peaceful assembly. Radical Islam does not recognize those freedoms and thus poses a clear and present threat to what makes Canada such a great country and the envy of much of the world – our Christian heritage.

Mike Schouten

CHP Canada candidate, South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale

Surrey