Canadian Office of International Religous Freedom

IS CANADA DOING RIGHT IN HAVING AN OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM?  WHAT ABOUT ATHEISTS WHO ARE PERSECUTED?

Two weeks ago, when I was in Sacramento, I received a telephone call for an interview. An international radio station, based in Washington DC, wanted me to answer questions from listeners in Africa about the new Canadian Office of International Religious Freedom. 

Canada is the second country in the world, after the United States, to have such an office.  Some listeners wanted to know if the government of Canada will use this office to interfere in foreign countries. Others asked about people who are persecuted because they don’t have any religion. Will they be defended too?  

Good questions! 

The mandate of the office has been well defined: 

1. Promoting freedom of religion or belief in the world;
2. Protecting and advocating on behalf of religious minorities under threat;
3. Opposing religious hatred and intolerance;
4. Promoting Canadian values of pluralism and tolerance abroad. 

We should notice that it took more than one year for the government to set up this new office. But now it is done. We hope it will work well and be a great help for all those who are persecuted. 

The fact that the first ambassador to the office, Andrew Bennett, is a Catholic and an academic are positive signs, as is the location where the announcement was made. Prime Minister Harper officially announced the opening of this office at the Vaughn Mosque on Tuesday, February 27. 

The announcement was not made at a Cathedral or at another Christian church. Muslims in Canada may have had some questions about an office which will have to deal with the violations of religious freedom in North Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Pakistan.  The oppressive legislation against blasphemy and apostasy could not be ignored. But the distinction between those laws and the Muslim population living in Canada had to be strongly affirmed.   

I had the pleasure of being at the table of John Baird, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Canada, last year during our tenth annual Religious Liberty Dinner. Mr Baird was the keynote speaker. Talking with him, I understood that his government takes religious freedom very seriously. His presence at our dinner in Washington DC, hosted by the Embassy of Canada, was evidence of their interest in this subject.

From my point of view, such an office could do an excellent work. It is important that a country like Canada officially recognize that religious persecution is increasing. Our expectation is that every time a country brings a resolution to the United Nations to justify religious discrimination and destroy the freedom of expression, Canada will stand against it. The millions of believers who are discriminated against, persecuted, and humiliated on a daily basis, will know that Canada is on their side. They will not be defended because they are Christians or Muslims, but because Canada stands for religious freedom for all. It will be difficult to accuse Canada of using religious freedom to secure an empire.

 In the Western world, the victims of religious persecution are very often ignored. It is as if religious freedom is not an essential part of human rights. Too often, being victims of religious persecution is not taken into serious consideration when it comes to granting refugee status.

Think about those who change their religion in countries where it is a crime punishable by death to do so.  They should be given top priority, along with those who demonstrate for other freedoms.  Such an office can help to protect them.

For me, religious freedom is a fundamental right and a fundamental freedom. The new office in Canada has just underlined that Canada takes seriously the defense of human rights and for that I say: Well done Prime Minister Harper! Taking such a position will expose Canada to more serious scrutiny about the way they respect and protect religious freedom in their own country.

What about the atheists who are persecuted? We should remember that religious freedom is the freedom to have or not to have a religion. As a defender of religious freedom, I also defend the right of people to have no religion.

Thanks to Canada for its courage and for lifting up the banner of human rights and religious freedom. I hope other countries will follow this example and that religious persecution and attacks on freedom of conscience will no longer be ignored by countries committed to the defense and promotion of human rights.

--Dr. John Graz, Secretary General, International Religious Liberty Association