Paul Martin MUST drop candidate Jim McMurty

Paul Martin MUST drop candidate Jim McMurty

Jim McMurty is a Liberal candidate in British Columbia (South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale). In today's edition of the National Post he is quoted as saying that evangelical Christians have hijacked the Conservative Party of Canada and supports this statement by pointing out that one third of Conservative candidates in B.C. are evangelical. He presents this as something that is negative.

Now just a minute: at what point in the conversation did it become legitimate to attack any individual or group solely on the basis of their faith? Let's replace the word "evangelical" with "Jewish" and see what a headline grabber that will be! Oh, but perhaps we didn't quite understand Mr. McMurty's point; he wasn't attacking evangelical Christians per se, he was just pointing out that evangelicals tend to hold certain "intolerant" positions on some issues. In other words, Mr. McMurty doesn't agree with evangelical Christians - or for that matter, a large percentage of the Jewish community - on certain issues and therefore it is improper that they should have a voice in a Canadian government.

This is a glaring example of deep-seated intolerance within Liberalism. Evangelicals have been consistantly targeted for exclusion by the Liberal party and it is time that Paul "I-respect-the-Charter" Martin demonstrate some leadership on the issue and put an end to it: beginning with the removal of Jim McMurty.

If Paul Martin continues to endorse Mr. McMurty as a Liberal candidate in this election this will signal to evangelical Christians, and all Canadians, that what the Liberals truly stand for is a regime that respects the rights of certain Canadians but excludes other Canadians on the basis of their faith. And if this is the case can Paul Martin truly claim to be the defender of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms? Can evangelical Christians trust him to protect their right to exist and freely express their beliefs in Canadian society?

And if Paul Martin is willing to endorse discrimination against one Canadian minority, what other minorities is he willing to allow his candidates to target for exclusion?