Culture War: Bill 89 prepared by Daniel Keeran, MSW College of Mental Health Counselling www.ctihalifax.com
Bill 89, “Supporting Children, Youth and Families Act, 2017,” was given Royal Assent on June 1, 2017 in Ontario, allowing the government to remove children from the home when they petition the court to do so if parents oppose “the sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression” of the child. The Bill states: Societies are newly authorized to enter into agreements with 16 and 17 year olds in need of protection and to bring applications to court. The matters to be considered in determining the best interests of a child are changed. The child’s views and wishes, given due weight in accordance with the child’s age and maturity, unless they cannot be ascertained, and in the case of a First Nations, Inuk or Métis child, the importance of preserving the child’s cultural identity and connection to community must be taken into consideration. In addition, any other circumstances that are considered relevant, including a list of 11 circumstances similar to those listed in the current Act, are to be considered. Differences include: the current Act includes the child’s cultural background in this list while the new Act includes the child’s cultural and linguistic heritage; the current Act includes the religious faith in which the child is being raised while the new Act includes the child’s race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, family diversity, disability, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Who believes school counsellors will not encourage the child in a public school to file a petition to be removed? The passing of this legislation could mark the beginning of organized persecution against parents who identify as Christians holding the belief that homosexual activity is immoral. The passing of Bill 89 is another extension of the culture/spiritual war in the public school front in which secular values collide with Christian values and beliefs. Christians are also not authorized by God, to engage in political means to address immoral behaviour in society since only spiritual weapons or means are authorized.