NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair lashed out at evangelical Christian groups Monday, accusing them of going “completely against” Canadian values and law.
Mulcair’s anger spilled over when reporters asked about Crossroads Relief and Development – a group getting around $540,000 from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to build wells and provide clean water in Uganda.
Crossroads has also called homosexuality a sin, earning the ire of the NDP, which tried to connect that belief to anti-gay violence in Uganda and a stalled Ugandan bill to prohibit gay rights promotion.
“We don’t understand how the Conservatives can … subsidize a group in Uganda whose views are identical to those of the Ugandan government,” Mulcair said.
It’s not clear how Mulcair drew that conclusion.
Crossroads’ partner group on the ground in Africa, Victory Outreach Ministries, states on its website that while homosexuality is sinful, gays are “created in God’s image, and we condemn the activities of those who are violent towards gays.”
Don Hutchinson, with the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, said Mulcair should know the Supreme Court has ruled Canadians can’t disqualified from engagement with government over religious beliefs.
He adds that Canadian evangelicals have spent more than $535 million on development work overseas.
“When you work with organizations that function on the ‘love your neighbour’ principle, you get a better return on your dollar,” he said.
CIDA has frozen Crossroads’ funding until it can review the organization’s work.
A government source told QMI Agency the review will seek to ensure Crossroads isn’t denying aid to Ugandans based on sexual orientation.
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Terry Nelson of the FN went to Iran to attack the canadian gov Iran that kills gays and this mulclair said nothing to Terry Nelson.
Africa has strong belief in their religion whether mulsims catholics and we have no right to interfer how they run their business.
Why do you assume, Jen, that the people committing acts of violence against gays represent “Africa”. Why side with the people committing violence and not the people being harmed? Are they not African as well?
Wow; I didn’t know so-called mainstream media published articles with lies in their headlines. The facts: NDP Leader Tom Mulcair calls the funding of the group “indefensible.”
Yes, and Mulcair also spoke about “evangelical groups with vision that goes completely against not only Canadian values but Canadian law.”
The funding issue aside, I have no objections to the “slam”. The argument, sometimes made, that certain groups or individuals are or should be exempted from criticism on the basis of their religion is not just absurd but insidious.
I am an NDP supporter, until now…Mulclair has no rights to say anything against what the Bible clearly states homosexuality is a sin…hate the sin not the sinner is my view point and Christ himself had same views
Actually, Bernard, he *does* have the “right” to say things against what the Bible clearly states. He does have that right. Because we have laws in this country that supersede religious authority.
Mulclair is dangerous. His views are “completely against” Canadian values. The sooner we get people of his ilk out of positions of influence in Canada, the better off we all will be!
The NDP was founded on evangelical Christian values. The country of Canada was founded on Christian values. Mulcair should apologize. What a sad and sorry figure he cuts. I voted for Jack last election but I won’t be voting for NDP again.
In singling out one Christian denomination based on its biblical view of homosexuality and equating it with extremism in Uganda Mulcair has engaged in the worst form of demagoguery we have seen in the NDP. This is not a Canadian value and his views run contrary to Canadian law, as was decided by the SCC in the 2001 case of Trinity Western University vs. BC College of Teachers. Mulcair’s intransigence would make him a bigot.
Since when did Muclair become the expert on Canadian values & law? As Don Hutchinson so aptly pointed out it seems that Mr. Muclair has missed the point that the Supreme Court has ruled Canadians can’t be disqualified from engagement with government over religious beliefs. I”m very disappointed in Mr. Muclair’s comments & feel an apology from him is necessary!