In spite of protests to the contrary, our federal government has been using the Canada Revenue Agency to disrupt the activities of charities it considers “radical”, or in other words, organizations that do not agree with Stephen Harper’s world vision. Environmentalists, free-speech groups, and progressives are under scrutiny.

Elizabeth Renzetti’s op-ed in the April 20th Globe and Mail, “Silence of the charities”, is worth reading, with its insight into the work charities have done in the past to bring about positive changes in government policy and public thinking. One of her sources for this column pointed out that, “In the past, governments worked with charities to improve societies. It’s a problem when that stops happening.”

A few days before, on April 16, the Toronto Star ran Michelle Shephard’s “Ottawa seeking new prison watchdog”. Howard Sapers is the current Correctional Investigator for Canada. He’s been an ongoing critic of the government’s prison policies, including its treatment of aboriginals and the mentally ill.

Mr. Sapers has been fearless in pursuit of positive outcomes for offenders returning to the community, but in doing so keeps running afoul of the government’s medievalist mindset.

In this kind of company, I beg Mr. Harper to add
turnoverarocktoday to his “enemies” list.