The thorny and emotionally-charged issue of same-sex marriage is rearing its head again these days. I sat there and watched Liberal Belinda Stronach try to stir the pot in QP today, referencing a survey showing 62% of Canadians do not want MPs going near the thing with a barge pole. Why, she asked, would Conservatives even dream of having a vote? But the justice minister stood calmly, said the PM had promised to revisit the issue, and revisit it we would.
Later I was interviewed by Toronto-based pop magazine NOW, and it was clear from the conversation that the view on trendy Queen Street is that the Centre Block is full of flaming morons if Parliament decides to proceed. There is no doubt that if 62% of Canadians think same-sex marriages are to be tolerated that at least 90% of the young voters believe this is just bizarre. It’s not a marriage thing with them. It’s human rights.
Of course, not everyone sees it that way, including a number of people in my own party who are itching for the ability to stand and demand the current law be repealed and given a good slap about the ears. They unqualifiedly support a return to the traditional definition of marriage. Undoubtedly they will get their chance in September or October, when this issue comes up for a free vote. By the way, my vote will be cast to maintain the status quo. I am one of the sixty-two per cent who think society is way better off just to leave well enough alone.
And while I expect the autumn ballot to reaffirm the legal status of gay unions, I also expect it will be tumultuous, thanks to guys like my new friend Rev. Charles McVety. The right-wing religious leader, as you know, is head of Defend Marriage Canada and a bevy of other institutions, and has even vowed to unhorse Tory MPs who don’t vote his way by swamping their nomination meetings with supporters.
But for me there is apparently even more special treatment.
An online petition has been started to force me from office as an MP, and I am told it is the child of McVety supporters. The following explains why I should be turned into political worm food:
Canadian Conservative Member of Parliament, Garth Turner, has made comments towards Christian political activists, referring to them as “Taliban” and Flowers of Evil”.
The comments can be found on the MP’s blog, www.garth.ca:
The first comment made compared defending traditional marriage to the Taliban. “Call it Defend Marriage Canada. Call it the Taliban. Fleurs du mal.”
Christian activists were referred to as “people who share his divine Kool-Aid”, alluding to the infamous Jonestown Massacre of 1978, during which cult members committed mass suicide by drinking Kool-Aid laced with potassium cyanide.
Turner has no respect for those who do not share his narrow viewpoint. The Canadian constitution guarantees the right to religion, and those people with religion should be given their right to their viewpoint, without harassment of bigotry. Especially from its own elected Members of Parliament.
Whereas these comments are inappropriate and made in a bigoted manner.
We, the undersigned, call on Garth Turner, MP, to resign his seat in the House of Commons.
Now, here’s my problem, and why I need your support. As of last night, 73 people had signed this petition, which I take as a serious personal affront. I expected thousands at least, or better still, tens of thousands. Perhaps this is because the thing just hasn’t been publicized enough, for which I blame the organizers. After all, what good is it to go gunning for a political figure without a proper marketing campaign to build public anger?
So, I’d like your help. Here’s a link to the petition. Go there, sign it and please leave a comment when you do. Your signature will help raise the stakes so this coming vote in Parliament will be seen as the final one to ever take place on the issue of same-sex marriage. Then we can get back to the economy, family taxation, health care and the environment. And your comments will, I am sure, be read personally by the Rev.
Govern yourself accordingly.
UPDATE: June 21, 1 pm ET: This is some clever petition (or a determined webmaster), since it is deleting all comments that may be positive about my humble self, leaving only the negative stuff. Best be creative, then.
75 comments ↓
Dear Sir, I watched you this evening on Mile Duffy Live. Having listened to you I have signed in to your web site. It is excellent, therefore, I thought it appropriate to send this e-mail and congratulate you on a first class, innovative idea. My wife and I are long time “true blue” conservatives, we give our complete support. We immigrated from Scotland in 1969, we are Canadian citizens. We were conservatives even back in Scotland. Please keep up the good work, we look forward in anticipation to reading your web site on a regular basis. All the very best in your endeavours.
Sincerely, John M. H., Fonthill, Ontario
Great job on the web casting – I wish they did something like this with a focus on B.C.
Please let me know when you do a spread on Rona Ambrose… you guys have all the aces don’t you!
Gill
Abbotsford, B.C.
Your site is great, thanks for making it easier for the layman to interpet the
goings on in Parliament.
Harriet W.
Niagara Falls ON
Hey Garth!
I just watched you on Mike Duffy Live! Terrific stuff! I had no idea MPtv was going on!
I work for the Nova Scotia Government as the Policy Development Coordinator at Voluntary Planning (an agency that engages citizens in Policy Development).
I’m a Vlogger (though I admit to being slack lately when it comes to posting on my personal site), and have always thought that Video Blogs needed to find a place in politics. As a fellow Tory, I can’t tell you how exciting it is for me to see you taking a visionary lead on this kind of thing. Before starting work at Voluntary Planning my main focus of study was in Digital Democracy and Citizen Engagement. I love that you’re blending those two concepts together! I think your work is “humanizing” politics, something that is long overdue!
If you’re ever in Nova Scotia, or can find time in your busy schedule for a phone call, I’d absolutely love to talk to you about MPtv, Video Blogging, and the future of communications in Politics!
All the best!
-Dan O.
Hats off to you.
This is a great response to McVety and his ilk.
Shining the light of truth is much better than a debate with someone who will not shut up even when beaten. And the truth is that there are many more of us than of them.
The closely held views of McVety, et al, are not the views of mainstream Canadians or even mainstream Canadian Christians.
If they are right, we’re all going to Hell. If we are right, they’re all
bigots.
So far there are 72 of them and three signatories who support you.
So much for a prairie fire of support for traditional marriage.
Kind of like the t-w-e-l-v-e people at the Alberta anti-gun control meeting last weekend.
Lots of noise and media, but little support beyond the individual faxing out press releases.
And I thing Stephen needs your help….wtf..
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=40cba6a5-f035-47c6-a1df-758a5f8c6275&k=55219
I have a question about this same-sex vote, Garth. What is this vote all about? Is it to save the PC’s face (because a “vote” was promised) amid the election platform.
I see it as a political gesture and nothing will come out of it at all, except a bunch of political bragging about how the PC’s kept another promise… unfortunately without any intent of doing anything except trying to win votes.
The things the PC’s won’t do for political gain!!!
Garth
Although I support you in your efforts to leave Same Sex Marriage alone, I do not want to sign that petition. In no way do I want to associate myself with that group.Are there other ways that people can assist!
Me too – I agree with you that this issue should be left alone. As for the petition – I went to the site, but don’t want to sign – I also don’t want anything to do with that group. Perhaps someone should start a petition to ban those…ah, to be polite I won’t say it!
kevin:
Just wait ’till McVety’s bunch show up here accusing Garth of trying to undermine their petition. You’ll have ample opportunity to “assist.”
Great idea Garth – let’s sabotage his petition. This could turn into a “Support Garth Turner” petition!! There is no room for Religious fanatics in politics.
Garth, I would echo Kevin’s comments. I refuse to sign McVety’s electronic rag and provide his minions of intolerance with any potential ammunition which could be used against you as my MP. I don’t want these jokers seeing this as an attempt to highjack their petition so that they can then feel justified hijacking candidate nomination campaigns.
The sane Canadian public (of all political leanings) see through these self-righteous losers and the fact only 73 people nationally signed this petition should be ample evidence of that fact.
Brenda, I would counter that there are no room for secular fanatics in politics. But then that would be bullying on my part but then, you’re allowed to say that.
Hijacking the petition… good idea, although I’m hesitant to sign my name on what’s partially a contract.
About the same sex marriage debate, I’m at a loss to understand what the vote is for. If I’m reading this correctly, they want to replace “same sex marriage” with “civil unions.” Is it going to make any difference to their rights or freedoms besides the name?
I left this comment, hope it helps your cause….
#82. This petition is really sad. Christians have been given two thousand years to discover love and this is how you choose to express it? And here we have, a Christian leader petitioning the flock to impeach an Honourable Member of Parliament. Mr. Turner has every right to be wrong on his own weblog and he gives the viewer every opportunity to post a comment to correct him. This is the Internet not a community newspaper. I thought Christianity was all about gentle and compassionate persuasion of the misinformed? You have walked right into a trap set by you know who!”
“Turner has no respect for those who do not share his narrow viewpoint.”
Wow that is rich coming from McVety and his ilk.
This is interesting… they’re deleting names off the petition. They’ve voided all pro-Garth signitures, and the new signitures are ‘pending approval.’
I wouldn’t mind, except that they’re not letting this affect their total. They’ve still counted them in the total, they’re just not showing anymore.
Luke:
The whole fracas is about who owns the word marriage. Nothing more. All the rest is gender politics from the left and fundamentalist screeching from the right.
A pox on both their houses.
Luke: If there’s no difference, then what difference will a name make? You can’t seriously believe that groups that support what they’re calling the traditional definition of marriage are upset about nomenclature? They want a different name because they believe it’s a different thing.
There’s a lot in a name, contrary to what Shakespeare says.
The rest of this email was deleted my me because of its use of a racial slur. — Garth
It appears that the good reverend is voiding the protest signitures.The best way to deal with these clowns is to ignore them for now.
Like ALW says, we can “assist” when they turn up here spouting their garbage.
Garth – So they say that YOU have a narrow veiwpoint. How do you like them apples?
Considering the number of signatures to date, all it would take is one doofus that knows how to use the delete key. I take it that freedom of speech isn’t a “traditional Christian value.â€
Just speculating………….
“this coming vote in Parliament will be seen as the final one to ever take place on the issue of same-sex marriage.â€
Not a chance. This is an issue that could be reopened at any time by any government in the future. McVety & his bunch know it and so do the gay left & their supporters.
If this upcoming vote supports the status quo and it certainly seems that it will, then the Left will have established a beachhead from which to launch an assault on the real prize. The Constitution. They won’t feel secure until their “right†to marry is a true right. That means it will have to be enshrined in the Charter of Blights and Privileges.
The real fun hasn’t even started yet.
My submission is currently “pending approval”. Fingers crossed!
ALW talking about freedom of speech and yet wants to curb that very same freedom to the Relgious. Hypocrisy abounds.
Yes mine too. They deleted my first one(#83), hope to have better luck this time (#87)
UPDATE
Garth,I know you like to have your way, but the petition states something different than what a few people are stating on there. But I’m sure you don’t mind people bending the rules to your way.
Brenda S. said, “There is no room for Religious fanatics in politics.”
That’s sort of hypocritical isn’t it? After all, everyone has some kind of religious view; the most prominent one around here is that homosexuals deserve the ability to marry whomever they chose; such a thing can’t be proven right, it is merely proposed on the basis of faith, just like the faith of a formal religion. Given the hatred I’ve seen today towards opposing views, I’d say that some the attitudes around here are quite fanatical.
Also Garth, you mentioned people in your own party today. What do you make of this quote by our PM?:
“And I will tell you this. That, as your leader, if you disagree with me on these matters, I will not call you stupid or label you a threat to Canadian values.”
“As leader, I care less about your views on these matters than whether you are prepared to respect the views of those who disagree with you.”
~ Stephen Harper,
2005 Conservative Policy Convention
Signature#82, now… “Line voided”.
Garth, you’re gaining ground when it comes to freedom of expression.
Sean:
Have any of your posts to this blog ever been “voided” by the host? You are free to voice your opinion here.
Mr McVety has not seen fit to provide a free forum on his website(s) for open debate and he is deleting comments from those with oposing views on his petition.
Who is curbing whose freedom of speech?
ALW talking about freedom of speech and yet wants to curb that very same freedom to the Relgious. Hypocrisy abounds.
You can spout your hatred all day long, as long as you don’t impose it on us. Have fun on your next witch burning.
McVety wants to hijack our political system with a handful of followers and impose his political views on the rest of the country.
This is what is so outrageous, not him being against gay marriage. He should have his tax-free status revoked.
J. McCain, the same to you. That’s what equality is all about. *S*
ALW, surely you know the difference between a blog and a petition or do I have to sit you down and explain the differences??? Please, this has to be a joke.
Mark P., make sure you realize that there are more than 1 post is being put on the petition by the same person. I hardly think that Garth is gaining ground.
Garth: What I used was not a racial slur. I specifically mentioned that I don’t use that particular word because it is a slur. The word I used is analogous to ‘buddy’, ‘mate’, or ‘brother’.
Sean:
Welcome back to this forum where you are permitted, even encouraged, to speak freely without being “voided.”
McVety has invited the public to sign his petition and leave comments. He then chose to delete the comments that he found didn’t suit his purposes. Who is curbing whose freedom of speech?
ALW
I am quite familiar with FundaMENTALists, and they will use whatever means to discredit there “enemies” This is there game. Fanatics will use anything that is given to them to carry there agenda. Our response needs to be “trekkie” in nature … Diplomacy, Diplomacy, Diplomacy …. When they don’t come to there senses … set phasers on stun and throw’em in the Brig! IN general Canadian Society does not tolerate religous fanatics. The fanatics are aware of this. They also know that society has and will “stun” them if we need too!
Just for the record …”Stun” refers to a “verbal stun” not a physical one.
cheers!
Um, is anyone actually sure this *is* McVety’s petition or even related to him?
This is getting tedious. Could we please have some more pictures of ladies underwear?
Matthew, good question
I copied this from the petition…..
“The Call For the Resignation of Canadian Member of Parliament, Garth Turner Petition to Garth Turner, Canadian Member of Parliament was created by and written by Kevin Redmond (kdredmon@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca). ”
He’s obviously acting in what he thinks is McVety’s best interest but McVety’s name is conspicuously absent from the petition.
Sock puppet????
This petition appears to have been created and written by a Waterloo student, Kevin Redman. So does anyone have any proof that there is a link between Kevin Redman and McVety? Can this be just a young person excercising their democratic right to voice his view point (whether one agrees or disagrees)? Just like they did in Vancouver with Emerson?
Regarding the clever webmaster deleting good comments – he/she/it may simply be detecting that the link that referenced their petition site came from your site and automagically deleting it on that basis. Every web request has this information.
Religion – the basis of a heckuva lotta strife and evil in this world by corrupting/beaurocatizing the original spirituality for power’s sake.
Good luck Garth.
Hi Garth,
CONGRATULATIONS, on your wonderful very informative website, it’s great. So many people ask me questions, because I follow politics, about what is going on with the leaders of our country for example the LIBERAL ADSCAM, I have until now only been able to answer what I hear on the news. With your new site I feel I can now get more informed on who is going to jail and who has not? A question I and many other people have is “HOW COULD A HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS GET BY THE THEN FINANCE MINISTER PAUL MARTIN?” Guest he was a really poor bookkeeper as he was prime minister. I would also like to ask you ‘why can’t we the people fire the politician’s that we hired’? Mr McGuinty broke every campaign promise he made affecting many people’s lives e.g. people on disability.
Looking forward too seeing you in the fall on Mike Duffy Live, thanks for you website, you are truly a man of vision.
Your new fan,
Maureen Dodds
Kitchener, On.
Hi, I watched you on Mike Duffy Live last nite and I was quite interested in your web page. I have always been interested in politics. My parents were staunch P.C. supporters. I am not a PC supporter and find it unbelievable that your party is revisiting the gay marriage issue. I must say though,I admire your views and I love your web page and have added it to my favourite list. Keep up the good work and keep us informed. It is so important to hear from our MPs. Who knows, I might become a closeted Conservative. Lin Weightman
Why sink to their level? Start a seperate petition, denouncing this stupid effort of theirs.
Sean-Please take the time to read my reponse to you under the “Road to Ottawa” blog. Thanks Sean.
One question for all the folks that live on the more “religious right” side of the street around here…
Why are you guys pouring all your resources into the gay marriage issue. Even the most leftist of countries see us as most barbaric for having no laws regarding late term abortions.
While I fully support a woman’s right to choose, I don’t support their right to dither. This is an issue that even many lefties could support you on.
Just curious.
I was careless when I read the petition and assumed that McVety was responsible.
I would like to offer my sincere apology to Mr McVety for assuming that he would stoop to the sort of tactics that we have come to expect from him.
Garth I missed seeing you lead the Gay parade in Toronto.
To answer your question Andrew, I think the short answer is that it is currently more plausable. Unlike most other groups desiring to influence public policy, us ignorant religious folk face a great deal of persecution every time we practice our Charter-ensured freedom of speech or attempt to be good citizens by engaging in public debate. Proof is avaliable in the comments on this post above that insinuate that Christians have no place in public service (just like women didn’t belong in med school at one time!) or that we are menaces to society just for who we are. Given such a hostile and intolerant environment for my ilk and I, it is typically best to focus on one goal at a time; at least with SSM, we don’t have a whole generation brainwashed into beliving one extreme (abortion on demand) is an essential part of a civilized society yet. Cheers.
Ha these idiots, I signed it as a guy named “Vice Aproval” (#87), and then as a couple of piligimists from Bountiful, including one (#89) as Warren Jeffs.
ALW, he invited people to make comments who support the petition, look in a dictionary for the word and you’ll understand what it means. Opposing views are not welcome as it is a petition supporting one point of view, that’s the purpose of it, unlike a blog. You seriously don’t believe that the 2 should and are one and the same??? That would be idiocy, and I noticed that Garth seems to think they are or should be the same. Pretty silly.
Ray said, Religion – the basis of a heckuva lotta strife and evil in this world by corrupting/beaurocatizing the original spirituality for power’s sake.
Ray, you can say the exact same thing for secularism.
Lin, if you find that re-visiting the marriage issue unbelievable, why didn’t you suggest the same thing when the homosexuals revisited it, again and again? Guess they’re only allowed to bring something back after they’ve been told “no way” by Parliament.
Sean:
Stop claiming that I equated a blog with a petition. I didn’t.
I merely pointed out that the host of this blog has the right to delete your posts. He choses to allow you to express your opinions.
The sponsor of the petition also has that right. He choses to delete those he disapproves of.
Who is curbing whose freedom of speech?
ALW, its not free speech on a petition, if you support it, you sign it, if you don’t support it, you don’t sign it. Its called a petition, again you are comparing the 2 here and you don’t know what you’re talking about. Anyone in their right mind would delete them because its called sabotage, not free speech. Class is over, you just don’t make the grade.
Andrew in Oakville, I have replied to you in the road again topic. Now, to answer your question about abortion. Look at the motion that was just brought to committee and was deemed unvotable, no reasons given just unvotable. Now look at the liberal MP who is bringing forth a private member’s bill on abortion. Despite you not hearing anything about it, things are being brought up. Remember, Harper said that he will use all his influence to deter his members from bringing any motion/bill about abortion.
Sean:
What petition?
The so-called petition is nothing more than an internet bulletin board created for the express purpose of hosting comments intended to embarrass and inflame Mr Turner and his supporters. That should be transparently obvious, even to you, since the so-called petition has absolutely no hope of accomplishing its stated purpose. Why would anyone create a petition that has absolutely no hope of accomplishing its stated purpose? I can only suppose that Mr Redmond is either not very bright or his purpose is not what he claims.
Which is it? Is he as dumb as a bag of hammers or is this just an underhanded cheap attempt to smear the opposition without having to engage in meaningful debate?
GARTH…..SMARTEN UP!!!!!
Nobody pays any attention to this big pile of crap McVety except you.
No one would have even heard of him if YOU hadn’t advertised him so much.
They can’t kick you out of Parliament even if they get ten million nitwits to sign a petition.
The only danger to you is if YOUR party allows one of McVety’s puppets to run instead of you in the next election.
And the result of that would be another Liberal MP.
62% think same sex marriage debate should be left alone. Where did that number come from? A Poll? From which group? CBC?
Why bother with voting if we are just going to accept polls.
There needs to be a debate with real free votes. To stifle debate stifles democracy. Thats why health care is in the state it is today. We can’t have a debate on it or we are going to end up with an American system, so say the fearmongers.
Maybe 62% of the popluation agree with same sex marriages. But I have to say that I constantly hear slurs against same sex marriage in the business world and local community. I have not heard one person defend same sex marriage to me face to face. Every one that I have heard in conversation condemns it. This is anecdotal but if 62% were in favor of same sex marriage then one would think a bloke would hear support for it in other places than CBC, NDP and Garth Turner blogs.
apparently the guy can’t read french. check out signature #103. translation “this is very funny. everyone here is stupid”.
Jim:
Actually no one has said that 62% are in favour of same sex marriage. What was said is that 62% don’t want to revisit the issue. There’s a difference.
I did not support same sex marriage. I also have no interest in reopening the issue. It’s done. Any serious attempt to take away what the gay community believe is their right to use the word marriage will result in a hell of an uproar and create a political firestorm.
It’s just the sort of silly issue that could bring down the government.
It ain’t worth it.
First question:
This petition has been set up by a University of Waterloo student named
Kevin Redmond.
Is he affiliated with Canadian Christian College or the organizations Dr. McVety is involved in?
Kevin Redmond has no obvious cyber footprints.
Is it possible he is actually opposed to Dr. McVety? Is he a bored Liberal college student? Or not:^)
A quick look of Dr. McVety and Canadian Christian College is quite telling, all the religious code words are there.
The college was founded by his father – it is accredited in Ontario as a private bible school.
It is fundamentalist, independent (uses the term evangelical) and teaches and practices what is known as aberrant or none orthodox beliefs (ie: nouthetic counselling, innerancy and other fun stuff)
It is aligned with the ‘blab it and grab it’, ‘name it and claim it’ Word of Faith or Prosperity Gospel, charismatics and whatever is theologically expedient for independents in this political climate – and as such is a sect – even though most of the words sound orthodox.
It can be quite an abusive belief system, you see a lot of fear and shame based bullying behavior, manipulation, and it’s quite patriarchal and hierarchal.
The college fee scale is comparable to most private colleges – Dr. McVety got his education under his father and at their affiliate bible college in St. Petersburg Florida.
If you look at The College Standards, they are what would be understood as fringe for Canadian evangelicals and fall well into the fundamentalist category.
You’ll see the standards require civility by students – but common to this category of believers, staff seem to be exempt.:^)
Next question.
Charles McVety got national attention for cybersquatting (ie: donboudria.ca and donbell.org)
What was the outcome?
Several sites mention Dr. McVety’s book Guaranteed Victory.
It doesn’t appear to be available through normal or religious bookstores. Who published it?
Rondo Thomas (Vice President of Dr. McVety’s college) got the conservative nomination for Ajax-Pickering, taking it away from a well known former MP.
When Liberal MP Mark Hollands June 1, 2005 memo regarding McVety’s cyber squatting went public, some Conservative Party supporters laughed.
Now Conservatives are in the cross hairs.
Should Dr. McVety and his friends be taken seriously?
Yeah.
Their behavior and their beliefs may be way out there, and annoying, but they understand the political process and are very dedicated and very committed, indeed ‘called’ into politics to make Canada ‘christian’ again.
That playbook comes from friends in the US and they are very good at the game.
The outrage and persecution complex is calculated and deliberate.
McVety is not only concerned with a revote on Bill C-38, he is ramping it up about child care.
Shortly after the last vote, there was an article about MP’s being buried under email – apparently it was the work of a few Exclusive Brethern who have become politically active in Canada, the UK, Australia since 2002. They’d be political ideological kin with many of Dr. McVety’s goals, politics makes strange bedfellows.
Dr. McVety and his ideological buddies like Tristan Emmanuel thrive on conflict, and straining gnats – their ‘faith’, goals, and relationships require it.
Annoying MP’s is standard fare.
Mr. Turner is merely the latest new best friend.
Bene D
I tried to find some background on him too. All I found was a couple of references related to his campus activities which made no mention of religious affiliation and one post on a forum where he identified himself as a Protestant. His post was well written and didn’t seem fundamentalist in nature. If he is associated with Mr (I won’t call him a doctor, I’ve seen his credentials) McVety there is no sign of it on the web. I wonder if he was put up to sponsoring the petition? He certainly has made no attempt to defend it.
Thanks ALW – I’ve written Mr.Kevin Redmond at his email he has at the petition and asked him for information on what, why, how, who etc.
I hope he doesn’t feel threatened or attacked and will respond my interview email.
Hi There,
I thought I might actually comment here. I know that there is no proof that I am the Kevin Redmond who created the petition, though you’ll just have to choose to believe me.
I have responded to Bene D’s email, and I have been watching your message posts on here from time to time.
There have been many interesting speculations made regarding my petition, my intelligence, my effort in the petition, my ability to understand French.
I have never met and know very little about McVety.
I have put very little effort into this petition.
The post that was made in french made no reference whatsoever as to whom the statements were directed at. Considering that one would originally assume that anyone who signs the petition is in favour of what the petition says, you would assume that the statements made are directed towards those the petition disagrees with.
This petition is not a message board and those who sign it are expected to agree with the statements made. Otherwise you are contradicting yourself in doing so.
I can’t believe that Harper and co endorsed Rondo Thomas’ nomination in Ajax-Pickering!!! Did anyone think to investigate his backround and credentials??? He has misrepresented himself in everyway!He does not represent Evangelicals Christians!
Hi Kevin, I believe you’re you.
You have stated, “I have never met and know very little about McVety. I have put very little effort into this petition.â€
I just have to ask …. If you are going to petition an elected member of the Government of Canada to resign his seat don’t you think it would be a good idea to learn a little something about the situation? And, if after you have researched the situation, you find it worthwhile to petition for the resignation of said MP maybe it might be worth putting some “effort†into it?
If I may make a suggestion or two…… Learn a bit about McVety. An hour or so of googling should do the trick. Find out what he really stands for. Determine if he really represents your vision of how this country should be governed. If he does then put some EFFORT into the petition. You’re stuck at 105 and that includes the rejects. That’s pathetic.
……and drop the resign part. It’s unrealistic and reduces your credibility. Make it a petition of protest.
Oh, and for what it’s worth, I didn’t sign your petition.
Kevin Redmond did take the time to respond to my questions – thank you Kevin.
I posted your response to my questions at BDBO for those interested. http://www.benedictionblogson.com/?p=2523
Please, take this in good spirit from an older Christian, okay? Try to take time to learn about Dr. McVety and a few of his lobby friends.
There will always be guys like McVety, and they will do more damage to Christianity and democracy than a hundred pieces of legislation.
I hope you find time to do some research and perhaps contact a reputable organization like the Manning Institute and do an apologetics study on WoF and independent fundamentalism.
I hope you and Mr. Turner have the opportunity to talk sometime.
Sean:
What petition?
The so-called petition is nothing more than an internet bulletin board created for the express purpose of hosting comments intended to embarrass and inflame Mr Turner and his supporters. That should be transparently obvious, even to you, since the so-called petition has absolutely no hope of accomplishing its stated purpose. Why would anyone create a petition that has absolutely no hope of accomplishing its stated purpose? I can only suppose that Mr Redmond is either not very bright or his purpose is not what he claims.
Which is it? Is he as dumb as a bag of hammers or is this just an underhanded cheap attempt to smear the opposition without having to engage in meaningful debate?
Just look at the URL and you’ll get your answer. Boy, talk about someone trying to turn a lie into the truth here. Like I said, you don’t understand the difference between a petition and a blog, and you’re proving that over and over.
Sean:
Kevin is intelligent enough to understand the point I was trying to make in the post that you have so conveniently transplanted for reference. He is also intelligent enough to know that I intended no personal slight. If he has any doubt regarding that I’d like to reassure him on that point right now.
My suggestions regarding his petition were sincere. If he finds, after actually doing some research, that he supports McVety then he should follow through with a petition that is sincere and credible. I will support him in his efforts … but I won’t sign his petition.
Again, you speaking about free speech and suggesting that you should have that on a petition is ridiculous at best, idiotic at worst. You seem to forget you had suggested that free speech is dead on his petition, and I still and will keep on hammering the point that you are incorrect and it does not apply to a petition. Your judgment whether it is credible or not, doesn’t really add up to diddly squat. Next.
hey
Hey Garth,
These blogs have been incredibly fun and entertaining to read – this petition
thing is a riot!!!We now know the scoop
on this Kevin Redmond!!! I would also
like to know who the real Bene D is????