“Prime Minister of Canada Edward VanWoudenberg said today…”
Why not?
Why not this remarkable gentlemen as the future leader of our country? Ed VanWoudenberg is from British Columbia and is one of the founders as well as the present leader of the newly formed federal Christian Heritage Party. I had the privilege of interviewing him recently in Toronto on his cross-country tour of Canada.
There is no doubt that his party champions the goals and aspirations of the pro life and pro-family movements, sentiments, he feels shared by the majority of Canadians,
This lively, energetic 48 year-old man, who is married with three children, two attending university and one in grade nine in high school, quit his profitable building contracting business last year to carry the message of a return to high principles, and personal morality, in the decision-making apparatus in government. Principles that made Canada, he said, a great nation.
It was just prior to the interview that I though how poorly our three major political parties are serving us in critical areas of personal morality: honesty, truthfulness, protection of the unborn, weak drug trafficking laws, acceptance of homosexuality as a norm etc.
Christian principles
Now with Ed VanWoudenberg on the scene, we have a chance, I feel, to support and vote for a party that believes wholeheartedly in our principles!
Mr. VanWoudenberg reported, in a recent speech, than an Alberta provincial judge recently denied that Canada’s original founding fathers founded a country based on Christian principles and ethics. This judge said he quoted, “ There was serious doubt that Christianity was ever a part of the common law of the realm, conveniently forgetting that the original name: ‘ Dominion of Canada’ is right out of Ps. 72:8, ‘He (that is God) shall have dominion from sea to sea until the ends of the earth.’”
It is the departure from our heritage that saddens but also inspires Mr.VanWoudenberg to carry on the fight to restore these values. A member of the Christian reformed church, Mr. VanWoudenberg came to Canada 35 years ago from Holland. He loves Canada and wants it to crawl out of the quicksand it has fallen into- pushed, he believes, by secular humanists who deny the very existence of God. Mr.VanWoudenberg says that the Christian Heritage Party had no ideology, but instead governed by consensus and opinion polls! There are well meaning MPs, he believes, but they are captives of the secular humanists in their own political bureaucracies and dare not to venture a contrary opinion. If they do speak up about God, righteousness and family values, he charges, their views are considered dated and they’re derided for them.
He recalled that when Edmonton’s Gay and Lesbian Youth Group recently sought assistance from the federal government, the Secretary of State raced to help with $6,00- to publish a particularly, obscene and offensive piece of material which was given out even to the boy scouts!
Mr.VanWoudenberg believes that Biblical laws, given to us by God since Creation, are of lasting benefit to both the believers and the unbelievers alike. He is confident that the Christian Heritage Party will attract support from people of all races and creeds who believe in our values.
There is a deliberate attempt, he believes, to eliminate Christian influence in Canadian law. He mentioned Ontario where Bill 7 was recently passed and he predicted soon that lesbian and homosexual “marriages” will be given “family” benefits.
“Whatever happened to Holy Matrimony?” he asked. He went on to say that homosexuals will declare AIDS a chronic disease and all taxpayers will be forced to pay the price caused by a lifestyle that the Bible calls an outright sin.
Hostile climate
Handicapped children and defective newborn children will be deemed not worthy of life, he said, and the killing of them will be described as “ an allowable useful act”- indeed, “a compassionate act.”
“Where will it end?” he asked, “grandmothers and grandfathers with limited potential for life will be next. They call it death with dignity- only the Christian Heritage party calls it murder.”
“Euthanasia,” he charged spiritedly, is the law of jungle-of man taking upon himself to play God. And when the fear of God is gone- then gone is the wisdom that is needed to judge this land in righteousness.”
On the immediate horizon he claims, is the proposal to eliminate two major Christian holidays, Good Friday and Christmas, just because of a small minority doesn’t feel comfortable with them. Challenges are on the way to deny parents the right to educate their children according to the dictates of their conscience, and there is a plan to tax churches. The Lord’s Day Act, is under fire, thanks to our new Charter of Rights, he contended, and is now deemed to be unconstitutional because it creates a “hostile climate.”
“Slice after slice,” Mr.VanWoudenberg claimed, “ our freedoms are attacked and taken away from us.”
“Our objective,” he stated, “is to return to our historical Judaeo-Christian ethic, without discriminating against those of different religious beliefs.”
Mr.VanWoudenberg warned that Canada will pay dearly for the murder of 60,000 unborn children every year, Children that could have become citizens and taxpayers and contributors to our pension plan, as well as contributing to growth of Canada.
“The Christian Heritage Party,” he said, “believes in responsible, middle of the road government; in the restoration of good economic order, in living within our means, displaying good stewardship over our resources and reminding all citizens of their obligation and responsibility, under God, toward one another and society as a whole. We are not a right wing Conservative party; we’re an intelligent clear thinking alternative.
“We believe in helping the underprivileged in our own country, assisting third world countries to achieve their goals. We believe in genuine efforts to achieve peace. We’re against apartheid but sanctions against South Africa may hurt more than help the situation.
“Domestically. I’m an environmentalist, and I believe in the preservation of Lyle Island as a park, but it is possible elsewhere to have a compromise- use the preservation of the forests. I do believe that the stumpage fees were much too low in Canada and we were unfair to the Americans.”
When I asked him to sum up the goals of hi party, he said:
“The Christian Heritage party has a vision of Canada; Freedom for the individual to use his gifts and talents in service of God and country.”
Mr. VanWoudenberg shook my hand warmly, a slight smile on his face and said: “ I’ve got to go to Hamilton for a television debate now, I’m sorry.”
He stood there, a man of slim build, about five foot eight, calm and confident, a rarity in public life, I thought. An honest, forth -right man ,a man of integrity, with strong determination- a man with a mission. He picked up his briefcase, waved goodbye and was gone.
“Mr.VanWoudenberg,” I thought afterwards, “where do I join?”
For more information on the Christian Heritage party contact Box 22009, Station B, Vancouver, B.C V6A 3Y2. (604) 574-0660.
