Nothing proclaims diversity like banning stuff, n’est-ce pas?
Quebec’s family minister, Yolande James, has banned all religious instruction in government-subsidized daycare centers. Since 1997, the province has subsidized 85% of daycare costs, with parents paying $7 per child per day.
“I want the young Quebecers who attend our daycare services to do so in a spirit of openness to others and diversity,” said Yolande James, Quebec’s family minister.
Under the new regulations, subsidized daycare centers are permitted to set up Christmas trees and Nativity scenes, but are forbidden to identify Jesus, Mary, and Joseph as figures in the scene, according to two Canadian newspaper reports. Christmas carols are also forbidden.
Remember, we won’t be truly diverse until we have banned everything.
If you are wondering why the obnoxious title? It seems like a gratuitous ad hominem attack on the Frenchies, and after all, they are not the only ones that do this stupid stuff.
Ummm.
OK, it is a gratuitous ad hominem attack on the Frenchies. Which I admit seems doubly unfair since we are not even talking about real Frenchies here, but rather some snobby guys who live ten minutes north of Massena, NY.
Its just that I prefer to be condescended to and discriminated against by a better class of people. Its kinda like being racially discriminated against by a bunch of civil war re-enactment dweebs.
Insult to injury.
December 29, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Yeah, the night is pretty far spent up here in Canada. If you read some of the other news coverage on this issue, you'll see the Quebec government is pretty candid about the reason for this. They want the education system to act as a "counterweight" to any values the family or religion can impose on children. Those are their words. That's Quebec though, which has always been a generation ahead of the rest of the country in the social engineering department. There are still many faithful but confused Catholics in Quebec, though Despite our Bishops. So I think you were a bit harsh in your assessment of Quebec.
Brother Andre, Pray for us.
December 29, 2010 at 3:29 pm
I have a friend who is a Civil War reenactor. He's with a Union regiment – Maryland, I believe. I'll always remember his comment on the movie "Glory"…"I loved it…except for the fact that I kept recognizing the extras !"
December 29, 2010 at 4:57 pm
I think it's probably a good idea that government funds not be used for religious instruction. Once the state is paying for something, they have a right to tell you how to do it, and the last thing I want is the government telling me how to give religious instruction to my kid.
I have a problem with government subsidized day-care, since I think kids belong at home with their moms.
December 29, 2010 at 7:36 pm
If we allow the Church to be marginalized in the public sphere, then we should not be surprised when we are told by governments to modify our beliefs, even when we are not receiving tax money.
The Church can and does take money from the government. If the government is truly of and for the people, there should be no problem. Catholics, who pay taxes, have the right to have their tax money directed to those institutions which support the vision of society that Catholic citizens propose for the common good. The Church does a better job of educating for less money than the state, so the rabid secularists should think twice before robbing Catholics of support. That is, unless the secularists want to assume the financial burden when the Church is forced to cancel social services and the need is then shifted on to the government.
That said, the challenge is to teach our fellow citizens that government is of and for the people, and that it is our tax money the government has the responsibility to manage well. After all, it is our money the government is spending.
As for Quebec, she has forgotten her Catholic identity. It's time the Québecois stop acting like petulant children and rediscover their glorious Catholic heritage.
December 29, 2010 at 8:38 pm
As someone of French-Canadian heritage, I can only imagine the field day my Irish-German wife will have with the title of this post.
Past that, I second Warren's comments completely.
December 30, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Holy cow, I actually agree with The Dutchman on something! Well, for the most part.
It is better if religious institutions don't take federal money, because once the government gives any money, it attaches strings and strings and more strings, changing the strings as time progresses. But that's a problem with how the government runs things.
If government were funding things sensibly, government programs like subsidized day care wouldn't even look at any religious affiliation of any of the recipients. It shouldn't matter. Much like everything is supposed to be color-blind and gender-neutral, programs should be religion-neutral. Religious involvement, or lack thereof, should not be a consideration at all one way or the other.
But kids, if possible, should be at home with their family.
December 31, 2010 at 2:59 am
I read your website regularly, and agree with much of what you say regarding our Church, but as someone whose ancestors helped settle Quebec in the 1600s, I am greatly offended by a comment such as "I prefer to be condescended to and discriminated against by a better class of people". If you want to criticize the actions of politicians, fine; it's not so nice to make sweeping statements about an entire province of people, and those who may not live there but are related to them.