VoteSecular Response: Jim McGarva, Green Party, ON - St. Paul’s

Secularism
1. Do you support the separation of religion and state, and government neutrality in all matters between believers, and atheists/agnostics?

Yes, absolutely and without reservation.

Freedom of Speech
2. Do you believe there should be any legal limits on the criticism of religious opinion in the public square?



No, although there is an important distinction to be made between criticism of religious opinion and harassment or hate speech. Calls to violence are never acceptable, but people should feel free to criticize the opinions of others.

3. Would you support repealing the law against blasphemy in the Criminal Code of Canada?

Certainly. The idea of blasphemy as a criminal offense is outdated and should be relegated to the history books.

Religious accommodations


4. What is your position on granting people exemptions from neutral, generally applicable laws and policies based on their religious beliefs (e.g. "religious accommodations")?

The answer on this one has to be "It depends." If a law is well-crafted then it's likely that religious accommodations are unnecessary. The fact is that accessibility is a real and very important issue, and no Canadian should be prevented from accessing the institutions provided by the government because of a conflict with a religious belief. Neutrality is important, but ensuring the rights and freedoms granted by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is more important.

Charity status


5. Do you support granting an organization tax-exempt charitable status for the sole purpose of the "advancement of religion", if such an organization undertakes no other charitable activity (e.g. feeding the poor)?

No I do not.

Anthem
6. Would you support an amendment to the National Anthem Act to remove the reference to God in the lyrics of O Canada?

Yes.

Charter of Rights and Freedoms
7. Would you support an amendment to the preamble of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to remove the reference to the “Supremacy of God”?

Yes.

Religious law


8. What position do you hold concerning the legally-binding use by religious communities of separate religious courts (eg. in family law)?

I find it acceptable as long as all involved parties agree on the use of these alternative court systems and as long as every party has recourse to our regular secular courts at every stage of the process, including after the decision has been made by the religious court. In this way, they are simply an agreement between citizens and in no way do they restrict access to Canada's courts.

Medicine and Health
9. Do you support the requirement that all products labeled "medicine", including homeopathic or naturopathic remedies, be required to pass the same rigorous testing as pharmaceuticals?

I don't feel that this will really fix any problems since we'll simply see the same products marketed the same way but using some word other than "medicine." I do support the rigorous testing of alternative medicines.

10. Do you support vaccination as a good public health measure?

Yes. It is a good public health measure.

Sorry, I hit send a little early here, and forgot to even sign off!

Keep up your good work and I'd love to talk to you more after the campaign is over and I have a bit more time on my hands.

Sincerely,

Jim McGarva
Candidate, St. Paul's Green Party