Harper attacks children in election campaign

Last week the Conservative Party of Canada unleashed an attack on the children of Canada as part of their election platform. Bloc Quebecois leader Gilles Duceppe put it in perspective. He pointed out that Mr. Harper wants to make children the easy targets of sexual predators in our jails and prisons. Mr. Duceppe is correct in his interpretation of Harper's stated intentions.

As a children's rights advocate I know that Canadian children are already under attack by their government, and at risk. They need us to nurture and protect them, not punish them for the wrongdoing of others. Sadly this is the number one cause of youth crime and punishment in this country - the wrongdoing of others. Our Law says a person cannot be tried for the crimes of another, but children are regularly punished for just that...and they are condemned for being young. They do not enjoy the same civil rights and protections that 'adults' do. Harper offers more of the same.

By contrast the Liberal Party of Canada has revealed that they intend to protect, nurture and care about our children, and the Earth where they must raise their own families. This is the kind of Canada I want for my children, my family and my neighbours. It would be a place where children have "equal rights, protection and opportunity", as intended by a Senate bill [S-209] that recently died in the legislative process as a result of this untimely election. Mr. Dion says we should vote for ourselves and for our children's future - for sustainability and economic policy that is realistic in the current climate.

We should tell Mr. Harper that we disapprove of his tactics and intentions, his methods and values. Rally your self, your family, your neighbours and all Canadians to stop this child abuser before he goes too far. He wants to make war on children. This seems very cowardly to me. I do not want a Prime Minister representing me who endorses and enables child abuse and is a coward. He doesn't even see the wrong in what he's suggesting.

I am particularly offended by the fact that Mr. Harper and his team claim to be treating children badly because they [Conservatives] are Christians, and represent a "Christian" view and Christian values. As a Christian theologian I know that Jesus Christ never treated children that way and He does not approve of the Conservatives saying He would. God would NOT lock children in jails with pedophiles and murders and kill them in wars.

Mr. Harper wants to lock them up like this forever - life in prison for children as young as fourteen years! We have a name for this kind of thinking and behaviour. We call it child abuse. This is legislative child abuse, which lets the worst criminals punish children for the crimes of society. Shocking! This is "cruel and unusual punishment." Knowing this about Harper it becomes clear why he has not acted to have Omar Khadr released from Guantanamo Bay when it would have been easy to do so. We can expect him to treat all of our children in the same way - lock them up and throw away the keys.

Law and society alienate children, driving them from participation in mainstream society. They are abused, exploited and rejected. Then they turn to crime and violence in their frustration. For this we condemn them, rather then adapting the society to give our children their proper place in our midst. They are Our Most Precious Treasures. We should treat them like they are.

Young Canadians and those who love them have an opportunity to elect a government that will care about us, our families, our environment, our future and our collective conscience...and especially our children. The Conservative Party of Canada will not give us these things. They don't have them to give. But the Liberal Party of Canada will. This is certain.

It's up to Canadians to make sure the Liberal Party of Canada gets the opportunity to give us what we urgently need. One of those things is Justice for our children and for all children, and another is Hope. Without these we will become a failed state and others will eat our food and enjoy our resources.

There is much work to be done. Get up and get going! Time is short. Stop this child abuser now!

Here is another opinion from someone Mr. Harper trusts. LOL

Peace Pays...more and better than war.