Minto endorses declaration against religious violence
MINTO – The Town of Gananoque has asked all municipal councils in Ontario to support its recent declaration against religious violence.
Minto council reviewed the request at its Nov. 3 meeting.
Gananoque Mayor John Beddows stated in a letter that there is a “horrible trend of religiously based violence in Canada developing over the last few years in which people of many faiths and their places [of] worship have been targeted.”
Following recent events at the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Beddows put forward and signed a declaration against religious violence at the Gananoque council meeting on Oct. 7.
The town’s declaration notes the council believes faith is a personal choice, and asserts, stands with and defends “the fundamental principle that all persons are equal and share the same fundamental rights and dignity as persons.”
They added the town stands against “othering” and against the objectification of people.
“We stand against any person or group that denies that all persons are equal in rights, dignity and freedoms,” it states inside the letter.
“We stand against any person or group that seeks to use or that uses violence or intimidation as tools to target persons or groups or to try to change our society, our way of life and who we are as Canadians.”
Beddows also explained that he is a 30-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces who served all across Canada, in Europe, as a United Nations peacekeeper in the Middle East and in Afghanistan.
“I have witnessed what happens when intolerance and ‘othering’ are allowed to take root and grow,” he wrote.
At Minto council’s meeting, Deputy Mayor Jean Anderson asked council to endorse and support the Town of Gananoque’s letter.
“The increase in violence of all aspects is pretty appalling, so I would ask that we endorse that, please,” she said.
A motion to endorse the request was made by Anderson, seconded by councillor Judy Dirksen and carried.
Beddows asked in his letter that municipalities forward a copy of their endorsement with to Graham McGregor, provincial minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.
