Is the planned Office of Religious Freedom about human rights or political favour?

UPDATE: Documents obtained by CBC News indicate that consultants for the Office of Religious Freedom were drawn almost exclusively from western religions, primarily Christianity.

 Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, left, meets with the Apostolic Papal Nuncio to Canada, Archbishop Pedro López Quintana, in Rome, July, 2011.(Foreign Affairs photo)Originally posted Feb. 3: The government's plan to establish an Office of Religious Freedom has attracted criticism that they may be working to build political favour with religious and ethnic groups in Canada.

And documents obtained by CBC News through access to information laws suggest the government is preparing to deflect criticism that it might be trying to blur the line between church and state.

The lines were drafted for Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird for a day-long consultation with religious groups, human rights advocates and academics, which took place in Ottawa on October 3. The meeting was closed to the public and the media.

One of the anticipated questions reads: "Is the creation of this Office politically motivated to curry favour with certain constituencies?"

The answer steers away from domestic and partisan concerns completely: "This is about upholding Canada's commitment to defending fundamental human rights, the right to freedom of religion and belief, opposition religious hatred and promoting Canadian values of pluralism and tolerance abroad."

The plan to establish the office was first announced during the spring campaign by Bob Dechart, parliamentary secretary to Baird. Dechert made the pledge in his Mississauga-Erindale riding, which contains a heavy concentration of Coptic Christians who are considered a powerful force at the ballot box.

Is the planned Office of Religious Freedom about promoting tolerance and human rights, or is it meant to gather political capital from religious and ethnic groups in Canada? Let us know in the comments section below.


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