Here and in U.S., some blame gun availability, others radical Islam
OTTAWA (CCN)
The Orlando massacre June 12 in a nightclub frequented by homosexuals by a man claiming allegiance to ISIS detonated a political explosion not only in the United States, but also in Canada.
On the left, Democrats in the U.S. and Liberals in Canada said the attack was an example of homophobia, with many, including, surprisingly, Catholic Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, Fla., and the American Civil Liberties Union blaming the teachings of religions, including Christianity, that paint homosexuality in a bad light.
The left is calling for better gun control and a rejection of the use of words like “radical Islam” and “Islamism” that might increase prejudice against Muslims.
NDP Leader Tom Mulcair, echoing a similar statement made by a Liberal MP in the House of Common June 13, said the victims were “targeted because of how they lived, who they were, and who they loved.”
He urged the building “of more inclusive communities by combating homophobia, transphobia, and Islamophobia. Love is love, and love will always be stronger than hate.”
On the right, however, Republicans in the U.S. and Conservatives in Canada are blaming radical Islamism and ISIS, which claimed responsibility for the attack, even though no direct links between the Islamic State and the shooter have been established by authorities.
They point out the West is at war, whether it likes it or not, with people fuelled by a murderous religious and political ideology that not only targets homosexuals, but also Christians, Jews, Yazidis, and more moderate Muslims who disagree with their radical agenda.
In Question Period June 13, Conservative MP Denis Lebel led off, noting “horrifying, barbaric, and senseless acts took place in Orlando, and the so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility.”
“This morning, we received the terrible news that Robert Hall was executed by a group linked to this terrorist organization,” he said. “We strongly condemn these acts of extreme violence.”
After extending his condolences, he asked what Canada is doing to protect public safety.
Conservatives expressed dismay and disappointment June 14 when a motion to declare ISIS murders, torture, and mass rapes in the Middle East aimed at Christians, Yazidis, and others “crimes against humanity” and “genocide” failed to pass, despite support from the NDP, the Bloc, and four Liberals.
Though it was clear June 9, when the motion was debated, that the Liberal government would not support it, the Orlando massacre and the murder of a Canadian citizen by another Islamist group did not affect the outcome of the vote.
On Twitter after the vote, Conservative MP Jason Kenney called the vote “One of the most disturbing moments in my 19 years in Parliament.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended voting against the amendment, saying it was up to bodies like the United Nations to investigate and make a determination of genocide.
“We will not trivialize the importance of the word ‘genocide’ by not respecting formal engagements around that word,” he said in Question Period.
The president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops steered clear of any political statement in a prayerful letter of condolence June 14 to the Bishop of Orlando.
“The shocking act of mass murder that took place in Orlando Sunday morning is a source of deep sadness for all who uphold the inherent value and dignity of every human life,” CCCB president Bishop Douglas Crosby of Hamilton wrote.
“Please be assured of my prayers and those of your brother bishops, as well as all the faithful of our country, for the souls of the deceased, for healing for the wounded, for comfort for the victims’ families, for strength for law enforcement and medical staff, and for the resilience of the American people.”
Invoking Our Lady of Sorrows and St. James, the Son of Zebedee, the patron saint of the Orlando diocese, Bishop Crosby asked that they “intercede with us that such a crime may never happen again.”
