The legal concept of parental rights is currently under attack by the far-left in Canada. One of their tactics is to claim parental rights are an American notion that’s not valid north of the border..A recent example of this sort is a short video circulating on social media by University of Alberta law professor Florence Ashley.. Parental rights protestAround 110 people gathered to protest for parental rights in schools in Calgary. .In the video, Professor Ashley makes claims such as: “parental rights are very much an American idea, one that does not really exist in Canada.” Parental rights, the professor claims, “is a distinctively US narrative and one that does not make much legal sense in Canada.”.Furthermore, people who speak of parental rights in Canada “are adopting wholesale US based narrative and ideology.” When people ask, “what about parental rights?” Prof. Ashley counsels, “You tell them there’s no such thing.”.But contrary to the professor’s remarks, parental rights are very much a thing in Canada..The Supreme Court of Canada thinks so, anyway. For example, consider that court’s 1995 B.(R.) v. Children's Aid Society of Metropolitan Toronto decision..As often happens in these cases, some of the justices wrote differing opinions. But Justice La Forest wrote an opinion that was joined by three other justices. Together, these four Supreme Court judges strongly reaffirmed parental rights in this country..For example, they acknowledged that, “The right of parents to rear their children according to their religious beliefs, including that of choosing medical and other treatments, is a fundamental aspect of freedom of religion, guaranteed by s.2(a) of the Charter.”.Furthermore, there is historical precedent for parental rights in Canada:.“The common law has long recognized that parents are in the best position to take care of their children and make all the decisions necessary to ensure their well-being.”.The four Supreme Court judges go on to point out that “our society is far from having repudiated the privileged role parents exercise in the upbringing of their children..This role translates into a protected sphere of parental decision-making which is rooted in the presumption parents should make important decisions affecting their children both because parents are more likely to appreciate the best interests of their children and because the state is ill-equipped to make such decisions itself. Moreover, individuals have a deep personal interest as parents in fostering the growth of their own children.”.Note here in particular the phrase “a protected sphere of parental decision-making.” Essentially, that’s referring to the concept of parental rights..Besides these quotes, one could also find other authoritative statements of parental rights in Canadian jurisprudence. Therefore, to say that parental rights are an American invention invalid in Canada is certainly incorrect..However, Professor Ashley is correct that there is a “US-based narrative” that relates to the current debate over parental rights. That US-based narrative involves gay pride celebrations and their associated aspects that constitute a form of American cultural imposition on Canada..For example, the reason June is celebrated as Pride Month in parts of Canada is to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York, that are widely seen as the origin of the gay rights movement. The Canadian far-left honours this American landmark and wants other Canadians to do so as well..Of course, the ubiquitous pride flag is an American flag. It was designed and first used in San Francisco in 1978. But according to the far-left, this American flag should be flown in all Canadian public schools as well as at city halls..And then there’s Drag Queen Story Hour. This kind of event was launched in San Francisco in 2015. That is, it is another American import slavishly copied by Canada’s far-left..So, for those who want to complain about American influence in Canada’s culture war, the picture is clear. Canada has been overwhelmed by an American cultural invasion. American-inspired celebrations, American-inspired emblems and American-inspired events are everywhere promoted by the Canadian far-left..The far-left hates parental rights because those rights protect families from the state. In other words, parental rights restrict the power of government officials. Restricting the power of government officials is intolerable to the far-left because it prevents the state from being able to impose its ideology and thereby create a truly 'progressive' society..To claim that parental rights are an American invention invalid in Canada is entirely incorrect. And if the Canadian far-left is concerned about American influence in Canada’s culture wars, it needs only look into a mirror to see the source of that sinister American influence.
