Cabinet has confirmed hundreds of church burnings nationwide following unsubstantiated claims skeletal remains were discovered at an Indian Residential School in Kamloops, BC.Data, drawn from police reports compiled by Statistics Canada, indicate a sharp rise in arson attacks since the claims, per Blacklock’s Reporter. “This includes incidents that occurred on the surrounding property such as an attached cemetery or adjacent parking lot or inside a religious institution or building,” cabinet wrote in an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons.The figures were tabled at the request of Conservative MP Marc Dalton, who asked, “What are the statistics related to incidents of burning places of worship?”The Inquiry counted 423 police-reported incidents at places of worship since 2015, the year the Truth and Reconciliation Commission published a report claiming 4,100 children died at Indian Residential Schools. Arson attacks prior to the 2015 report averaged as few as 13 a year.Police counted 90 arson attacks in 2021, the same year the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation of Kamloops announced the discovery of 215 children’s graves hidden at a Residential School site. No remains have ever been recovered despite a $7.9 million federal grant for field work. The First Nation later revised its claim of 215 skeletal remains to some 200 “potential burials.”The Inquiry noted arson attacks on places of worship included an undisclosed number of incidents targeting non-Christian institutions. “‘Institutions’ include churches, synagogues, temples and mosques but exclude cemeteries not physically located on the religious property,” said the Inquiry.The Commons last May 8 by a unanimous 327-0 vote agreed to consider measures “to coordinate the protection of faith communities.” It followed a justice committee task force proposing appointment of an Anti-Hate Crime Task Force.“Without freedom of religion, without freedom of movement, without the freedom of speech, there actually is no freedom in this country,” Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman earlier told the justice committee.No parliamentary committee to date has examined arson attacks on places of worship. Ottawa think tank the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, published a May 5 commentary identifying reluctance to discuss the crimes.“These sacred places are more than just places of worship,” said the commentary, The Woke Silence Over Church Burnings Is Deafening.“They help to create a sense of community, places where families and friends gather to celebrate and to mourn.”“Canadians have been extremely reluctant to condemn the crimes.”
Cabinet has confirmed hundreds of church burnings nationwide following unsubstantiated claims skeletal remains were discovered at an Indian Residential School in Kamloops, BC.Data, drawn from police reports compiled by Statistics Canada, indicate a sharp rise in arson attacks since the claims, per Blacklock’s Reporter. “This includes incidents that occurred on the surrounding property such as an attached cemetery or adjacent parking lot or inside a religious institution or building,” cabinet wrote in an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the Commons.The figures were tabled at the request of Conservative MP Marc Dalton, who asked, “What are the statistics related to incidents of burning places of worship?”The Inquiry counted 423 police-reported incidents at places of worship since 2015, the year the Truth and Reconciliation Commission published a report claiming 4,100 children died at Indian Residential Schools. Arson attacks prior to the 2015 report averaged as few as 13 a year.Police counted 90 arson attacks in 2021, the same year the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation of Kamloops announced the discovery of 215 children’s graves hidden at a Residential School site. No remains have ever been recovered despite a $7.9 million federal grant for field work. The First Nation later revised its claim of 215 skeletal remains to some 200 “potential burials.”The Inquiry noted arson attacks on places of worship included an undisclosed number of incidents targeting non-Christian institutions. “‘Institutions’ include churches, synagogues, temples and mosques but exclude cemeteries not physically located on the religious property,” said the Inquiry.The Commons last May 8 by a unanimous 327-0 vote agreed to consider measures “to coordinate the protection of faith communities.” It followed a justice committee task force proposing appointment of an Anti-Hate Crime Task Force.“Without freedom of religion, without freedom of movement, without the freedom of speech, there actually is no freedom in this country,” Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman earlier told the justice committee.No parliamentary committee to date has examined arson attacks on places of worship. Ottawa think tank the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, published a May 5 commentary identifying reluctance to discuss the crimes.“These sacred places are more than just places of worship,” said the commentary, The Woke Silence Over Church Burnings Is Deafening.“They help to create a sense of community, places where families and friends gather to celebrate and to mourn.”“Canadians have been extremely reluctant to condemn the crimes.”
