PC police hound Christians for refusing to say Easter Bunny is real

You couldn't make this stuff up. A Christian couple from Hamilton ON had to go all the way to the province's Superior Court to be allowed to continue acting as foster parents. Why? Because the Children's Aid Society took away the girls they were fostering because the pair refused to tell the children that the Easter Bunny is real!

The court was told that CAS support worker Tracey Lindsay had visited Frances and Derek Baar to see how the girls, aged 3 and 5, were getting along. Although Ms Lindsay acknowledged that the girls looked well cared for in all respects, she was horrified to find that the Baars had neglected or (gasp) refused to teach the girls about the Easter Bunny! The Hamilton Children's Aid Society said it expected staff and foster parents to put aside their "personal beliefs and values" when caring for children who are coming from "different settings".

The Baars told Ms Lindsay they intended to hide chocolate eggs and have the girls find them on Easter and play other games, but didn't plan to speak to the children about the Easter Bunny, unless the girls specifically asked questions about the character. Describing themselves as a Christian couple with "strong religious faith", they argued that telling children in their care that the Easter Bunny is real was contrary to their religious beliefs.

In a rare win for common sense over political correctness -- and for Christian values over secular humanism -- Superior Court Judge A.J. Goodman agreed with the Baars. He found that the couple did try to have the children enjoy holidays such as Easter and Christmas. "There is sufficient evidence to assert that the Baars did, indeed, attempt to preserve the children's enjoyment of the holidays, even of they were not able, pursuant to their religious beliefs, to positively perpetuate the existence of the fictitious characters that are associated with those holidays," wrote the judge.

Mr Justice Goodman went on to say, "There is ample evidence to support the fact that the children were removed because the Baars refused to either tell or imply that the Easter Bunny was delivering chocolate to the Baars' home. I am more than satisfied that the society actions interfered substantially with the Baars' religious beliefs." Those beliefs, he concluded, include the couple's belief that it is wrong to lie.

Mr and Mrs Baar have been vindicated, but they will no longer be taking in foster children in Liberal Ontario. They have moved to Alberta, where political correctness is said to be somewhat less pervasive. We close with a small graphic reminder of the main point to this story.

Ontario kids in care of social agencies disproportionately black

In Ontario, Canada [not to be confused with Ontario CA. Ed.], child protection services are provided independent, non-profit organizations called Children's Aid Societies. They are regulated and (in theory) supervised by the provincial government under the Child and Family Services Act.

Across Ontario, there are 47 Children's Aid Societies. Nine of them are race-based, to assist the First Nations (= aboriginal people, or Indians as we called them in the un-PC days). Three are "faith-based" (= for children of specific religions), two Catholic and one Jewish.

According to the Ontario government's website, the functions of the CAS are to:
* investigate reports or evidence of abuse or neglect of children under the age of 16 or in the society's care or supervision and, where necessary, take steps to protect the children
* care for and supervise children who come under their care or supervision
* counsel and support families for the protection of children or to prevent circumstances requiring the protection of children
* place children for adoption

The left-leaning Toronto (Red) Star, which always has space for articles about how the white Christian community mistreats minorities, has an article today on a new group of black activists in Brampton (a suburb of Toronto in which white people are a minority) which is calling for the formation of an "African-Canadian" (= segregated) children’s aid society.

The Star decided to take a look at the racial mix of families and children being assisted by the CAS. Predictably, they found that "poverty and issues of neglect were driving factors" for all children who come into care. That's especially so, they say, with black families, with "racial bias and cultural misunderstanding on the part society workers and those doing the referring — schools and police being two of the largest — [being] part of equation.

Yas, yas, it's all the fault of the cops and the teachers, systemic racism, yada yada yada. Heard that before. What's interesting, though, about the Star's article is a "by the numbers" section, which Walt has copied below, with no further comment.

42% The proportion of children in the care of the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto in 2013 who were black or have one parent who is black.

8% The proportion of people under 18 in Toronto who are black.

47% The proportion of black children in the care of the Toronto society with parents born in Caribbean countries.

20% The proportion of black children in the care of the Toronto society with parents born in Africa.

45% The proportion of black children who spent more than 12 months in the care of the Toronto society in the 2008 fiscal year.

20% The proportion of white children who spent more than 12 months in the Toronto society’s care.