Check It Out: I dream of courageous people stepping forward to make a better world

By Joan Janzen

One Christmas light asked another Christmas light, “Are you working this Christmas?” The light replied, “On and off.”

It’s always a welcome sight to see Christmas lights brighten up the darkness as we head toward the least amount of daylight of the year. Those lights symbolize the light brought into the world when Jesus was born. However, it’s ironic that our government has chosen the Christmas season to try and criminalize religious beliefs. It’s not exactly a cheerful Christmas greeting for people adhering to various faiths.

An article in The National Post explains how the Liberal government struck a deal with the Bloc Québécois to remove religious exemptions from Canada’s hate-speech laws. The change to Bill C-9 would open the door for faith communities that have worshipped freely for our entire history to find themselves subject to state censorship and prosecution for quoting scripture or speaking on issues of faith. It will be an assault on religious freedoms for churches, synagogues, and mosques.

It’s time for concerned citizens to contact their MP, asking them to vote against this alarming amendment. Every Canadian deserves to know this is happening and not be left in the dark.

Meanwhile, we see a lot of political theatrics unfold before our eyes. Back in September, our PM unveiled the government’s $13-billion Build Canada Homes Program. Blacklock’s Reporter first reported the Department of Housing admitted the fake construction site backdrop cost taxpayers $32,000. The partially built units were erected for the announcement and then dismantled afterward.

But there are journalists who are willing to address unpopular topics. This occurred when the pro-life organization Right Now went undercover multiple times in clinics throughout the country, showing that it is possible to obtain a third-trimester abortion without any medical reason. Although it may be rare, your tax dollars are paying for them.

This was followed by Alberta’s Conservatives voting overwhelmingly against taxpayer-funded late-term abortion. Member of Parliament Ted Ford co-sponsored and outlined Resolution 29 to his colleagues.

“This resolution doesn’t restrict access to, but proposes public funding in the third trimester be limited to cases where the mother’s physical health is at serious risk,” he explained. He went on to say his own daughter was born in the third trimester and is now an intelligent and healthy pre-teen. “The problem with many second- and all third-trimester abortions is it causes the death of a child who could survive outside the womb.”

Policy Resolution 29 passed. It’s a step forward, but yet there’s more that needs to be done. As MP Leslyn Lewis wrote in a recent X post: “Why is Canada the only Western democracy that permits this (late-term abortion)?” She noted the only other nations in the world that have no specified gestational limit are China and North Korea. It’s time for Canada to take the first step toward a late-term abortion ban.

While Christmas lights are twinkling, arsonists continue to target churches. True North Media launched an interactive map tracking over 110 incidents of arson at religious institutions by the summer of 2025. A study by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute confirmed arson at churches more than doubled compared to 2021, and less than 4 percent of arson incidents between 2021 and 2023 led to charges.

Whenever I become weary of watching these injustices and political theatrics play out before my eyes, I take time out to watch the movie depicting the life of William Wilberforce. Needless to say, I’ve watched it numerous times.

Wilberforce was determined to do what was right, even though society considered human slavery both acceptable and necessary for their economic prosperity. Slaves were considered property, not human.

The general population conveniently ignored the fact that slaves were chained and shipped in tiny cages for weeks at a time. This courageous individual dedicated twenty years of his life to fight against this injustice. While enduring endless ridicule, he persevered in opening the eyes of society to recognize the injustice that was playing out right before their eyes. Three days before his death, slavery was finally abolished.

Each time I watch the movie Amazing Grace, tears well up in my eyes. And each time I pray for modern-day young men and women like Wilberforce to step forward with a passion to help a blinded society recognize injustice.

Wilberforce chose his path because of his convictions and passion, not for political gain. It was not a popular pursuit over 300 years ago. And today we see politicians of all stripes avoiding issues that society considers unpopular and “settled.”

The movie ends with this written message: Wilberforce continued to battle injustice for the rest of his life. He transformed the hearts and minds of his countrymen on education, health care, and prison reform to accomplish his second real dream—making a better world.

While some dream of a holly, jolly Christmas, I dream of courageous world-changers who refuse to be censored as they step forward with a passion to make a better world.