Wed res, November: 8 1967. Page 4 Adoptive parents get Victoria trip The B,C, Department of Social Welfare will award 25 expense free trips to Victoria in Decem-« ber to parents who adopt children, The trips are part of an all- out review of the adoption pro- gram of the department and they will take adoptive parents. to Victoria for a three day confer- ence geared to deal with the - problems and di(ficulties encoun- tered in adoption homes, — Their Silence Speaks Volumes There are scores of Can- adian workers who cannot in good conscience support labour organizations which ignore the sweeping authority of Jesus Christ. Yet, in many instances, these same workers have no legal right and no actual freedom to practice Christian beliefs. “You either belong to our union or you can starve.” This is the typical reaction of union business agents who are under the: illusion that they have the exclusive right to decide who shall or shall not work. Many a worker’s plea that he, instead, be al- lowed to pay the equivalent cr even double the amount of union dues to a charitable organization, is rudely dis- missed; “You pay us or no job,” is the curt retort. When the man refused to give in to this dictorial demand, he is sent to beg in the street, He must then search for a place of employment where he can ply his trade without having to pay tribute .to a specific union. This discriminatory practice continues unchecked despite the fact that the Canadian Bill of. Rights and other stat- wes glarantee freedom of association and of religion: and despite the facet that our human rights codes forbid discrimination; and despite the fact that the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights — endorsed by Canada! — Specifically declares that “everyone has the right to york, to free cholce. of em- oymen * and that “no one thay be compelled to belong to an association.” Is it any wonder that many workers think our rights and freedoms gre just so many scraps of paper? Prime Minister Lester Pearson has invited the pro-. vinciat premiers to a constitu. tional conference. He tis seeking agreement on a new bil of rights to - guarantee ‘freedoms under federal and ‘provincial jurisdictions, -Mr. Pearson has suggested that the new bill be based on the Canadian Bill of Rights en- acted when John Diefenbaker ‘was Prime Minister and that] - it be enshrined.in the conasti- tution, so . The C.J.L. Foundation hopes that the federal and provyin- cial governments will put some teeth into this new charter. If they don't, it won't be worth the paper it is writ- ten on. Before the constitutional -conference gets under way, ‘the conferees should give ‘gome real thought to the origin, nature, and scope of civil rights and liberties. They ‘ought to ask themselves: . “Who grants freedom? What ‘are civil liberties? Who owns ‘the world? Who originateg the right and duty ta work? If “these leaders do come to grips catth these fundamental ques- “Hons in the Itght of a Bibli- “¢ally directed view of life, of -™an, and of society, they will “discover that God Is the au- “thor of freedom and that velvil rights follow therefrom; “that this is our Father's world “and that God created‘ the ' vight to work — not the trade unions. «© Prime ‘Minister Pearson, and “Premier: Robarts, Manning; _Bmellwood: and the aeven others had better bear in . taind the late John F. Ken- “nedy’s. memorable words. yy the: rights. of man, come “not from.-the. ‘generosity’: of. ‘the state: but. from the hand ‘of God.” oe: -Many of. our’ ‘politicians do “not: really’ respect : the human ‘yights and. freedoms to' which “they pay: pious Hp-serviec ‘dur-" ing Centennial: celebrations nd election campaigns. Use “ually. when Jt. comes to safe-, guarding. ptbese ‘supposedly dnaberdble tights in law,-they ‘are. elther:-absent, ‘asleep, ‘or. . jafrald: to ‘speak ' their ° ‘mind. For fear. of: having to:explain rthelr. bable:. beliefs