Re: “Why pay for the military?” December 2
Nelson Star editor Bob Hall is right. There are a multitude of opinions about how Canadian tax dollars should be spent. Hall is, however, entirely mistaken in equating issues of conscience with issues of preference.
I do not have children. I enjoy excellent health. Yet I would never for a second try to avoiding paying for education or health care. While I may not like hockey or highways, my feelings for these expenditures do not extend into the realm of conscience.
As a conscientious objector to military taxation I have a strong belief that killing (and paying others to kill) is wrong. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms recognizes freedom of conscience as a fundamental freedom. Canada has a long history of supporting the right to freedom of conscience.
As a Canadian, I am proud of this history. As a West Kootenay resident, I deeply appreciate MP Alex Atamanenko’s initiative in introducing Bill C-363. Through peace-oriented legislation we can help make this country a better place to live.
Anna Kirkpatrick
Nelson