(The following article is from the June 16-30,  2010 issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers - $45 US per year; other overseas readers - $45 US or $50 CDN per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 706 Clark Drive, Vancouver, BC, V5L 3J1.)

The Armageddon Factor: The Rise of Christian Nationalism in Canada, by Marci McDonald, 2010, Random House Canada. Review by Wayne Madden

People are well aware of the power and influence of the "religious right" in the United States. However, Canadians often believe they cannot have the same influence in Canada. For example, many people believe Steven Harper deliberately moved away from the strong religious ties and messages of the old Reform Party.

     In The Armageddon Factor, Marci McDonald carefully shows how the religious right influences the Harper government. Evangelical leaders such as Charles McVety, David Mainse, and Faytene Kryskow; and organizations such as Canada Christian College, Crossroads Christian Communications, Focus on the Family (with various spin-off organizations), Equipping Christians for the Public Square Centre and REAL Women Canada have many allies in the government ready to implement their agenda. These include MPs and cabinet minister such as Stockwell Day, Pierre Poilievre, Jim Flaherty, Cheryl Gallant, Garry Goodyear and Vic Toews.

     Chapter by chapter, McDonald outlines how the religious right influences government policy on science (supporting creationism or so-called "intelligent design"), social services (to move health and human care from government to faith-based organizations), foreign policy (uncompromising and unquestioning support for Israel over the Palestinian people), human rights (against protection for LGBT persons), and health care (restricting access to abortion). She shows how they effectively use radio and television both to publicize their agenda and raise money, sometimes by very questionable means. There are also chapters on how they reach out to influence youth both through evangelism and private religious schools and universities.

     McDonald's book is not just based on information gathered from the media. She attended events put on by religious organizations, interviewed key players and read their publications. Facts are checked for accuracy. Her coverage is fair and she records facts favourable to evangelicals. But the message is clear. The religious right is determined to move Canada toward a theocratic style of government. They support government run exclusively by "evangelical" Christians on what they believe to be "Biblical values".

     The weakness of her book is that she does not suggest an effective response to the threat. This is important. As a Christian, I know that while believers may be a majority in society, Christians are a minority. Fundamentalists - or "evangelicals" as they prefer to be called - are a minority within the Christian community, but with a lot of power and influence. Almost all politicians, not just Conservatives and U.S. Republicans, will listen to and accommodate them. Questioning fundraising practices and activities of evangelicals is simply not politically correct. For example, charitable tax status is not given to political action and lobby groups, yet many religious organizations with charitable tax status do engage in political action and lobbying.

     This book is essential reading to anyone interested in protecting democracy. Throughout history, theocratic governments from the ancient Pagan Roman Empire to the Papal States and other medieval kingdoms to modern day Islamist States such as Iran and Saudi Arabia have proven to be either corrupt or tyrannical or both. We must defend religious freedom but allowing religious agendae to determine government policies is a threat to democratic rights and freedoms.  We do not need to be afraid, but we must be informed and prepared to confront theocrats in our midst.