If you read my column regularly, you know that I have often decried the complacency of our governments towards religious communities.
Why do we accept that religious communities refuse to offer an education worthy of the name to children who grow up in them? Why do we accept that vulnerable beings are indoctrinated, mistreated and attacked in the name of stupid dogmas? In short, why are we abandoning young Quebec citizens to finished crackpots?
SHOCKING AND INSPIRING
So I applauded when I learned that Club illico was going to air a two-part documentary on this subject, which is so close to my heart.
Entitled Religious cults: forgotten children, this hard-hitting documentary by Marie-Claude Barrette (journalist) and Patricia Beaulieu (director), available since Wednesday, fulfilled my expectations.
Through the moving testimonies of several “survivors” of religious communities, courageous and inspiring young people who left everything behind (brothers, sisters, parents, friends) to finally live a normal life, Marie-Claude Barrette shows how much our Governments show slackness, bend their knees and deny their principles when religion shows up.
Throughout the 82 minutes that this documentary lasts, Marie-Claude hammers out the same question: why do we accept this?
Why is it enough to brandish the label “religious community” to suddenly have almost the right of life and death over minors?
What is most shocking about this documentary is how much our current elected officials are dodging the question.
For months, Marie-Claude Barrette asked to be able to interview the Minister for Health and Social Services, Lionel Carmant, and the Minister of Education, Jean-François Roberge.
Wasted effort. His requests have come to an end of inadmissibility.
I understand that we are in the middle of a pandemic, and that these two ministers are overwhelmed.
But still, the planet continues to turn. And every day children continue to be assaulted in the name of Jehovah, Patof, or whatever other imaginary character.
The virus, as far as I know, has not signaled the end of the abuse or declared an armistice in favor of abused minors.
BRAVO, MADAME MALTAIS!
Fortunately, there is Agnès Maltais, who does not let go.
Watching the former PQ member (who shook the world for the National Assembly to seriously consider sectarian abuses) continue to defend her cause in front of Patricia Beaulieu’s camera, I understood why I am bored so much of this woman. What passion! How brave ! Because, yes, it takes courage to stand up in front of religious groups, in 2021 …
Remember the petition that Mme Maltais circulated three years ago.
She said that it was unacceptable that, under the guise of freedom of religion, illegal acts could be carried out by sectarian groups without being punished.
And that Quebec society could not tolerate that children do not have the right to education.
What happened to his idea of a commission on sectarian aberrations? Nothing.
Fortunately, Marie-Claude Barrette has put this subject back on the agenda.
Messrs Carmant and Roberge, we are awaiting your answers to the questions posed by this documentary.
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