VOL. 50, No. 6 HEAD OFFICE: MONTREAL, JUNE 1969

Let Us Enjoy Our Freedoms

WHY IS 1T SO much more satisfying to fight for freedomthan to enjoy it? Why is it so exciting to battle foremancipation, so tedious to have it? Why does a manpossess dignity in his efforts to win a freedom and feelslightly ridiculous when he talks about that freedomafferward ?

The gaining of freedom should hOt be like that. Toestablish freedom is only the beginning, like the openingof a door. The effort is hOt worth while unless we findsomething that deserves treasuring, using and enjoying.

Our civilization is the first one in history that hasnot been based on slave labour. This is unquestionablya great advance, not only morally but in its contribu-tion to our self-respect and welfare. Dr. AlbertSchweitzer told the story in African Notebook abouta well-to-do woman who visited his hospital accom-panied by four slaves. The next day Dr. Schweitzermet her while she was gathering wood, and asked herwhy she had to carry her own firewood, since she hadfour slaves. She replied : "Having slaves does not meanthat one is well served." So hot only are the slavesfree, but we are free of having slaves : to depend uponout own efforts is to develop ourselves and to be free.

At this stage in the twenty-first great civilization theearth has known, the list of our freedoms would runto many pages. Every rime we say out loud what welike or dislike, every time we choose a book to read,every time we change jobs, every time we go to areligious service, every time we turn out radio ortelevision to a station of out choice, every time we goto a meeting of a political party, every rime we rise ina Home and School Association meeting to contributeour thoughts about education, we are doing somethingthat can be done only in a free country.

We take all this for granted without realizing howgreatly we should miss any part of it if it were takenfrom us. We are hOt really experiencing full enjoymentof the benefits we have: benefits which are the out-come of a struggle as long as human history.

To make the best of out freedoms we must becomean intelligent, educated, informed citizenry, acquaintedwith the values, privileges and responsibilities of outCanadian way of lire.

The word "freedom" has many shades of meaning.Depending upon its context it stands for politicalliberty, personal liberty, non-slavery, independence, orthe power of self-determination. It implies more thanmere liberty, for it demands insurance and protectionby provident institutions such as governments whichsecure us from arbitrary subjection. Thomas Hobbessaid in his great treatise The Leviathan: "A freemanis he that, in those things which by his strength andwit he is able to do, is hot hindered to do what he hasa will to do."

Some people go too far. They do not discriminatebetween freedom and license. Freedom requires acertain self-mastery, in which reason restrains im-pulses and passions, and subordinates to a largerfreedom the liberty to do just what one pleases.

The Rule of Law

What are the established aires of Canadian society ?They had their birth thousands of years ago in theyearning of men and women for something betterthan the perilous gratifications of animal existence;they were nurtured on the teaching of great spiritualleaders; they were modified by the practical experienceof co-existence, and they represent today the permanentadvantages of human fellowship under an acceptedcode of behaviour.

The Rule of Law is a great ideal, with the will ofthe people as the source of its authority. Freedom isnot liberty for everyone to do what he pleases withoutbeing subject to any law. It is freedom of man to havea standing rule to live by, common to everyone in hissociety. It is freedom within bounds rather thanwholly anarchic freedom. It consents to curtailmentof some natural or savage liberties so that the humanspirit may rejoice in greater, wider freedom.

The Rule of I_aw means that there is one law for allmen, that all men are equal belote it, and that no mancan be punished except for the breach of it. It rec-onciles social order with individual freedom andinitiative. It means that the government itself is hotabove law, and that it respects the independence of the

courts and the safeguards of the citizen’s liberties.Only Parliament can alter law, and Parliament is thepeople.

Good government

Freedom is built on the foundation of good govern-ment. Democracy in Canada is limited by being madeconstitutional and representative, so as to prevent theexercise of tyranny. Of the countries of the world,Canada has the eighth oldest written constitution, thesecond oldest one of a federal nature, and the oldestwhich combines federalism with the principles ofresponsible government.

It provides the means whereby errors may becorrected legally and not by force; it gives the right toelect representatives by secret ballot and to be taxedonly by elected representatives. The Canadian wayallows complaints to be freely aired, requires thatthey be deeply considered, and provides for speedyredress. Every minority, no matter how small, hasthe right to dissent, and to oppose under the law, theproposais of the majority. It assumes that whendecisions have been arrived at by free choice afterrational debate the citizens shall abide by them.

Essential to freedom is the participation of thegoverned in determining their own welfare. Theyneed to use the vote which is a mark of living in afree society.

The duty to vote is a duty to equip oneself to vote,and everyone is under the obligation to understandour way of government. Democracy is nota magicformula by which wise decisions are extracted fromblind ignorance.

Probably no finer plea has ever been written forfreedom than that of John Stuart Mill in 1859, buthe had a warning also: "A people may prefer a freegovernment, but if, from indolence or carelessness orcowardice, or want of public spirit, they are unequalto the exertions necessary for preserving it . . . theyare unlikely long to enjoy it."

Today’s is the most dangerous civilization phys-ically that man ever concocted for himself. People inall countries are in the throes of shifting their outlook.Many things are being revalued under the titles"new" and "modern". The compulsion of traditionhas lost its force, and the compulsion of restlessnesshas taken over. There is a nonconformist spiritabroad in the world. It is suspicious of leaders andsuccessful men. It responds readily to the appeals ofrevivalists, with more heat than light.

To preserve and enjoy freedom in such circum-stances demands that we appreciate the differencebetween thinking and herd opinion.

To avert the circumstances which give rise to un-rest, governments need to anticipate, to introducereforms demanded by profound social changes. Tomake governments operative in this way, citizens needto participate actively in choosing and advising thosewhom they elect to govern.

It is, in the last analysis, the people -- all the people-- who decide what freedoms they shall enjoy. Evenin the last extremity, in time of war, the consent ofthe people to limitations on their freedom must begiven through their representatives in Parliament.

Some freedoms to enjoy

The most important aspect of freedom is freedom ofthe mind. A democracy can endure and make hap-piness possible for its people only if its citizens arepermitted freedom to question and to doubt.

But, as someone said wittily, freedom to thinkcannot help unless you use your head. To think is tocompare things with one another, to notice whereinthey agree and disagree. It is the reverse of the indolentway of approving your group’s guide-book to valueswithout confronting them with other views.

Freedom of thought, in any valuable sense, includesfreedom of speech. Canada has staked its future onthe belief that in the free market-place of thought, bythe matching of ideas, truth has a better chance ofwinning than by any other method known to man.

The right to discuss things extends to all the peopleof Canada. If a man does hOt like the government, hecan stand up and say so. He may state his opinionsfreely and openly on ail public matters without fearof being punished or interfered with by the police,government officials or any other person.

A man may speak wrongly or foolishly, yet a denialof his right to do sois a denial of his freedom, butfree speech is not the same thing as free shouting. Youmay not, in the name of free speech, prevent othersfrom being heard.

Neither is it true that freedom to speak without priorpermission means that a person may say what helikes. If he is libellous or seditious or blasphemous orobscene, he can afterwards be ruade liable for it.Authority does not declare his ideas wrong, but itdoes declare certain acts unlawful.

The newspapers and other media have the sameright to state their opinions on public questions asany citizen has. Freedom of the press means freedomfrom previous censorship, and hOt freedom from sub-sequent prosecution for crimes. The press is free, butit must also be responsible.

Canadians have the right of free association andassembly. They can form all sorts of voluntary asso-ciations for purposes in which they are interestedwithout interference by government. These associa-tions, themselves an evidence of freedom of assemblyand speech, can be potent forces in helping us toenjoy out freedoms.

When we think of a community we think of it as aplace where the people have citizens’ interests incommon. In his local community the ordinary citizenhas his best opportunity to protect his rights andshoulder his responsibilities and make use of hisfreedoms. There he can most easily influence public

opinion; there he can with greatest enjoyment take apart in matters of public interest.

Peaceable assembly is not sanction of mob rule.Zealots often deny freedom in their actions. A personwho goes all out on an impulse or whim to sponsorsomething, however good it may appear to be, withoutlooking ahead to the cost and the effect, makes him-self an essentially ridiculous figure. His emotionbecomes, to him, a criterion of truth, and havingtaken a stand he defends it violently, sustained by anexaggerated conception of his own merits.

The law of the land

We have so much freedom that our liberties must becircumscribed. Laws are vital to the functioning ofsociety, and they must be respected as a condition offreedom. The only alternative to the Rule of Law isthe tyranny of the strongest.

The courts of law bave been established to ensurethat the freedom and security of ail persons residingin Canada are not endangered. The formula is:"Every man is free to do that which he wills, providedhe infringes hot the equal freedom of any other man."

A good law exists to express and to implement ourphysical, mental and spiritual needs by preservingthat balance between the conflicting demands of ourself-assertive and social instincts which we bave agreedupon as being necessary to our common social life.

Our basic rights before the law are: (1) The rightto a fair trial; (2) The right to be considered innocentuntil proved guilty. No person may be arrested inCanada except for just cause. Upon being arrestedhe must be informed of the charge against him andallowed to seek the advice and assistance of a lawyer.His trial must be held within a reasonable time inopen court.

There are no secret police in Canada. The policeoflïcers are public servants. There is one commonsystem of criminal law for the whole country. Thejudiciary is independent, hot in the sense of beingfree from all control, but independent because ofbeing free from improper influence.

Freedom in employment is part of the Canadianway. Not one of the 500,000 babies born in Canadaevery year cornes labelled "clerk, toolmaker, com-puter programmer, executive, hand labourer." Everyone has the liberty to choose his profession or job.

New inventions and rapid industrial developmentgive individuals the opportunity to fise from job tojob. A workman is free to demonstrate his skill,responsibility and personal worth. Employees andemployers are free to bargain about the terms ofemployment.

Freedom to choose

Freedom of choice extends to other areas of life.The essence of choice is knowing what is importantand what is unimportant, because there can be no

choice without precarious possibilities. It involves thechance of error, and error involves some kind ofpenalty. The enjoyment of freedom to choose, there-fore, is not an unmixed blessing, because it imposesthe obligation to be responsible.

It is the spirit of Canadian democracy to provideequal opportunity for all citizens under free institu-tions and equal laws. This does not confer equality ofability, but freedom to develop and apply ability. Itseeks to remove inequalities that are not natural butartificial, so that as far as possible all men may haveequal chances to use what natural endowments theypossess.

Equality is meaningless to those who enviously ask:"Why should hOt I enjoy what others enjoy?" withoutdoing what is necessary to earn that enjoyment.Suppose two men to be equally well educated andequally free to progress in business: if one goes towork or studies to improve himself while the otherlies abed, what then becomes of equality ?

Every citizen has freedom to corne and go as hepleases, to travel throughout the country withouthindrance, without papers, documents or identificationtags. He may change his place of residence as oftenas he wishes, without reporting to any authority. Hemay leave the country and return to it.

Among the other freedoms is that of privacy. Acivilized man values privacy for himself and in areciprocal way he extends the enjoyment of privacyto others. He minds his own business, refraining fromidle and meddlesome curiosity.

Finally, in this array of freedoms which Canadiansare open to enjoy is freedom of religion, the freedomto worship God in the way of one’s choice. CanadaYear Book lists fifteen leading denominations. AI-though eight out of ten persons stated tbat theybelonged to one of the three numerically largestdenominations, there were 3,800,000 other personsprofessing other faiths.

Religion is the basis of civilized society. EdmundBurke, English statesman, said: "True religion is thefoundation of society, the basis on which ail true civilgovernment rests, and from which power derives itsauthority, laws their eflïicacy and both their sanction."

Religion is the supporter of that morality in-dispensable to political prosperity, showing its in-fluence in all human conduct.

The religious freedom assured in Canada means notonly freedom of worship but the right not to bedebarred from holding public offices or from otherprivileges of citizenship on religious grounds.

Tolerance in freedomHe who wishes to enjoy freedom must give freedom.

He must be willing that people differ from him. Hemay stand aloof from a person who displeases him,but that does not give him the right to make his lifeuncomfortable. Mill’s dictum still stands: "If ail

mankind minus one were of one opinion, and onlyone person were of the contrary opinion, mankindwould be no more justified in silencing that one per-son than he, if he had the power, would be justified insilencing mankind."

Every State contains fussy and pedantic moralistswho seek to use its machinery to insist that theirhabits shall become the oflïcial standard of conductin the population. These are people who count theirdoctrines more valuable than freedom. They have thedelusion of infallibility, and cannot make way forother men’s minds.

"Tolerance," said Everett Dean Martin in his bookLiberty, "is a better guarantee of freedom thanbrotherly love; for a man may love his brother somuch that he feels himself thereby appointed hisbrother’s keeper and regulator."

Understanding is increased by dialogue, by talkingthings over. Life and knowledge are today so complexthat only by free discussion can we pick our waythrough errors and prejudices.

Dialogue, of course, does not consist of rivallectures. It requires moderation of language, courtesy,intelligent assessment, and listening. The right totalk may be the beginning of freedom, but the necessityof listening is what makes the right important.

The dignity in freedom

Democracy is that system of government which morethan any other is predicated upon the dignity of theindividual. This is nota dignity imposed by law, orconferred by learning or implied by status. It is thedignity of self-respect and self-development, for self-control is the essence of democratic living. It is thedignity of people who manage themselves so thatthey do not require outside coercion.

Our forefathers, although failing here and there insome points in the administration of free institutions,were pre-eminent for the time in which they lived.We cannot with impunity set aside the institutions andauthorities which for a thousand years have inspiredand guarded and dignified our freedoms, but we canimprove them and add to them.

Enjoying freedom today precludes our sinking intoself-satisfaction. To have the sense of goals accom-plished and of affluence possessed engenders boredom,and boredom can bring about the destruction ofdemocracy.

Institutions cannot give or preserve liberty unlessmen realize that freedom is precious and are willingto exert themselves to keep it alive.

That this is so is a lesson to be instilled in childrenfrom their earliest years. This does not mean thateducation in freedom should become obsessed withthe idea of a sanctified and glorified and flag-wavingliberty. It should encourage and prepare children tothink for themselves, so that they realize that if they

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are to be other than machines in the long run theymust have learned to control their own actions.

To impart wholesome education is one of theresponsibilities of free men. A man cannot be free ifhe is a hitch-hiker on democracy. We are not galleyslaves, but every man has his oar to pull. He has theobligation to impart what he knows of the benefits offreedom to his children, to keep it inviolate for them,and to encourage them in enjoyment of it.

About absolute freedom

No society and no person is so completely free asto refrain from some sort of discipline.

The picture of a lawless savage, running wild inthe woods, is wholly fictitious. People have alwaysbeen subject to forces which restricted their freedom,from the beat of the primitive tomtom to the tick ofthe atom bomb.

No man can claim a special, private sort of freedomamong free men. He is not enjoying freedom if heremains shackled by old prejudices, if he thinks thatfreedom is a good thing under certain circumstancesfor certain sorts of people, or if he demonstrates whathe conceives to be freedom by cultivating eccentricity.These faults recall in sorrow the remark of MmeRoland, passing the Statue of Liberty on her way tothe guillotine: "Ah, LibertyI What crimes are com-mitted in thy nameI"

Canadianism

Canadianism is synonymous with freedom. Itsponsors and lives with humane laws, civilizedmanners, beneficial customs, and tender humanrelations. It provides conditions in which ail citizenswithout discrimination have the greatest opportunitiesfor self-expression.

Canada welcomes as newcomers those who feel theobligation to conform to, and fit into, this nation.They bave their own traditions, cultures, and back-grounds, but they are linked with ail other Canadiansin their love of freedom. They are like the performersin a choral dance who sing together, though each hashis particular part and sometimes one voice is heardwhile "the others are silent. Each brings to the chorussomething of his own.

It is a good thing in a lover of freedom to beidealistic, enthusiastic, resolute and courageous, andthese qualities deserve our respect. But these traitsneed to be balanced, for the enjoyment of freedom, byreasonableness, good judgment, and kindly con-sideration for the welfare of others.

Everyone is free to pursue excellence as he under-stands it, and within democratic freedom like Canada’she may find scope for the exercise of ail his potentiali-ties. This is a society in which the enjoyment offreedom by each citizen has no limit except the likefreedom of all.

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