Memo to Justin Trudeau: personal and public beliefs are inseparable

John Pacheco supports Bishop Christian Riesbeck's comments regarding Justin Trudeau. So do I.

"Bishop Christian Riesbeck said that if the Liberal leader refused a meeting and continued to practise his Catholic faith in the form of receiving communion, it would be unseemly. 

“It’s the fact that he considers himself to be a devout Catholic but then adheres to, or advocates for, abortion,” said Riesbeck. “That is scandalous,” he said, as opposition to abortion has been a clear and unchanging teaching of the church. Riesbeck is also not convinced by the argument that the Liberal Party is the party of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and will support women’s rights. “You know, if you look at Article 7 in the charter, it says that everyone has a right to life. It’s enshrined right there,” said Riesbeck. “Article 2 also speaks of freedom of conscience and religion. He seems to have undermined those values that all Canadians hold dear.” Riesbeck said that if Trudeau wanted to make things right, he would have to reverse course. “Ultimately, he would have to make a public retraction of his views,” he said."

Trudeau said this:

"My role is to stand up and defend all Canadians and my role in terms of that is separate from any personal religious views." 

I always get real fidgety when I hear a politician say this. A man or woman who tells me they are able to separate their personal beliefs from their public beliefs, means I instantly don't trust them. Conscience, values, morals, beliefs, whatever you want to call them, can't be separated from your personal and public life. They're a package deal. They go together and are intertwined in everything a person does, says, thinks and believes.

Trudeau should rethink this whole Liberal party pro-choice manifesto thing. It's not helpful to Liberals, or to pro-life Canadians. And it's not helpful to him as a leader, or as a Catholic.