Tristan Emmanuel
Encyclopedia
Tristan Alexander Emmanuel is a Canadian
political and religious activist. He is the founder and former president of the Equipping Christians for the Public-square Centre (ECP Centre), and is perhaps most notable for his opposition to same-sex marriage
. He is now the president of Freedom Press Canada Inc., a niche publishing company that he founded in 2003.
, Ontario
as part of a nominally Lutheran family. After earning a Bachelor of Arts
degree and attending divinity school in the United States, he was ordained as a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly. He operated a small freight delivery company in Ontario's Niagara region
in the 1990s, and served as the pastor of Living Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church
in Vineland
. He later worked toward a Master's degree
at McMaster University
's Divinity School, writing about the efforts of early Christian apologists to lobby Roman Emperor
s.
In 1999, Emmanuel founded Equipping Christians for the Public-square. He remained its president for several years, before resigning in 2008.
Emmanuel was a candidate for the socially conservative Family Coalition Party
in the Lincoln
electoral division in the 1995 Ontario provincial election
. He was quoted as saying, "It's time to have a principled party that understands there's a higher power than the government, a power we believe is God." Emmanuel argued that problems of unemployment and economic development could only be solved by a free-market system, and called for the government to shift welfare services to community organizations. He also opposed the Progressive Conservative Party
's workfare
proposal, which he described as "nothing more than slavery". He finished fourth against Progressive Conservative candidate Frank Sheehan
.
Emmanuel ran against prominent federal politician Sheila Copps
in a 1996 by-election
as a candidate of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada
. In this campaign, he called for harsher prison sentences and an increased focus on the rights of victims. He argued that Canada's Young Offenders Act
should be abolished and corporal punishment
reintroduced to schools, and was quoted as saying, "If an eleven-year-old murders someone, I think his life should be taken." He finished ninth in a field of thirteen candidates. Emmanuel also ran for the Christian Heritage Party in the 1997 federal election
, and finished fifth against Liberal
incumbent Walt Lastewka
. Later, he described both the Family Coalition Party and the Christian Heritage Party as political dead ends.
, Ontario, to support the American invasion of Iraq. The rally was attended by several prominent federal and provincial politicians, including Stockwell Day
and provincial cabinet ministers Jim Flaherty
and Tim Hudak
.
Emmanuel's organizational role in the rally drew attention to controversial statements he had made in previous years. The New Democratic Party of Ontario (NDP) issued a press release with excerpts from several of Emmanuel's writings, asserting that he had described gay men as "sexual deviants" and Islam
as "as far from peace, as hell is from heaven" in separate articles written in 2002. NDP legislator Rosario Marchese
called on Hudak and Flaherty to dissociate themselves from the rally in light of these statements. A spokesperson for Hudak responded that the minister had not known about Emmanuel's articles before seeing the press release, and that the pro-American rally should not be "sidetracked" over the matter.
As executive director of the ECP Centre, Emmanuel organized several public forums throughout 2003 to discuss same-sex marriage
and the extension of Canada's hate speech
laws to cover statements made against gays and lesbians. Most speakers at these events were social conservatives who opposed both legislative initiatives, although some speakers took different views.
Emmanuel campaigned against the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Canada
in 2005, organizing several rallies across the country, including one outside Parliament Hill
in Ottawa and another at Queen's Park
outside the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
. Emmanuel sought to include non-Christian groups in these events, inviting Jewish and Muslim representatives as speakers. He also sought to build connections with the American Christian right
. Notwithstanding his efforts, same-sex marriage was granted legal recognition throughout Canada in the summer of 2005.
Concerns were raised in this period about the influence of Emmanuel's organization over Conservative Party
nominations in some ridings. In particular, his endorsement of three candidates at a rally in Kemptville
, Nova Scotia
was seen as helping those candidates secure party nominations in their ridings. Asked about the matter, Emmanuel said, "It's time we stopped apologizing and started defending who we are. The evangelical community in Canada, by and large, and socially conservative Catholics, are saying we have been far too heavenly minded and thus we have been of no earthly value for far too long, on too many fronts." He declined to say how many of his adherents had secured Conservative Party nominations, arguing that the media would portray his campaign as the infiltration of the party by "right-wing fanatics." He also stated that his group was non-partisan, and that he was not working as an agent of the Conservative Party.
In a 2005 interview with the Hamilton Spectator, Emmanuel described homosexuality as "a choice," said that he regarded it as "the wrong choice, a bad choice," and further argued that "the state shouldn't sanction wrong choices." He acknowledged that his views would be hurtful to some readers, but argued that this did not make his opinions hateful.
During this period, Emmanuel sought to distance himself from statements he had made three years earlier that were critical of Islam. Discussing a 2002 article in which he favourably cited Franklin Graham
's description of Islam as an "evil and wicked religion," Emmanuel said, "I know the religion itself isn't that [evil and wicked] but it was a polemical piece ... written in the context of 9/11." He added, "Polemics doesn't define a man. As I get old and more mature, I realize polemics has its place, but you have to be careful."
In late 2005, Emmanuel undertook a speaking tour of the United States. He argued that Canada's political establishment was attempting to export a liberal culture to the United States via the United Nations
, and encouraged Canadian citizens living in the United States to vote against the Liberal Party
in the 2006 federal election
. During the election itself, he campaigned for the next parliament to revisit the issue of same-sex marriage. Later in the year, Emmanuel told a conference in Washington, D.C. that Christians were discriminated against in Canada.
Emmanuel has also written against multiculturalism
: "we suffer from... a form of Anglo-Saxon self-hatred. We call it multiculturalism. This is the politically correct way of saying white, English-speaking culture is bad."
, in the latter's bid to lead the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
. During this campaign, Emmanuel and other figures in the Progressive Conservative Party called for the abolition of the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. Hillier finished last in a field of four candidates on the first ballot and gave his support to the eventual winner, Tim Hudak.
has endorsed Emmanuel, writing "[w]hether promoting friendship between nations or rallying for family and faith, Tristan has worked diligently to promote conservative causes in Canada."
legislation in Canada has resulted in a loss of religious freedom. He is also the author of the 2006 book Warned: Canada's Revolution Against Faith, Family, and Freedom Threatens America.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
political and religious activist. He is the founder and former president of the Equipping Christians for the Public-square Centre (ECP Centre), and is perhaps most notable for his opposition to same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage in Canada
On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition...
. He is now the president of Freedom Press Canada Inc., a niche publishing company that he founded in 2003.
Early life and career
Emmanuel was raised in WaterlooWaterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
as part of a nominally Lutheran family. After earning a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree and attending divinity school in the United States, he was ordained as a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church General Assembly. He operated a small freight delivery company in Ontario's Niagara region
Niagara Peninsula
The Niagara Peninsula is the portion of Southern Ontario, Canada lying between the south shore of Lake Ontario and the north shore of Lake Erie. It stretches from the Niagara River in the east to Hamilton, Ontario in the west. The population of the peninsula is roughly 1,000,000 people...
in the 1990s, and served as the pastor of Living Hope Orthodox Presbyterian Church
Orthodox Presbyterian Church
The Orthodox Presbyterian Church is a conservative Presbyterian denomination located primarily in the United States. It was founded by conservative members of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America who strongly objected to the pervasive Modernist theology during the 1930s . Led...
in Vineland
Vineland, Ontario
The village of Vineland is an unincorporated community within the Town of Lincoln in the Niagara Peninsula in the province of Ontario, Canada.-Agriculture:...
. He later worked toward a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
at McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
's Divinity School, writing about the efforts of early Christian apologists to lobby Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
s.
In 1999, Emmanuel founded Equipping Christians for the Public-square. He remained its president for several years, before resigning in 2008.
Emmanuel was a candidate for the socially conservative Family Coalition Party
Family Coalition Party of Ontario
The Family Coalition Party is a small political party in Ontario, Canada that promotes a socially conservative ideology. It was formed in 1987 by members of the pro-life organization Campaign Life Coalition, and has fielded candidates in every provincial election since then...
in the Lincoln
Lincoln (provincial electoral district)
Lincoln is a historical provincial electoral division in Ontario, Canada, which was represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario between 1867 and 1999. It was located on the Niagara Peninsula; at various times, there was also a federal electoral district of the same name represented in the...
electoral division in the 1995 Ontario provincial election
Ontario general election, 1995
The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada...
. He was quoted as saying, "It's time to have a principled party that understands there's a higher power than the government, a power we believe is God." Emmanuel argued that problems of unemployment and economic development could only be solved by a free-market system, and called for the government to shift welfare services to community organizations. He also opposed the Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
's workfare
Workfare
Workfare is an alternative model to conventional social welfare systems. The term was first introduced by civil rights leader James Charles Evers in 1968; however, it was popularized by Richard Nixon in a televised speech August 1969...
proposal, which he described as "nothing more than slavery". He finished fourth against Progressive Conservative candidate Frank Sheehan
Frank Sheehan
Frank Sheehan is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. He was a Progressive Conservative member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1995 to 1999....
.
Emmanuel ran against prominent federal politician Sheila Copps
Sheila Copps
Sheila Maureen Copps, PC is a former Canadian politician who also served as Deputy Prime Minister of Canada from November 4, 1993 to April 30, 1996 and June 19, 1996 to June 11, 1997....
in a 1996 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
as a candidate of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada
Christian Heritage Party of Canada
The Christian Heritage Party of Canada, also referred to as CHP Canada, is a federal political party that advocates that Canada be governed according to Biblical principles...
. In this campaign, he called for harsher prison sentences and an increased focus on the rights of victims. He argued that Canada's Young Offenders Act
Young Offenders Act
The Young Offenders Act was an act of the Parliament of Canada, granted Royal Assent in 1984, that regulated the criminal prosecution of Canadian youths...
should be abolished and corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
reintroduced to schools, and was quoted as saying, "If an eleven-year-old murders someone, I think his life should be taken." He finished ninth in a field of thirteen candidates. Emmanuel also ran for the Christian Heritage Party in the 1997 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
, and finished fifth against Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
incumbent Walt Lastewka
Walt Lastewka
Walter Thomas "Walt" Lastewka, PC is a Canadian politician. He was a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1993 to 2006, representing the Ontario riding of St...
. Later, he described both the Family Coalition Party and the Christian Heritage Party as political dead ends.
Social conservative activism
Emmanuel became more involved with right-wing and socially conservative campaigns in the first decade of the twenty-first century. In April 2003, he organized a "Canadians for Bush" rally in Queenston HeightsQueenston Heights
thumb|Brock's Monument|250px|Brock's Monument at Queenston HeightsThe Queenston Heights is a geographical feature of the Niagara Escarpment immediately above the village of Queenston, Ontario, Canada. Its geography is a promontory formed where the escarpment is divided by the Niagara River...
, Ontario, to support the American invasion of Iraq. The rally was attended by several prominent federal and provincial politicians, including Stockwell Day
Stockwell Day
Stockwell Burt Day, Jr., PC, MP is a former Canadian politician, and a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He is a former cabinet minister in Alberta, and a former leader of the Canadian Alliance. Day was MP for the riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla in British Columbia and the president of...
and provincial cabinet ministers Jim Flaherty
Jim Flaherty
James Michael "Jim" Flaherty, PC, MP is Canada's Minister of Finance and he has also served as Ontario's Minister of Finance. From 1995 until 2005, he was the Member of Provincial Parliament for Whitby—Ajax, and a member of the Progressive Conservative Party caucus...
and Tim Hudak
Tim Hudak
Timothy Patrick "Tim" Hudak is a politician in Ontario, Canada, and the Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario . He also serves as member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the riding of Niagara West—Glanbrook.-Background:Tim Hudak was born in Fort Erie, Ontario...
.
Emmanuel's organizational role in the rally drew attention to controversial statements he had made in previous years. The New Democratic Party of Ontario (NDP) issued a press release with excerpts from several of Emmanuel's writings, asserting that he had described gay men as "sexual deviants" and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
as "as far from peace, as hell is from heaven" in separate articles written in 2002. NDP legislator Rosario Marchese
Rosario Marchese
Rosario Marchese is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He is a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the downtown Toronto riding of Trinity-Spadina for the New Democratic Party of Ontario.-Background:...
called on Hudak and Flaherty to dissociate themselves from the rally in light of these statements. A spokesperson for Hudak responded that the minister had not known about Emmanuel's articles before seeing the press release, and that the pro-American rally should not be "sidetracked" over the matter.
As executive director of the ECP Centre, Emmanuel organized several public forums throughout 2003 to discuss same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage in Canada
On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition...
and the extension of Canada's hate speech
Hate speech
Hate speech is, outside the law, any communication that disparages a person or a group on the basis of some characteristic such as race, color, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or other characteristic....
laws to cover statements made against gays and lesbians. Most speakers at these events were social conservatives who opposed both legislative initiatives, although some speakers took different views.
Emmanuel campaigned against the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Canada
Same-sex marriage in Canada
On July 20, 2005, Canada became the fourth country in the world and the first country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide with the enactment of the Civil Marriage Act which provided a gender-neutral marriage definition...
in 2005, organizing several rallies across the country, including one outside Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
in Ottawa and another at Queen's Park
Queen's Park
There are a number of places in the world called Queen's Park or Queens Park.- Australia :* Queens Park, New South Wales, suburb* Queens Park, Victoria ** Queens Park, Newtown, Victoria Queen's Park Golf Course...
outside the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
. Emmanuel sought to include non-Christian groups in these events, inviting Jewish and Muslim representatives as speakers. He also sought to build connections with the American Christian right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
. Notwithstanding his efforts, same-sex marriage was granted legal recognition throughout Canada in the summer of 2005.
Concerns were raised in this period about the influence of Emmanuel's organization over Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
nominations in some ridings. In particular, his endorsement of three candidates at a rally in Kemptville
Kemptville, Nova Scotia
Kemptville is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Yarmouth Municipal District and Yarmouth County. It was home of local celebrity Tyler Messervey. It is located approximately 38 kilometers northeast of the town of Yarmouth....
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
was seen as helping those candidates secure party nominations in their ridings. Asked about the matter, Emmanuel said, "It's time we stopped apologizing and started defending who we are. The evangelical community in Canada, by and large, and socially conservative Catholics, are saying we have been far too heavenly minded and thus we have been of no earthly value for far too long, on too many fronts." He declined to say how many of his adherents had secured Conservative Party nominations, arguing that the media would portray his campaign as the infiltration of the party by "right-wing fanatics." He also stated that his group was non-partisan, and that he was not working as an agent of the Conservative Party.
In a 2005 interview with the Hamilton Spectator, Emmanuel described homosexuality as "a choice," said that he regarded it as "the wrong choice, a bad choice," and further argued that "the state shouldn't sanction wrong choices." He acknowledged that his views would be hurtful to some readers, but argued that this did not make his opinions hateful.
During this period, Emmanuel sought to distance himself from statements he had made three years earlier that were critical of Islam. Discussing a 2002 article in which he favourably cited Franklin Graham
Franklin Graham
William Franklin Graham III , known publicly as Franklin Graham, is an American Christian evangelist and missionary. He is the president and CEO of both the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the international Christian relief organization Samaritan's Purse.He currently lives in Boone,...
's description of Islam as an "evil and wicked religion," Emmanuel said, "I know the religion itself isn't that [evil and wicked] but it was a polemical piece ... written in the context of 9/11." He added, "Polemics doesn't define a man. As I get old and more mature, I realize polemics has its place, but you have to be careful."
In late 2005, Emmanuel undertook a speaking tour of the United States. He argued that Canada's political establishment was attempting to export a liberal culture to the United States via the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, and encouraged Canadian citizens living in the United States to vote against the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
in the 2006 federal election
Canadian federal election, 2006
The 2006 Canadian federal election was held on January 23, 2006, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 39th Parliament of Canada. The Conservative Party of Canada won the greatest number of seats: 40.3% of seats, or 124 out of 308, up from 99 seats in 2004, and 36.3% of votes:...
. During the election itself, he campaigned for the next parliament to revisit the issue of same-sex marriage. Later in the year, Emmanuel told a conference in Washington, D.C. that Christians were discriminated against in Canada.
Emmanuel has also written against multiculturalism
Multiculturalism
Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...
: "we suffer from... a form of Anglo-Saxon self-hatred. We call it multiculturalism. This is the politically correct way of saying white, English-speaking culture is bad."
2009 Progressive Conservative leadership contest
Emmanuel resurfaced in 2009 as campaign manager for Randy HillierRandy Hillier (politician)
Randy Hillier is a rural activist and politician in Ontario, Canada. He was elected as a Progressive Conservative MPP for Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington during the 2007 Ontario general election...
, in the latter's bid to lead the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario
The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario , is a right-of-centre political party in Ontario, Canada. The party was known for many years as "Ontario's natural governing party." It has ruled the province for 80 of the years since Confederation, including an uninterrupted run from 1943 to 1985...
. During this campaign, Emmanuel and other figures in the Progressive Conservative Party called for the abolition of the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal. Hillier finished last in a field of four candidates on the first ballot and gave his support to the eventual winner, Tim Hudak.
Endorsements
Stockwell DayStockwell Day
Stockwell Burt Day, Jr., PC, MP is a former Canadian politician, and a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He is a former cabinet minister in Alberta, and a former leader of the Canadian Alliance. Day was MP for the riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla in British Columbia and the president of...
has endorsed Emmanuel, writing "[w]hether promoting friendship between nations or rallying for family and faith, Tristan has worked diligently to promote conservative causes in Canada."
Writings
Emmanuel is the author of a book entitled, Christophobia: The Real Reason Behind Hate Crime Legislation, in which he argues that hate crimeHate crime
In crime and law, hate crimes occur when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group, usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender, gender identity, social status or...
legislation in Canada has resulted in a loss of religious freedom. He is also the author of the 2006 book Warned: Canada's Revolution Against Faith, Family, and Freedom Threatens America.