blake murphy > wrote in
:

> it just struck me as odd, because 'concerns' about freemasonry
> strike me being about the same as 'concerns' about the
> bilderburgers, the trilateral commission, or the u.n. black
> helicopters - i.e., right-wing nuttery. as i know you are not
> in that club, i thought it strange.

Freemasons cross boundaries. Historically, in Canada, freemasons
were (until 1968) the anglophone porotestant elite who worked
hard in conjunction with other brotherhoods like the Orangemen to
keep French-canadians (who were 98% Catholic) out of high
positions within the civil service based solely on prejudice.

My father, who belonged to no secret organisation although he was
often asked to join, was able to implement, during his time as
one of the Commissioners of the Civil Service Commission (later
Public Service Commission), the first stirrings of a system where
merit was the only criterion for promotion, not membership in an
old boys' (unaccountable) club. Merit became standard policy for
the civil service in 1968 when Pierre-Elliot Trudeau finally
brought down the boom on such endeavours and freemasons,
foresters, orangemen were told their adherence would no longer
ensure employment within the government of Canada.

--

"When a government starts to cancel dissent or avoid dissent
is frankly when it's rapidly losing its moral authority to
govern."

Stephen Harper, 18 April 2005