A woman walks into a flower shop and says she’s getting married. Sounds like the beginning to a bad joke, but in reality this was the beginning to a bad experience … for the flower shop owner. In fact, the events actually unfolded via email when the bride-to-be contacted the home based florist, who orders… Read More
On Monday evening (March 7) I attended my first Requiem Mass. Hosted by Minister Jason Kenney and the Saint Thomas More Society of parliamentarians, the service began one month to the hour from my initial meeting of Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s federal Minister for Minorities who was assassinated – martyred for his faith – in a… Read More
“I am determined … to serve the suffering humanity, defend principles of religious freedom, human equality, social justice and rights of minorities.”– Minister Shahbaz Bhatti We woke this morning to the sad and shocking news that Pakistan’s Minister for Religious Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, the first Christian invited into the Pakistani Cabinet, was assassinated by gunmen… Read More
A little over a week ago, I met with a marked man. Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s Minister for Minorities, is the first Christian invited into Pakistan’s cabinet – and remaining after last week’s cabinet shuffle reduced its size from 60 to 22 ministers. His responsibilities place him near the top of the list for those publicly… Read More
In Ottawa, last week was not a banner week for reason in regard to religion. The CBC Radio-Canada television plumbed new depths in their program Enquête, with journaliste Brigitte Bureau creating “news” rather than reporting the news with a half hour documentary attack on select Christians engaging in the public square, particularly with Parliament. Bloc… Read More
Egypt has been the subject of intense global focus over the past week, as protestors demanded the immediate resignation of President Hosni Mubarak after 30 years of his leadership. Years of frustration resulting from increased poverty, unemployment and a lack of social justice boiled over as close to a million people have taken to the… Read More
Last Friday, Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff was the only national political party leader to stand up for the right of four Canadian Sikhs to wear their ceremonial kirpans into the Quebec legislature building. Many in Canada who have an interest in religious freedom, myself included, cheered this defence of religious practice that is genuinely connected… Read More
Marriage commissioners in Saskatchewan and across the country have been wronged. Any employment (or appointment) with government or in the private sector requires accommodation of the individual for one or more of a prescribed list of circumstances identified in human rights legislation. One of the listed circumstances in every province and territory in Canada is… Read More
The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal released its decision in the Marriage Commissioner Reference today. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) was an intervenor before the court in the case. In July 2009, the Justice Minister of Saskatchewan asked the Court of Appeal for an opinion on the constitutionality of two potential legislative options which would… Read More
The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal will release its decision in the Marriage Commissioner Reference on Monday, January 10th. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) was an intervenor before the court in the case. In July 2009, the Justice Minister of Saskatchewan asked the Court of Appeal for an opinion on potential legislative options which would… Read More