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Stories about Stephane Dion and the "coalition":

Dion should have said no
If a week is a long time in politics, how about two years? Considering the current gobsmacking circumstances in Ottawa, it would be unfair to drag out what a commentator said in 2006, and hold it against him. I wouldn't do that to my colleagues, but, in a spirit of penance, I will do it to myself. Here is what I wrote in these pages almost exactly two years ago, days after Stephane Dion's victory in the Liberal leadership race.
Father Raymond J.De Souza, National Post, December 4

Do Canadians scare too easily?
It doesn't seem to take much to make Canadians fearful. It was astonishing to read in The Vancouver Sun that more than seven out of 10 Canadians told Ipsos Reid pollsters they were "truly scared" about last week's maneuvring in Ottawa over a possible coalition government.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, December 9

Earlier: Going beyond divisiveness

Stories about the Mumbai attacks:

Canadian actor's spiritual journey to India shattered by three bullets
A Canadian actor's long-planned spiritual journey to India saw its peace shattered by bursts of gunfire that left him hospitalized Thursday in the wake of the Mumbai attacks. Michael Rudder, a Genie-nominated actor from Montreal, was resting in the critical-care unit of an Indian hospital following surgery to treat three bullet wounds.
Canadian Press, November 27

Mourners gather at Ont. temple to meditate and pray for peace in India
Standing tall before a wall of carved marble peace icons, the president of a Hindu temple north of Toronto spoke a message of solidarity to a crowd gathered to mourn victims of the Mumbai terror attacks. "There is no way to peace, peace is the only way," Dr. Budhendra Doobay told a group of more than 100 people Friday night as he stood beside busts including Buddha, Jesus, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr.
Canadian Press, November 28

Stories about the ex-preacher charged with murdering a pastor's daughter in Alberta:

Man charged with murder in Edson's girl's death
RCMP have charged Ross Edward Kleman, a 43-year-old man from Edson, with the murder of Emily Stauffer, a 14-year-old killed on a trail in the western Alberta town in September. Kleman is charged with first-degree murder, which means they believe there was some degree of planning and preparation in the Sept. 27 slaying of Stauffer, the daughter of an Edson pastor. But Cpl. Wayne Oakes said investigators don.t believe Kleman and the Stauffer family knew each other well. In a posting on his blog today, Pastor Terry Stauffer said he recognized Kleman but did not know him.
Edmonton Journal, December 4

Preacher charged with killing pastor's daughter
The man accused of murdering a pastor's teenaged daughter in Edson was once a travelling preacher who carried the word of God to work camps, his friends say, and years ago married a pregnant woman to help her escape life on the streets. Six years ago, Ross Edward Kleman found a woman's body, the cousin of a close friend, in the woods near Edson.
Edmonton Journal, December 5

Mayor forced to keep secret pending arrest
When the RCMP told Pansychny they were about to lay murder charges in the September killing of 14-year-old Emily Stauffer, the mayor said he felt a sense of excitement. "Then came the news that it was one of our employees, and that was when I kind of got sick to my stomach," he said. . . . Two days after Stauffer was attacked and killed on a walking trail on Sept. 27, dozens of people held a memorial vigil outside the Baptist Church where Emily's father, Terry, is pastor.
Edmonton Journal, December 5

Case not closed on body found by accused in Edson murder
The investigation into the suspicious death of an Edson woman whose remains were discovered by Ross Edward Kleman six years ago is active and ongoing, RCMP said Friday morning. But Cpl. Wayne Oakes could not say whether the recent first-degree murder charge laid against Kleman for the death of 14-year-old Emily Stauffer would affect the investigation into Margaret Helen Findlay's death.
Edmonton Journal, December 5

Stories about Christmas:

Bringing more depth to Christmas "spirituality"
Christmas is coming and many North Americans start feeling warm and "spiritual." But has "spirituality" become a bad word? Does the new buzz term represent a banal trend that lacks credibility, a critical edge and the depth of ancient religious traditions?
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, December 5

A tree by any other name still a political mess
The 15-metre tall evergreen had been erected outside Quebec City's National Assembly. It was draped in lights awaiting the Premier's flick of a switch. Only one small detail remained: What to call it? In a reflection of the identity angst that periodically grips Quebec, the tree went from being a Christmas tree to a Holiday tree, before finally reverting to a Christmas tree just before Jean Charest lit up the tree's 6,000 bulbs late yesterday.
National Post, December 11

Earlier: Stories about religious and multicultural issues in Quebec

Stories about abortion, euthanasia and the pro-life movement:

U of C gets police involved in anti-abortion display
University of Calgary officials say they won't kick an anti-abortion group behind a controversial poster display off campus, but have asked police to investigate whether the group has broken any laws.
CBC, November 26

Intolerance triumphs on Canadian campuses
At the University of Guelph, a student council decides an anti-abortion group is unfair to women so they are banned. Queen's University hires "dialogue facilitators" because they are unsure that the right kinds of conversation are taking place among students. At Carleton University, some students decide that cystic fibrosis is too white a disease so it is unworthy of charitable funding. Critics charge that all these recent incidents are just the latest signs of the erosion of free speech at Canadian universities.
Charles Lewis, Full Comment, National Post, November 29

After Morgentaler, Jean Vanier kept his Order of Canada. Why?
Dear Jean, Thank you for your last letter; a lot to think about, especially for a faithless bounder like me. I admire the way you find common ground between people, no matter how different.
Ian Brown, Globe and Mail, November 29

Religious group to return Order of Canada honours to protest Morgentaler medal
A Roman Catholic group is returning Orders of Canada bestowed on two priests to protest a decision to award the honour to Dr. Henry Morgentaler. The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate says it is returning the honours given to Father Anthony Sylla of Edmonton in 1971 and to Father Michael Smith of Toronto in 1979.
Canadian Press, December 8

Pro-choice, anti-guilt
Fifteen years ago, philosopher James Q. Wilson proposed a provocative new take on abortion. Following on the idea that "people treat as human that which appears to be human," he suggested in Commentary magazine that every woman seeking to abort her fetus be made to examine a photo depicting roughly what that fetus looks like on the day in question -- an image contained in a catalogue retained for this purpose: "266 photographs in all," Wilson specified, "one for each day of embryonic or fetal development." The idea has always appealed to me for one simple reason: It ensures that the mother understands the moral dimension of what she is doing at the moment she is doing it.
Jonathan Kay, National Post, December 9

Canadians at heart of Britain's assisted suicide debate
The British media this week are advancing an important assisted suicide debate - with strong links to Vancouver. Britain's Sky TV is being harshly denounced by some for airing a documentary that shows the self-chosen death of a terminally ill man. The Guardian reported today that more than 250,000 people watched the show, which received a torrent of news coverage.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, December 10

Earlier: Canadians divided over euthanasia and assisted suicide

Stories about the singing priests:

The Priests step outside of church to spread music: Q & A
To start off with, how did the concert go last night?
The Ampersand, National Post, December 3

Blessed for success
It seems appropriate that singer David Delargy would choose to conduct interviews at St. Paul's Basilica in downtown Toronto this week. Delargy, pictured at top of page on the right, and his singing partners, brothers Eugene O'Hagan and Martin O'Hagan, aren't conventional pop stars; they are Roman Catholic priests from Northern Ireland. The trio calls itself The Priests. Their debut CD of the same name, a collection of classic sacred songs, is ranked fifth on the album-sales charts in the United Kingdom, and they're rapidly gaining global popularity. They performed a free concert at the Toronto basilica on Monday night to a capacity crowd.
Michelle Anne Olsen, National Post, December 4

Stories about Islam and the West:

Aga Khan opens architectural landmark
The Aga Khan, the Ismaili Muslim spiritual leader who ended an eight-day Canadian tour in Vancouver less than two weeks ago, is back in Ottawa today to open a new architectural landmark on Sussex Drive.
Vancouver Sun, December 6

Does Little Mommy Cuddle coo 'Islam is the light'?
The baby doll coos, giggles and utters sounds like "mama." But to some ears, it is baby's first phrase -- "Islam is the light" -- that is stirring up controversy. Is it holiday shoppers mistaking the sounds from a cheap speaker or a case of toy tinkering?
Globe and Mail, December 8

Earlier: Stories about the Aga Khan, Islam and the West

Continue article >>

Other stories from the past two weeks:

Peter Mansbridge offers excellent critique of political reporting
Peter Mansbridge, news anchor for CBC TV's The National, offered some telling remarks about political reporting at the 2008 Jack Webster Awards, which honour the best in B.C. print, radio and TV journalism. I particularly appreciated how he criticized the media for its treatment of politicians. The media, he said (in his very slow, but highly engaging way), holds politicians to impossibly high standards, which we ourselves could not maintain.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, November 28

Religious meal plan
How do monks stay in such terrific shape? OK, it's not a commonly posed query, but in the new book Finding Happiness: Monastic Steps for a Fulfilling Life, British Abbot Christopher Jamison offers some guidelines on mealtimes in the monastery.
National Post, November 29

My father
An old man I know told me how he became a Roman Catholic, after an upbringing that would perhaps have better fitted him to become some sort of "humanist." He was young, at the rebellious age, and weighted more with questions than with answers. His relation with his father was tense and difficult, perhaps creatively so. His father died, and his world shattered. The inadequate Christian faith he had absorbed in childhood was tested, against grief, and found wanting.
David Warren, Ottawa Citizen, November 29

The Elusive Utopia
Cascadians, more than most, find meaning in nature and in yearning for a fresh future
Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, November 29

Is Cascadia great?
I thought I'd mention the reason you haven't heard from me for a few days. I'm on a three-day trip through Cascadia, visiting some of the delightful spots and cultural treasures of northern Washington State -- including the Captain Whidbey Inn, La Connor and south Bellingham (also known as Fairhaven).
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, December 2

University of Ottawa "social justice" agency snubs Jewish organization for being, well, Jewish
The University of Ottawa Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) has cited the Jewish student group Hillel's "relationship to apartheid Israel" as a reason for turning down a request for funds to sponsor a speech November 20. The speech was given by Israel Sariri, but it had nothing to do with Israel. Sariri is the head of a Ugandan group working on sustainable development projects in the African Jewish community. Not only was the speech apolitical, in fact it was a multiculturalist's dream theme: about schools that feed and educate 500 Jewish, Muslim and Christian children studying together, and open to all students at the university.
Barbara Kay, Full Comment, National Post, December 2

Canadian universities celebrate Charles Darwin's birthday
Charles Darwin is big on the 2009 agenda at the University of B.C. and Simon Fraser University. The major Canadian universities are going out of their way to celebrate the 200th birthday of the British scientist considered the founder of evolutionary theory (there are other challengers for the title, including the more spiritually confident Alfred Russel Wallace).
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, December 3

A sister act
Meryl Streep leaves the sunny Greek isles to take up a nun's life in the dark, archly comic film Doubt
National Post, December 4

How God struck down Egypt's firstborn, in an eco-friendly way
The Bible has now become an environmental handbook. It was inevitable, what with all the references to sheep and pastures and mustard seeds and sowing and reaping and that sort of thing. The Green Bible, published by HarperOne, has all the familiar characters of a regular Bible, but there is a twist. Taking a cue from the old red-letter Bibles --in which every word directly spoken by Jesus was in red ink -- this version highlights about 1,000 passages that are supposed speak to the Bible's environmental message of "God's love for creation and the scriptural mandate for humans to care for, protect, and heal the earth."
Charles Lewis, Full Comment, National Post, December 4

British Columbians are more individualistic and fearful (especially women)
University of Lethbridge sociologist Reginald Bibby's work also shows British Columbians retaining their reputation as among the least-interested Canadians in religion, while other parts of Canada show a modest renewed commitment to institutions of faith.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, December 4

Sikh Youth Federation behind bombing, group says
The International Sikh Youth Federation was behind the Air India bombing and only roped in the Babbar Khalsa's Talwinder Singh Parmar at the last minute, says a new report on the terrorist attack. But the report by the Punjab Human Rights Organization does not provide the detailed confessions it claimed last month to have from "the real culprits" behind the June 23, 1985 terrorist attack that left 329 dead.
Vancouver Sun, December 6
Earlier: Stories about Sikhs and Sikhism

Do animals have ethics?
Ethics requires moral judgment. That requires deciding between right and wrong
Margaret Somerville, Vancouver Sun, December 6

Stoic Catholics versus upbeat Mormons
Reading Nicole Markotic's second novel, Scrapbook of My Years as a Zealot, is like sitting next to an acquaintance who's flipping through a scrapbook of photos and mementos, relating at length the stories they spark.
Sherie Posesorski, CanWest News Service, December 6

Opera, church services gracing silver screen
Movie houses turn to political discourse in continuing search for ways to fill seats
Toronto Star, December 7

Is "The Best Place on Earth" the worst slogan on planet?
British Columbia may have the worst motto on Earth. Since when does being proud of your region turn into Narcissism? "The Best Place on Earth" is one of those over-the-top self-satisfied slogans that is unbecoming of Canadians (or anyone). We are more used to hearing such things from jingoistic Americans and authoritarian leaders in China.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, December 7

Speedskater Klassen won't compete this season
Cindy Klassen is sitting out the speedskating season for the second time in three years to rest her surgically repaired knees. . . . Klassen, a devout Mennonite, says her faith has helped her through a tumultuous 2008. Her younger sister, Lisa, nearly died on Feb. 5 when her SUV slid off a Winnipeg bridge and plunged into the Red River.
CBC Sports, December 8
Earlier: Stories about Lisa Klassen's accident

Novel takes jabs at staunch Christianity
How can one not like a self-effacing, best-selling author born in Canada and now living in rural Oregon whose musical inspiration comes from "a whole lot of" this country's own spiritual troubadour, Bruce Cockburn? How can one not like William Paul Young, even if his self-published and somewhat clumsy first novel has become a marketing phenomenon? The Shack has rocketed into the spiritual blockbuster heavens, which were recently inhabited by Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, Rick Warren's Purpose-Driven Life and Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth.
Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, December 8
Earlier: Shack author strikes a nerve

Catholic teacher in B.C. faces sex charges
A female teacher at a Roman Catholic high school in Burnaby, B.C., is facing five sex-related charges involving a student. The RCMP said the teacher at St. Thomas More Collegiate is accused of four counts of sexual exploitation and one of sexual assault.
Canadian Press, December 9

Drama teacher charged in Burnaby student sex case
Police were called after after students alerted Catholic school principal
Vancouver Sun, December 10

Anti-gay church says it will picket high-school play
The gay-bashing, hell-preaching Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., has found another Canadian target, and is threatening to have a group of people cross the border to picket this Friday's high-school performance of The Laramie Project. It's not the first time the flock of Pastor Fred Phelps has looked north.
Globe and Mail, December 10
Earlier: Stories about the same-sex debate

An Unlikely Monk
Dying because a hotel was sloppy when it came to grounding an electric fan ranks up there on the top-10 list of stupid ways to go. And if you are a world-famous mystical poet and writer just back from an astounding encounter with the Dalai Lama -- and intent on spending the rest of your life exploring the links between Catholicism and Buddhism while intensifying your own personal need for solitude, silence and meditation -- you could be forgiven for thinking that you were the victim of some extreme cosmic joke or a final lesson in attention and living in the moment. But in a very real sense, when Trappist monk Thomas Merton died just that way 40 years ago today in a Bangkok hotel there was a sad measure of appropriateness about it all. After all, in many ways his whole life had contained a degree of the accidental mixed with intense reflection and unexpected yet surprising meaning.
Peter Kavanagh, National Post, December 10
Earlier: Canadian academic releases major Merton anthology

Priests pioneered frontiers of faith
Oblate order celebrates the 150th anniversary of opening its first church in B.C.
Vancouver Sun, December 11

The consensus of 1948
What was done 60 years ago could not be done today, and it was remarkable that it was accomplished even then. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was passed by the United Nations on Dec. 10, 1948. It was one of the UN's first major achievements and it remains one of its most noble.
Father Raymond J. De Souza, National Post, December 11

Sarah Palin more fascinating to Canadians than Americans
I guess Sarah Palin had more novelty value for us than our southern neighbours. Surveys suggest the residents of 30 countries, including Canadians, were more intrigued by Sarah Palin in 2008 than most Americans.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, December 11
Earlier: Stories about American presidential politics

December 11/2008