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Stories about the Alberta Human Rights Commission and free speech

Former pastor appeals sanctions for letter attacking gays
The Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission had no jurisdiction to sanction a former pastor for writing a letter that appeared in a newspaper attacking gays, his lawyer argued on Wednesday. Gerald Chipeur, who represents Stephen Boissoin, argued such matters should be dealt with under the Canadian Criminal Code.
Calgary Herald, September 16

Canada's hate-speech laws are being put on trial -- again
Remember Voltaire? He's the 18th-century French philosopher who is famous for coining the phrase, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." No doubt he will be in the minds of several lawyers appearing this week in a Calgary courtroom. They don't necessarily agree with what Stephen Boissoin wrote in a letter to the Red Deer Advocate in July, 2002 but they'll be there defending his right to have written it.
Karen Selick, Vancouver Sun, September 17
Also: Calgary Herald

Stories about The Year of the Flood:

Atwood as inventive as ever in promoting new novel 'The Year of the Flood'
Marked by her signature satiric wit, "The Year of the Flood" tells the tale of humanity's near demise - and the destruction of many of the planet's other creatures - through two female characters, Ren and Toby. Their stories are intimately interwoven with that of God's Gardeners, a religious group devoted to preserving all the remaining animals and plants on Earth.
Canadian Press, September 10

Mankind's blighted future, take two
There's a "Meanwhile, in another part of the forest" quality to The Year of the Flood, Margaret Atwood's new novel. . . . Although Oryx and Crake is set mostly within corporate compounds after a bio-engineered plague has wiped out civilization, The Year of the Flood takes place in the much more hazardous urban "pleeblands," where a hardy eco-religious sect called the God's Gardeners leads a furtive existence on a rooftop.
Rebecca Wigod, Vancouver Sun, September 12

Stories about the Toronto International Film Festival:

Enough is enough
The TIFF boycott is an attack on our freedom
Robert Lantos, National Post, September 11

Oscar-winning rabbi stokes TIFF tiff
The tiff at TIFF continues to gather steam. One of the most prominent U.S. rabbis said yesterday that protesters, including Toronto activist Naomi Klein, documentary filmmaker John Greyson and actress Jane Fonda, were echoing the rhetoric of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in challenging Israel's claim to Tel Aviv.
Globe and Mail, September 12

Inside the heart of a scientist
The Toronto International Film Festival's opening-night film about Charles Darwin is built on a 150-year-old scrap of paper revealing a father's grief
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail, September 12

Are Naomi Klein et al being used as Palestinian Authority sock puppets?
To make a long story short, Themiddle used a simple Google search to determine that the same phone number used to promote the Toronto Declaration also happens to be the phone number used by the unhinged anti-Israeli obsessives at the Canadian Arab Federation to promote Palestine House, a Canadian-government-funded HQ for pro-Palestinian/anti-Israel activists.
Jonathan Kay, Full Comment, National Post, September 15

The strange, enduring rage of Naomi Klein
Klein's singling out of Israel -- particularly its most liberal city and cultural sector -- has no rational basis. This should come as no surprise. For while Klein's statements and writings on Israel pose as sober analysis, the truth is that she has always acted on this subject out of intense emotion, hysteria and anger, rather than rational thought, facts or logic.
Hillel Neuer, National Post, September 15

The legacy project
Quebec filmmaker Bernard Emond can't shake his Catholic roots
Chris Knight, National Post, September 17

Earlier: Stories about the Toronto International Film Festival

Stories about Islam and the West:

Eight years after 9/11, where's the Islamophobia?
Eight years to the day later, what are the cultural effects of 9/11? The first out of the starting gate and still leading the pack was the reflexive liberal instinct to throw protective arms around Islam and Muslims. The dust hadn't settled from the trade towers before it was pronounced from sea to shining sea that Islam was a religion of peace, and that Islamophobia was sure to run rampant in the streets, a sin we were all warned to guard against.
Barbara Kay, Full Comment, National Post, September 11

The politics of the veil
In the 21st century, the Islamic burka, the full-face-and-body veil, adopted by more women every day, has become the most potent human symbol on earth. But what exactly does it symbolize? Many say it stands for piety. No, that's wrong, says Marnia Lazreg, an Algerian-born professor of sociology at the City University of New York. Piety has little to do with it; the Koran doesn't even mention the veil. In truth, the veil stands for political ideology and male power.
Robert Fulford, National Post, September 12

UN women's agency blocked by Cuba and anti-women Islamic countries
Plans to announce the green light for a United Nations "super-agency" for women as early as Monday are in doubt because of opposition from three Muslim countries and Cuba.
Steve Edwards, Full Comment, National Post, September 13

France's army embraces its Muslim soldiers
Adamantly secular country now offers halal meals, prayer rooms and private trips to Mecca for the hajj
Globe and Mail, September 15

Benign shariah finance
Islamic or shariah-compliant financing is becoming increasing popular, both in Muslim countries and Western countries with large Muslim populations. It was therefore quite a surprise to read Dr. Sebastian Gorka's assertion (Shariah finance: A zero-sum game, Aug. 28) that the primary reason for Islamic financing is to funnel funds into political and military Jihad to destroy the West. This is based on Dr. Gorka's view that Islam doesn't actually prohibit interest, only usury, and as such Islamic banks have really been established to fund jihad with the prohibition of interest really being a ruse.
Lorne Cutler, National Post, September 15

Truth and survival
The realists understood that the survival of Western civilization was at stake. The dreamers understood that the success of the ideal of tolerance was at stake. The realists understood that the West was the victim of 9/11. The multiculturalists understood that Muslims were the victims (or soon would be) of our racist society's Islamophobia. Hard evidence validating realists' fears continues to mount across the West, while no evidence has materialized to justify the dreamers' fears.
Barbara Kay, National Post, September 16

Earlier: Stories about Islam and the West

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Other stories from the past week:

Alleged abuse victim of Catholic priest in court to keep vow to dead brother
Seven years after his brother's suicide, Ronald Martin described a lawsuit that may compensate victims of alleged abuse by Roman Catholic priests as "the fulfillment" of a promise he made to his sibling.
Canadian Press, September 10

Polygamy charges have no bearing on moral advice, Blackmore says
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives him the right to live his religion, B.C. man says
Globe and Mail, September 10
Earlier: Stories about the polygamy court case

All hail Vancouver's "Eco-man"
An exhibition devoted to Cascadian culture has unveiled Vancouver's "Eco-man" to the world. Here is Eco-Man in all his green-leafed GQ splendor, a symbol of the region's utopian quest to merge high-tech innovation with environmental sustainability. Thanks to Vancouver artist Nicole Dextras for this striking photographic vision.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, September 10

An immigrant story
Labour Day marked 20 years since I was one of those new students at Queen's. Among other sobering realities, that means my new students were not yet born when I arrived for first year. Twenty years is not a lifetime, but it is long enough to make a life -- or to ruin one -- so such anniversaries are times for gratitude for blessings received and hardships endured. In my case, my parish on Wolfe Island and my work at Queen's is just about the happiest mission I could imagine; hardships are few and blessings abundant.
Father Raymond J. de Souza, National Post, September 10

Talking about God in a meaningful way
By urging both sides to become more theologically literate, Karen Armstrong raises the level of discussion in her new book, The Case for God
Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, September 12

Society needs more people being kind to others
Dalai Lama will be host to remarkable dialogue on kindness and related subjects at the Vancouver Peace Summit later this month
Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, September 12

Clement 'revoked' colleague's portfolio after she funded gay event: docs
Industry Minister Tony Clement's office directed bureaucrats to "scrutinize activities" of major tourism events up for stimulus funding, just two weeks after Toronto's Gay Pride festival received a federal grant. And documents suggest Clement had a direct hand in dumping cabinet colleague Diane Ablonczy from the helm of the program, notwithstanding assertions the leadership change was always in the works.
Canadian Press, September 13
Earlier: Stories about gay-pride parades and the Tory caucus

Gay marriage best accepted in B.C., Ontario
Attitudes toward same sex unions mirror those of U.S. civil rights 40 years ago
Vancouver Sun, September 14

God and government
What could possibly be wrong with children gaining a general knowledge of the world's major religions and the differences among them? Plenty, if the government requires that children be taught that all religions, and all non-religious moral codes, have equal merit.
John Carpay and Karen Selick, National Post, September 14
Earlier: Christians respond to education decisions in Alberta, Quebec

Salvation Army in battle over prostitution
A campaign to help victims of human trafficking stirs controversy and allegations of fear mongering
Globe and Mail, September 15

Q&A: Martyn Joseph on songwriting, justice and U2
Taking a day between gigs, Martyn spent some time recently with theological students at the University of Toronto in Professor Brian Walsh's office to openly share and sing the fruits of his relationship with his guitar.
The Ampersand, National Post, September 15

Nuns see God in green revolution
Sisters of Loretto bring solar energy and other green renovations to a downtown university residence
Globe and Mail, September 16

Think of it as Marriage for Dummies
Butch, a ventriloquist's puppet who will officiate at the wedding ceremony uniting David Balsiger and Christine Strong at the Executive Hotel on Howe Street Saturday, may be the smallest minister a B.C. wedding has seen yet. "This is a real stretch for me," said Maralee Dawn, a children's entertainer and the owner-operator of Butch, who stars in a U.S. TV show, Maralee Dawn and Friends. The Langley resident is also an ordained minister who will preside with Butch at this weekend's wedding.
Vancouver Sun, September 16
Earlier: Puppets can impact families, says Maralee Dawn

Obama's visit with Dalai Lama postponed
U.S. president delays meeting until after his November trip to China to avoid affront to Beijing
Aileen McCabe, Canwest News Service, September 16

B.C. author befriended Dalai Lama 48 years ago
George Woodcock's long-ago meeting in Asia with the Dalai Lama helps explains the Tibetan spiritual leader's strong connection with Vancouver.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, September 16

Church helped fund 'anti-Jewish' group
The United Church of Canada helped finance the founding event of a controversial new Jewish organization that challenges mainstream Jewish groups and supports a boycott of Israel.
National Post, September 17
Earlier: Stories about the United Church of Canada and its new moderator

Sitting down to supper together
It's been a couple of years since I last wrote about "National Family Dinner Night." Tonight is the fifth annual occurrence of the venture launched by MacVoisin, proprietor of M&M Meat Shops, to encourage families to sit down and have dinner together. No TV, no cellphones, no text messaging, no BlackBerrys, no iPhones -- just family dinner. Food to eat and conversations to be had. You don't have to eat M&M products to have a family dinner, of course, but if you register your participation with M&M they make a contribution to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada. The family dinner promotion has contributed to the more than $18-million which M&M has raised for the charity.
Father Raymond J. de Souza, National Post, September 17

September 17/2009