Juno who's nominated?

This year's nominees for the Juno Award for Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the Year are FM Static, Dear Diary (David C. Cook/EMI); Janelle, What I Gotta Say (Life Vision Communications); Matt Brouwer, Where's Our Revolution (Black Shoe/Fontana North); Steve Bell, Devotion (Singpost Music); and Thousand Foot Krutch, Welcome To The Masquerade (Tooth & Nail/EMI). The awards will be handed out April 18 in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Tolerance unimaginable

On February 22, York University in Toronto effectively cancelled a pro-Israel event called Imagine With Us, scheduled for February 22 and 25. The invited speakers included: controversial Middle East commentator Daniel Pipes; Israeli scholar Mordechai Kedar; former PLO terrorist Walid Shoebat; human rights activist Majed El Shafie; Faytene Kryskow, founder of the My Canada prayer ministry; and B'nai Brith Canada CEO Frank Dimant. On the grounds that some of the speakers might incite opponents, the university required the organizers to pay for a formidable police and campus security presence, ban public advertising of the event, and give the university in advance a list of all attendees and a minute-by-minute synopsis of all speakers' talking points. In response, the organizers moved the event off campus. The university did not impose similar conditions on Israel Apartheid Week (IAW), a pro-Palestinian event which began March 1 on the campuses of at least three universities in Toronto, including York. IAW was launched in 2005, and the annual event is now observed in 40 cities of the world. A unanimous vote in the Ontario legislature February 25 condemned IAW as being "close to hate speech," but did not forbid the event from taking place. On February 26, York president Mamdouh Shoukri issued a statement calling for freedom of speech for all without fear of intimidation or hatred. The university is investigating a February 1 clash between two unidentified groups of students.

Parental interference not tolerated

The Ontario Ministry of Education has mandated that by September 2010 every school board in Ontario would implement a new Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy. The strategy stresses prevention of discrimination, including combating "homophobia." Articles on the website LifeSiteNews say the policy could force even Catholic school boards to promote homosexualtiy. Alphonse de Valk, editor of Catholic Insight magazine, contended that Ontario Education Minister Kathleen Wynne "is a lesbian . . . using her position to promote her own views." Hamilton Mountain News journalist Mark Cripps, who is himself favourable to homosexuality, nevertheless questioned whether the new policy overrides parental rights. He published a leaked document from a training session the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board gave to teachers on how to teach the new curriculum. If parents object to the curriculum, teachers were told to respond: "As teachers, we do not condone children being removed from our classes when we teach about Aboriginal People, people of color, people with disabilities or gays and lesbians. You can teach your child your own values at home. Public schools teach everyone about respecting diversity and valuing everyone. This is not about parent rights. Children have the right to an inclusive education free from discrimination." Jim Enos, president of the Hamilton-Wentworth Family Action Council, said, "They're saying that schools have priority rights in the education of children. That's wrong. We are the educators of the children. [Schools] are an extension of us; we're not an extension of them."

No religion

The Campaign Against Sharia Court in Canada has launched an online petition calling for Islamic schools to be banned in Canada and the teaching of "any religious subjects, dogmas, doctrines, etc" to be banned from all schools in Canada. The organization argues that Islamic schools are used to find recruits for terrorism, and also promote discrimination against women and children. It says that "children have no religion," and should not have religion imposed on them. The organization previously circulated a Petition for One Secular Public School in Ontario, which called for an end to public funding of Roman Catholic schools in Ontario. The organization was founded to oppose the Ontario Arbitration Act 1991's recognition of Islamic (sharia) courts as an approved mechanism for resolving family disputes. The work of the organization is coordinated by Homa Arjomand.

Women only

On March 1, Crossroads Television System (CTS), based in Burlington, Ontario, launched Circle Rewind, a new daily talk show designed for women. For over four years, Full Circle has been the Friday edition of 100 Huntley Street, CTS' flagship program. The new half-hour show, broadcast at 3 pm weekdays, features discussions between host Ann Mainse and her "sofa sisters" Moira Brown, Melinda Williams, Cheryl Weber, Denise Lodde, Magdaline John and Bridget Antwi. There will also be guests such as best-selling authors, experts, and everyday people with an inspiring story to tell.

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Not youth only

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) has published a new booklet called 'How Merciful: Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.' This is the second booklet in the EFC's Activate series, intended to help youth and young adults understand and address public policy issues. Created by staff from the EFC's Centre for Faith and Public Life and a student from an EFC affiliate college, the booklet has a full-colour, glossy format with high-quality images and pictures. It features current statistical and factual information, case studies; testimonies; a scriptural foundation for the principles discussed; and suggested actions that can be undertaken by young people alone, or in conjunction with their churches, families and youth groups. EFC says that although the booklet was designed for youth, it is useful for people of all generations.

Faith vs climate change

Leaders of various faith groups in Toronto have organized a retreat on 'Climate Change as a Moral Issue' April 16-17 in the office of the United Church of Canada. The first day will focus on the negative impacts of climate change. Dave Toycen, president of World Vision Canada will lead a panel of development workers discussing the impact on children and communities in the global south. Mardi Tindal, moderator of the United Church of Canada, will address climate and ocean change as a moral and global justice issue. Richard Cizik, former vice-president of the National Association of Evangelicals in the US, will provide an overview of creation care. Scientist Danny Harvey and environmental writer Alanna Mitchell will discuss how global warming is impacting the life systems of the planet, and the health of human beings. The second day will consist of round table discussions on what people of faith should do about global warming. Free public lectures will be given by the presenters on the two evenings before the retreat, April 14 at Trinity St. Paul United Church and April 15 at Knox Presbyterian Church.

Vision not in the cards

The Christian think tank Cardus has issued a series of news releases and policy analyses, of the Canadian government's 2010 budget. Director of research Ray Pennings said that although the budget rightly focuses on returning the books from deficit to surplus, it pays too little attention to imminent deficits in elder care, charitable service and broad social architecture. "It's a good budget, but it's not visionary."

Not all dogs go to heaven

When the Rapture happens, Fluffy and Fido will be in good hands. The atheist website Eternal Earth-Bound Pets is offering to take care of the pets of pre-tribulation Christians in the event they are raptured but leave their pets behind. The service, started by retired executive Bart Centre, is offered in 22 US states. Subscribers (100 so far) pay $110 for a ten-year contract, plus $15 for each additional pet. Since Centre does not believe in the Rapture, he is expecting to get the money for nothing. Christians, on the other hand, will have to trust atheists to keep their promises. Centre said the key is convincing his customers that his pet rescuers are wicked enough to be left behind, but good enough to take care of the abandoned pets. The pet rescuers must all have signed a statement saying that they are nonbelievers, and must have undergone a criminal check.

'Stump care' for Haiti

Representatives from the relief agency cbm Canada are going through refugee camps in Haiti, looking for people who have amputations and other disabilities. They are offering physiotherapy, 'stump care' (to prevent infections and prepare the way for prostheses) and mobility lessons for people using crutches and walkers.

Slow growth

Researcher Rick Hiemstra, director of the Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism, presented a major study on 'Canadian Evangelical Congregational Income, 2003-2008' in the February issue of the Centre's online journal Church & Faith Trends. He found that the average income for an evangelical congregation rose about 1.5 percent a year. About one percent of evangelical congregations close each year, but evangelicals are opening about 1.1 churches for every one they close. Evangelical churches are also becoming more urbanized: only 0.9 churches are started for every church that closes in rural areas; but 1.2 churches are started for every church that closes in urban areas. Hiemstra's study was based on 4,646 out of the approximately 11,000 evangelical congregations in Canada. While his study showed that congregational income was slowing in 2008, as Canada neared recession, another study by Sam Reimer in the same issue of Church & Faith Trends shows evangelical congregations' income continued to rise during the first four months of 2009. The same issue of Church & Faith Trends has articles on the growth of the Canadian Pentecostal and Faith Church movements.

March in May

The 13th annual National March For Life will take place May 12-14 in Ottawa on the theme "Abortion-a Crime Against Humanity." The event is sponsored by the Campaign Life Coalition. Organizers hope to attract 20,000 people this year, up from last year's record 12,000.

March 11/2010