News round-up

Note: Registration or subscription to the host news sites may be required to read some of the stories linked here.

Stories about the Christian bystander killed in a Surrey gang war:

Maintenance man among murder victims
A gas fireplace maintenance man on a routine call appears to have been drawn into the mysterious killing of six men, ending up among the dead in an apartment complex in B.C.'s worst mass killing in 11 years. Ed Schellenberg was one of the dead found on the 15th floor of the complex, which has been under siege by dozens of police since Friday's gruesome discovery. . . . His brother-in-law, Joe Defries, posted a tribute on his website, noting that Mr. Schellenberg, "along with five others, tragically lost his life in Surrey, B.C. on Oct. 19, 2007." The message quotes Psalm 34:18: "The Lord is close to the broken."
Globe and Mail, October 22

Repairman caught in Surrey slaughter
A gas fireplace repairman working on the top floor of a Surrey apartment building is believed to have been caught in the slaughter Friday of six people in a single attack. Ed Schellenberg of Abbotsford, had been called out to the Balmoral Tower at 9830 East Whalley Ring Road hours before police were notified of a possible gas leak on the top floor of the building, where bodies were discovered by firefighters a short time later.
Vancouver Sun, October 22

Fireplace repairman appears to be one of six victims in Surrey, B.C. killings
Ron Penner, the president at Columbia Bible College, where Schellenberg's wife Lois works, says they're really shocked and saddened by the turn of events. Penner says for now they're trying to be supportive of the family.
Canadian Press, October 22

Family mourns an innocent life lost
Slain repairman's death the 'epitome of senselessness'
Vancouver Sun, October 23

Police won't say if repairman was among slain six
Mr. Schellenberg leaves behind his wife Lois, an employee of Abbotsford's Columbia Bible College, two adult children, four sisters and many other family members.
CanWest News Service, October 23

Wrong place, wrong time
"He was caught in circumstances that spun out of control ending in his death because of where he needed to be to do his job," said Jim Penner, pastor of Emmanuel Fellowship Baptist Church in Abbotsford, and a friend of Schellenberg's.
Toronto Star, October 24

Remembering Ed Schellenberg
Ed Schellenberg will be remembered as far more than just another victim in Vancouver's gang war. He'll be remembered as a saviour, in every sense of the word. Jim Penner, the Schellenberg family pastor, went before the media yesterday morning and told the story of a kind, generous man whose final actions epitomized the selfless life he led. It was Mr. Schellenberg's decision to finish the job in a Surrey apartment building alone and let his co-worker go home early that likely spared another innocent life from being lost that day.
Globe and Mail, October 24

Stories about the Ontario election and non-Catholic faith-based schools:

Tory drops contentious faith policy
John Tory declared today that he will abandon his contentious policy on faith-based schools following a meeting with his caucus where he received unanimous support to stay on as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party.
Globe and Mail, October 24

Tory admits faith-based schools funding mistake
An apologetic John Tory acknowledged yesterday that he ran a bad election campaign as leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party by not responding effectively to the chorus of opposition to his proposal to fund faith-based schools.
Globe and Mail, October 25

Tory to 'fight' for his job
Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory is keeping his job after a conversion on the faith-based schools policy that cost him the election. In an emotionally charged five-hour caucus meeting yesterday, Tory acknowledged his ill-fated scheme handed Premier Dalton McGuinty's Liberals a second majority government on Oct. 10.
Toronto Star, October 25

Earlier: Stories about the Ontario election and non-Catholic faith-based schools

Stories about the Religious Right in the United States:

No GOP saviour in sight for the evangelical right
For seven years, they have been the toast of the Republican party -- the tireless, reliable base that propelled George W. Bush to two White House terms and helped define the agenda in this country. But at the so-called Values Voter Summit here this weekend, evangelical Christian conservatives looked lost as they wandered the halls of a downtown hotel. Their grip on Republicans is faltering. And some of these voters -- who were mobilized by the Bush campaign to protect American "values" in 2004 -- are feeling a little bit used and taken for granted.
Toronto Star, October 21

For religious right, it's a choice of lesser evils
Top GOP candidates fail key litmus tests among conservatives
Sheldon Alberts, National Post, October 21

Stories about Islam and the West:

Booze with halal menu causing controversy
Muslim student leaders are appealing for understanding in the wake of a controversy surrounding the halal menu at a U of T Scarborough campus restaurant. "It's being blown out of proportion," said Emad Alarashi, president of the campus's Muslim Students Association.
Toronto Star, October 19

Harper's religious holiday outreach overlooks Muslim households: Islamic groups
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's religious holiday outreach to Jewish households apparently does not extend to Muslim individuals, say a half dozen national Islamic organizations. Six different Muslim groups, including some of the largest in the country, all say they are not aware of any Muslim households receiving holiday greetings from Harper for Eid, which was celebrated last Saturday to mark the end of Ramadan.
Canadian Press, October 21

Backers of Montreal imam carry case to government, Federal Court
Supporters of a controversial Montreal imam are renewing their fight on two fronts to try to stave off Said Jaziri's deportation to his native Tunisia. A coalition of Muslim organizations, joined by Amnesty International, have sent a letter to Immigration Minister Diane Finley, asking her to suspend efforts to remove Jaziri from Canada.
Canadian Press, October 21

Controversial Montreal cleric scheduled for deportation Monday
The Canadian government is scheduled to deport a controversial Montreal imam to Tunisia today. A last-ditch attempt by supporters to keep Said Jaziri in Canada fell short Sunday.
Canadian Press, October 22

Pregnant Quebecer in hospital as her Muslim cleric husband faces deportation
The wife of Said Jaziri, a controversial Muslim cleric scheduled for deportation to his native Tunisia, was in hospital on Monday in the late stages of pregnancy. Mohammed Alaoui, one of the imam's supporters, said Nancy-Ann Adams had to stay in hospital in Laval, north of Montreal, on doctor's orders.
Canadian Press, October 22

Iman not mistreated during deportation: border services
A Montreal imam was handcuffed but not mistreated during his deportation to his native Tunisia, a Canada Border Services Agency spokesman said Tuesday. Said Jaziri was examined by a doctor before he left Canada and when he arrived in Tunisia and was found to be in good health, said Erik Paradis.
Canadian Press, October 23

Deported imam outraged by his plane ride home
In an interview with CBC's French-language service Tuesday morning, Jaziri said he was deprived of any outside contact in the hours leading to his departure, including with his pregnant wife, and said the handcuffs he was forced to wear hurt him. The Muslim cleric said the way he was treated qualified as psychological and physical torture, a nightmare that would take a lifetime to get over. But despite fears about his personal safety in his native land, Jaziri was able to travel to his family's home without incident and was left alone by Tunisian authorities.
CBC News, October 23

No smoke without fire
Can that be right, even in Canada? Infidels can't smoke but Muslims can? Apparently so. As the Vancouver Sun report continued, Emad Yacoub "said hookah lounges are essential for immigrants from hookah-smoking cultures, because it helps them deal with the depression common for newcomers and gives them places like they have at home." Once upon a time English and Irish and French immigrants to Vancouver used to find "places like they have at home" -- pubs and bars and so forth. But not anymore.
Mark Steyn, SteynOnline.com, October 24

Continue article >>

Confrontational
This is "Islamo-Fascist Awareness Week" in the USA. To Canadian eyes that will sound a little confrontational -- we've always been better at walking the walk, than talking the talk. But let me assure my reader, that even if our media are not much reporting it, the thing is happening. On more than 100 university campuses across the United States, from U.C. Berkeley to George Washington in D.C., a large roster of speakers are directly confronting crowds of very loud and angry campus Leftists and Islamists, to make politically incorrect points about radical Islam, backed by a range of panel discussions, book stalls, and supporting exhibits.
David Warren, Ottawa Citizen, October 24

It's racism -- in any language
The floundering Bloc Quebecois couldn't wait to join in the campaign against an "unreasonable accommodation" for visible minorities. They rushed forward a bill this week to block Muslim women from voting behind their burkas.
Don Martin, National Post, October 25

Earlier: Stories about Islam and the West

Other stories from the past week:

Anglican bishop suspends abuse investigation
Anglican officials yesterday put in limbo their inquiry into abuse allegations against two priests who were headmasters of a now-closed private school in Eastern Ontario - angering several former students who accused the church of trying to protect itself from legal action. The announcement by the bishop of the diocese in which Grenville Christian College was located near Brockville came two days after a Toronto law firm sent notices to the diocese, the school and one of the former headmasters, saying it represented a group of former students considering civil action.
Globe and Mail, October 19
Earlier: Stories about allegations of abuse and cult practices at Grenville Christian College

Alberta man guilty in 'Lucifer's baby' case
An Edmonton man who shot his pregnant friend because he believed the unborn child was Lucifer's baby was found guilty Friday of first-degree murder. The family of victim Olivia Talbot, who was 19 when she was shot at point-blank range, cried and hugged when jurors came back with the verdict against Jared Baker, 21.
Canadian Press, October 19

A house of God built upon a rock
Croatian church celebrates its 55th anniversary with new limestone altar from Dalmatian Coast
Toronto Star, October 20

Church struggles with slaying of girl, 8
Members of a Toronto church gathered last night to pray for the family of an accused murderer and the 8-year-old daughter he is charged with killing. Megan Wilde, 8, was strangled to death and left in her bed on Thursday night. Her father Richard Wilde, 36, drove himself to a police station shortly afterwards to tell them he killed his daughter. He has been charged with first-degree murder. Wilde had been a member of the Don Valley Bible Chapel for years and even met his wife there about a dozen years ago. The couple also have a 9-year-old daughter who was unharmed the night her sister died.
Toronto Star, October 20

'Real Kabbalists don't advertise'
Rav Michael Laitman stopped in Toronto this week as part of a whirlwind tour to promote his latest book, The Complete Idiot's Guide To Kabbalah.
National Post, October 20

When worlds collide
Would a liberal sex-ed teacher feel stirrings for her daughter's born-again Christian soccer coach? You suspend disbelief when Tom Perrotta's telling the story
Rebecca Wigod, Vancouver Sun, October 20

Make speech free, and all else follows
Let Canadians have full and secure media freedom, and everything else falls into place. But full and secure media freedom is exactly what Canadians lack. In Canada, regulatory authorities ban political and religious speech from the airwaves. It's not because Canadians are so mild-mannered and averse to controversy that there is no Canadian equivalent of Rush Limbaugh or Keith Olbermann. It's because it's against the law.
David Frum, National Post, October 20

Montreal's Jewish community pays tribute to Aboriginal war hero
Montreal's Jewish community gathered today to pay tribute to an aboriginal war hero. They joined Mohawk elders on Montreal's south shore to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the death of Michael Delisle Sr., who was among the first to enter the Dachau Concentration Camp after its liberation.
Canadian Press, October 21

Anglican same-sex debate not revolt: cleric
Anyone who has followed the Anglican Church's wrangling over the blessing of same-sex unions would have a right to be confused over the events of the past few months. In June, the general synod of the whole Church, meeting in Winnipeg, defeated a motion that would have allowed individual dioceses to decide whether their parishes could perform such a rite. But then on Oct. 12, the Ottawa diocese voted in favour of a motion to allow parishes to perform same-sex blessings. The bishop of Ottawa is now deciding how he will act on the vote. On Friday, the Montreal synod passed the same motion. Alan Perry, a priest at St. Barnabas Anglican Church in Montreal, says that to the outsider, it would seem the local synods are thumbing their noses at the mother Church. But Rev. Perry, an expert on canon law, said there is a certain logic to what is going on.
National Post, October 22
Earlier: Stories about same-sex blessings and the Anglican Church

Religious leaders pray for reconciliation
Religious leaders from 15 different faiths in the Lower Mainland joined Sunday at Vanier Park to pray for the success of the planned 2008 Walk For Reconciliation.
Vancouver Sun, October 22

Parish brings disaster relief to Peru and Bolivia
Hilarion Prieto and Carmen Miloslavich attend the Church of San Lorenzo, a small and vigorous Latino parish in the north end of the city. They dropped by the church on a recent evening to look at some photos taken by their pastor, Fr. Hernan Astudillo.
Joe Fiorito, Toronto Star, October 22

The gospel, according to Kid Rock
A foul-mouthed, hell-raising, trailer-trash long-hair as the rock 'n' roll Jesus? Shoot, why not? "The album title is definitely about creating a rock revival," Rock explains. "But it's also about being the voice of working people. I think that's being a little unheard these days." In the gospel-like number Amen, which deplores greed, hypocrisy and soldiers dying, Rock says he wants to create a feeling that would rise during his concerts, "like a gospel church on Saturday night, while drinking beer and having a good time." The idea of music as religion is not new - Jimi Hendrix envisioned an "electric church," though more as a psychedelic experience than a hooting keg party.
Globe and Mail, October 23

Harper to publicly greet Dalai Lama
When the Dalai Lama meets Stephen Harper in Ottawa next week, it will be the first time a Canadian prime minister has agreed to meet the exiled Tibetan leader in public. Conservative Senator Consiglio Di Nino said that, unlike former prime minister Paul Martin, who would only meet the exiled Tibetan leader privately to avoid angering the Chinese government, Mr. Harper will allow cameras to record the moment.
CanWest News Service, October 23

We're agnostics and our 10 year old has become a devout Christian
You're at the nexus of two ticklish topics - religion and parenting - so I'll try to tread carefully. First let me say you've come to the right advice columnist. I too have a highly religious child in the midst of our mostly secular family.
David Eddie, Globe and Mail, October 23

Living by the remorse code
Graham Greene let guilt guide him in life and in literature
Robert Fulford, National Post, October 23

Documentary makers criticize VisionTV
A group of seasoned documentary makers in the Maritimes have petitioned the CRTC to investigate whether specialty broadcaster VisionTV is violating the regional conditions of its licence. The filmmakers, a dozen of whom have banded together from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, are angry because they say Toronto-based VisionTV, a prolific commissioner of programs in Atlantic Canada for almost 20 years, has slashed regional orders to next to nil since its licence was renewed in 2004.
Globe and Mail, October 24

There's no justice in silence
On Tuesday, a 17-year-old man was sentenced to six years in prison and four years probation for a killing in Winnipeg last February. It is the maximum possible youth sentence for murder. Roxanne Fernando was pregnant at the time of her killing. Indeed, she was murdered because she chose to remain pregnant. The Winnipeg court was told that she was killed because she refused to have an abortion. It is not clear whether her killer was the baby's father, or acting on behalf of someone else. There are two other men still to face trial.
Fr. Raymond J. de Souza, National Post, October 25

October 26/2007