Religious Freedom

  • Correct Thinking: Everyone Comfortable, All the Time

    Correct Thinking: Everyone Comfortable, All the Time

    Peter Stockland

    June 26, 2014

    Alas, while the Sun TV host is irrepressible at scouring the nation for nuggets ignored by the mainstream media, he was again on the wrong side of history this week. Unable to get with the program, Ezra criticized the decision as a violation of free speech and the epitome of intolerance, not to mention a blatant breach of contract. He was particularly piqued about a motion to protect the Vancouver Island city from any risk of having such a group granted permission to rent civic facilities in future.

    The indefatigable Ezra Levant has again dug up another under-reported story for Canadians, this time out of Nanaimo City Council, no less.

    Alas, while the Sun TV host is irrepressible at scouring the nation for nuggets ignored by the mainstream media...

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  • The Secular Democracy and its Victims

    The Secular Democracy and its Victims

    Ray Pennings

    June 19, 2014

    Surely it is possible, within a liberal democracy, that we can, without bloodshed, lay bare some deep rifts between value systems. But we're only fooling ourselves—playing with house money—if we don't constantly scrutinize and re-evaluate the "why" questions beneath our differences. The preoccupation with "what" questions in the ongoing Trinity Western University (TWU) community covenant debate has left the "why" questions unanswered.

    If our freedom of religion and our freedom to associate mean anything all, surely they allow those who disagree to coexist, without coercing each other.

    Surely it is possible, within a liberal democracy, that we can, without bloodshed, lay bare some ...

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  • What makes a Christian Organization?

    What makes a Christian Organization?

    Ray Pennings

    April 2, 2014

    But legal definitions should not overly influence our perception of Christian (or other religiously-based) institutions. There are more basic things to keep in mind.

    Supreme Court cases on both sides of the 49th parallel last week focused on what ...

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  • Quebec's Rigidly Religious Secular Charter

    Quebec's Rigidly Religious Secular Charter

    Jason Zuidema

    April 1, 2014

    The infamous attempt to legislate so-called neutrality is really a religious initiative wrapped in an obscuring veil, argue Jason Zuidema and Harold Ristau

    The proposed Quebec Charter of Values was inspired by fear. Fear of religion. Fear of immigrants. Fear of the past. Fear of the future. And mostly fear of being held accountable at the ballot box for poor management of the challenges in infrastructure, econ...

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  • What's all the fuss about Trinity Western University?

    What's all the fuss about Trinity Western University?

    Janet Epp Buckingham

    February 10, 2014

    A group of us at Trinity Western started working in earnest on a proposal for a law school over five years ago. We visited American Christian law schools. We read books on the latest law school theories. We developed a vision, then a framework, then a curriculum to support the vision. We met with lawyers, judges, professors, and law deans in Canada.

    "Not again!" That's all I could think when I started getting emails a few weeks ago that there was a new campaign against accreditation of TWU's law school.

    A group of us at Trinity Western started working in earnest on a proposal for a law school ov...

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  • At Least Quebec Is Honest About It

    At Least Quebec Is Honest About It

    Janet Epp Buckingham

    September 23, 2013

    The most recent volley is from the Ontario Human Rights Commission. The OHRC is updating its policy on "creed," which has generally been considered to prevent discrimination on the basis of religion.

    "Separation of church and state" is an American concept, intended to protect the state from religious interference. It's not technically applicable in the Canadian context. But might it be time for religious institutions in this country to adopt the concept...

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  • Loyola's Freedom of Religion

    Loyola's Freedom of Religion

    Ray Pennings

    August 2, 2013

    Canada's Supreme Court will hear a case next spring that will greatly impact the future choices available to parents in the education of their children. Things got a bit complicated in Quebec in 2008, however, when the government passed a requirement that all schools (including private schools and home schools) teach a new program called "Ethics and Religious Culture." The ERC purpose is straightforward: "The new program, which reflects the preference of the majority of Quebeckers, will make it possible to offer the same education to all Québec students while respecting the freedom of conscience and religion of parents, students and teachers." .

    Update: The Supreme Court ruled in favour of Loyola on March 19, 2015. For an analysis on the ruling, click here.

    Canada's Supreme Court will hear a case next spring that...

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  • The Here and There of Religious Freedom

    The Here and There of Religious Freedom

    Anne Leahy

    August 1, 2013

    Diplomat Anne Leahy warns that Canada’s commitment to religious freedom at home will crown or cripple its efforts to promote religious freedom internationally

    Let me recall two notable anniversaries that speak to the topic of this conference—the relationship between religion and State and the regulation of coexistence of people of various religions and beliefs in society:

    The 5th anniversary of the C...

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  • Making Faith Flourish Through Secular Society

    Making Faith Flourish Through Secular Society

    Paul Donovan

    August 1, 2013

    Secular society has a duty to encourage a flourishing religious life, argues Paul Donovan

    Three questions were asked to frame this discussion on religious education in secular society and I think it is important to recall these questions.

    1. What are the main issues and challenges in this discourse?   2. How do religiou...

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  • When "Offensive" Becomes "Discriminatory"

    When "Offensive" Becomes "Discriminatory"

    Albertos Polizogopoulos

    June 27, 2013

    The complaint was made by Lorna Pardy, a lesbian who attended the comedy show with her partner and friends. During the comedy show, Mr. Earle made a number of comments about Ms. Pardy, her partner, and their friends. Earle maintains that his comments were in response to Pardy and her partner's drunkenness, heckling and "making out," which disturbed the show. When Earle made his comments, Pardy and her friends engaged him, eventually throwing at least two glasses of water at him. He then somehow broke Pardy's sunglasses. Pardy and her friends stayed for the entire show.

    Last week, the Supreme Court of British Columbia released its decision in Ismail v. British Columbia (Human Rights Tribunal), a human rights complaint against Guy Earle, a comedian,...

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  • A Long Way from Inclusive

    A Long Way from Inclusive

    André Schutten

    June 19, 2013

    Québec's insistence on creating exceptions for Christian symbols is especially unnerving. Stockland says, "It's the reduction of a belief that once moved the world to a collection of tchotchkes. It is faith as furniture." While some might see the exceptions for Christian symbols as privileging the Christian faith, the Christians in Québec should be most afraid: if the Loyola School case is any indication, Québec will only make room for Christian symbols and little else.

    Yesterday, Peter Stockland penned another exceptional blog in which he accurately describes Québec's religion problems as symptoms of a bigger issue. ...

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  • After Meaning: Quebec's Religion Problems are Mere Symptoms

    After Meaning: Quebec's Religion Problems are Mere Symptoms

    Peter Stockland

    June 18, 2013

    They were devout Jews. It was the Sabbath. They needed him to come to their house and turn off the lights and some electrical appliances. "They don't just talk about what they believe," he said. "They live it in every day life."

    Several years ago my son was cycling home to his apartment in Outremont when he was approached at a corner by neighbours asking for a somewhat unusual favour.

    They were devout Jews. It was the Sabbath. They needed him to come to their house and turn ...

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  • Bright Days Ahead for Faith-Based Universities?

    Bright Days Ahead for Faith-Based Universities?

    Ray Pennings

    May 28, 2013

    Perhaps not, and you'll be surprised which schools may now have the inside track on market share and influence.

    It's a traditional path, rich and straightforward. Our university education is about us: our positioning, our prospects, our increased earning power. But if we set our ...

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  • Reconsidering Limitations on Free Speech in Canada

    Reconsidering Limitations on Free Speech in Canada

    Ray Sawatsky

    May 20, 2013

    Most of us would also intuitively limit the expression of belief that is clearly deeply racist or hateful.

    If we asked any high school social studies or civics class to identify the most important rights in a democratic society, it's a fair bet freedom of speech and freedom of belief would top the list. In Canada, the architects of our ...

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  • Bullying Religious Freedom

    Bullying Religious Freedom

    Albertos Polizogopoulos

    April 1, 2013

    Manitoba law professor Donn Short wants to “queer” Canadian schools to make them safe for gay pupils. Albertos Polizogopoulos considers the Charter implications for religious freedom

    In his paper Queering Schools, GSAs and the Law: Taking On God, Donn Short, a law professor at the University of Manitoba, argues that the law should be used for the "queering"of Canadian schools.

    Following a cursory consideration of the con...

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  • Why I am For an Islamic Law School

    Why I am For an Islamic Law School

    Robert Joustra

    February 8, 2013

    How would the Christian right react if someone wanted to open an "Islamic law school" in Canada? vancouversun.com/touch/story.ht…

    A few weeks back the Council of Canadian Law Deans fired an incendiary letter across the bow of the forthcoming law school by Trinity Western University. In their letter they argued that the rules of conduct and lifestyle at the Langley Christian university...

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  • Hard-Won Religious Freedom

    Hard-Won Religious Freedom

    Janet Epp Buckingham

    January 23, 2013

    — Jason Kenney (@kenneyjason) January 21, 2013 The prospect of having harboured terrorists can certainly take the wind out of your sails. With allegations from Algeria that Canadians were part of the band of Islamist militants who attacked a natural gas plant in Algeria, we find another welcome opportunity to check ourselves. But if the allegations by the Algerian prime minister prove true, these would not be the first Canadian terrorists. In fact, the first terrorist convicted in Canada lived in the seemingly placid suburb of Orleans, Ontario. I have friends that live very nearby. It was pretty alarming to find out that Momin Khawaja was constructing detonating devices in his bedroom and his family had a shooting range in the basement.

    Can't begin to understand those who turn their backs on Canada to embrace the death cult of jihadi extremism,eg these 2 bit.ly/XswU8a

    — Jason Kenney (@ken...

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  • Competing Religions, Competing Rights, and a Court Getting it Right

    Competing Religions, Competing Rights, and a Court Getting it Right

    Janet Epp Buckingham

    December 20, 2012

    N.S., the appellant, alleged that her uncle and nephew sexually assaulted her when she was a child. She reported this to her family and to the police years later. At the preliminary inquiry (the court procedure to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial), N.S. sought to wear her niqab. The two accused argued that the niqab prevented them from having a fair trial. The judge at the preliminary inquiry ruled that N.S. must testify without her niqab as her religious belief was "not that strong." This was based on the fact that she did not wear a niqab on her driver's licence photo although N.S. argued that a female photographer took the picture.

    It was another day of reckoning for religious Canadians. On a small stage, Paula Celani was back in court this morning fighting a fine for an "illegal" Catholic Mass in Montreal (first discussed ...

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  • How Ontario Tramples Religious Rights

    How Ontario Tramples Religious Rights

    Eugene Meehan

    November 1, 2012

    Explaining the constitutional perils of the Accepting Schools Act.

    September, Cardus policy institute, which publishes Convivium, released a legal opinion on the Ontario government's Accepting Schools Act. The opinion, written by leading constitutional scholar Eugene Meehan, QC, found that the Act (popularly known...

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  • Religious Freedom and Social Architecture

    Religious Freedom and Social Architecture

    Robert Joustra

    October 15, 2012

    It also makes for an extremely confusing conversation on religious freedom, because religious freedom can be both an internal liberal debate, impossible to separate from the many, now increasingly globally contested, premises of liberalism, as well as a fundamental challenge to those same premises.

    The debate over religious freedom is often misunderstood in liberal democracies as about what role the state should or should not afford religion; where religion may be afforded a safe, usually private, expression. And while this logic appeals to our sentim...

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