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Stories about religious diversity on campus:
'De-gendered' washrooms, Wiccan holidays part of new campus life
The University of Victoria is including "de-gendered" washrooms in all its new buildings for the comfort and safety of transgender students. Simon Fraser University juggles room bookings for Muslim students whose prayer times follow the sun, and the University of Calgary is launching an "equity audit" this fall to identify undersupported groups on campus. At Carleton University and the University of Western Ontario, the official calendar listing holy days when students can be excused from classes or exams includes those central to Wicca and Zoroastrianism, an ancient religion that originated in Iran and is now estimated to have about 200,000 members worldwide.
CanWest News Service, August 30
Quebec schools to celebrate diverse holidays
Quebec schools won't be marking the arrival of just Christmas any more - now they will be required to note the passage of holidays like Hanukkah and Eid al-Adha, Diwali and the birth of the Sikh guru Nanak. The dates on the school calendar are part of a controversial new course on ethics and religious culture that makes its debut in classrooms across Quebec this year.
Globe and Mail, September 2
Stories about the polygamist cult at Bountiful:
B.C. Human Rights Tribunal rules against polygamists' complaint
A B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has dismissed a complaint from a polygamist couple who alleged a teacher's union discriminated against them by calling for an investigation into allegations of child abuse in the community of Bountiful, B.C. Duane and Susie Palmer filed their complaint with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal in 2004, after the president of the B.C. Teacher's Federation sent a letter to the premier calling for the investigation into the polygamous community located in southeastern B.C.
Canadian Press, September 3
Polygamist discrimination complaint dismissed
The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal has dismissed a complaint by a polygamist couple who alleged that the teachers union discriminated against them and their religious group by calling on the provincial government to investigate allegations of sexual exploitation in Bountiful.
Vancouver Sun, September 4
Earlier: Stories about the polygamist cult at Bountiful
Stories about "human rights" commissions and tribunals:
B'nai Brith accused of hate speech
B'nai Brith Canada revealed yesterday it is the defendant in a hate speech case at the Manitoba Human Rights Commission that is based on anonymous and vague accusations of Islamophobia and has taken nearly five years to investigate.
National Post, August 29
Rights bodies vulnerable to 'political Islam': B'nai Brith
Canada's human rights commissions have shown "a disastrous combination of investigative zeal and substantive ignorance" that has left them vulnerable to abuse by "political Islam," the same ideology that has hijacked the United Nations human rights council, according to B'nai Brith Canada. In a submission to an independent review of the Canadian Human Rights Commission's hate speech mandate, the Jewish human rights group states that "when it comes to this particular threat to human rights, human rights commissions just don't get it."
National Post, August 30
There's no monopoly on truth
Should a man be forced to pay $17,500 to four individuals who felt offended by the flyers he distributed? The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal will answer this question when it considers the appeal of William Whatcott this September. In 2001 and 2002, Mr. Whatcott peacefully distributed flyers in Regina and Saskatoon. His flyers expressed opposition to teaching children in public schools about homosexuality, and also expressed, in polemical language, his religious objections to homosexual behaviour and the gay lifestyle.
John Carpay, National Post, September 2
Earlier: Stories about "human rights" commissions and tribunals
Stories about Islam and the West:
How body and soul guide faithful to fast
If even a tiny sliver of the moon is seen tonight, either by the unaided human eye or the precise eye of a telescope, tomorrow will mark the first day of the lunar month of Ramadan.
Toronto Star, August 31
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Heritage department takes aim at religious radicals
The federal culture department wants to fight religious radicalization in Canada. Canadian Heritage officials, who are responsible for the promotion of citizenry, say the country has moved beyond the "mosaic" model of the 1970s and entered an era of "integrative multiculturalism" that requires, in part, a battle against youth extremism.
Globe and Mail, September 1
Earlier: Stories about Islam and the West
Other stories from the past week:
Teen gun victim named
He knew the word of the Bible and followed it. Caxtons Kyeremeh, Toronto's 43rd homicide victim this year, was a churchgoing young man who honoured God, family and friends said.
Toronto Star, August 28
The future is not clear, even for God
Many Canadian evangelicals appreciate 'open' theology because it teaches humans are free
Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, August 30
Galileo's Dialogue
Galileo's Dialogue dared to discuss a forbidden topic, but that's not the only reason the book became an instant success -- the 17th century's equivalent of a "bestseller" -- when it came off the press in Florence in 1632. The Dialogue was wonderfully well written, and its author widely known for his history-making discoveries and flamboyant style of debate. By the time church authorities took offence at the Dialogue and moved to suppress its sales, a few months after its publication, the first edition had already sold out.
Dava Sobel, Globe and Mail, August 30
Anglican church dispute over Bible moves into new territory in Canada
The Bible battle that has been dividing Anglicans in Canada for more than a decade is moving into new territory, with a third court battle looming in a Vancouver court. The battle over same-sex blessings specifically, and interpretation of the Bible generally, is splitting liberal and conservative Anglicans and the fight over church property ownership has already resulted in two interim court rulings - one in Ontario and one in British Columbia.
Canadian Press, August 31
Earlier: Lambeth fails to heal Anglican rift
YWHW, Adonai, Lord, Almighty, Shaddai -- finding the best name for God
The fascinating controversy over the ideal Biblical name to use for God continues. The Vatican announced in August hundreds of thousands of Catholic priests must no longer recite the Biblical name for God, YWHW. The Catholic news service, Zenit, reported that "YWHW," which many Christians often spell and pronounce as "Yahweh" or "Jehovah," was never meant to be uttered aloud. Such is its sacredness. The Vatican instead says to use "Adonai," which it translates as "Lord."
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, September 1
A handmaid's tale
Will Ontario doctors be forced to ignore personal beliefs just to please a pompous human rights commission?
Lorne Gunter, National Post, September 2
Earlier: Stories about abortion, Morgentaler and religious freedom for doctors
Fetal homicide laws no threat to abortion rights: lawyer
Laws that make it a separate crime to kill an unborn child against the will of its mother -- such as the one recently proposed by a Canadian MP -- should not be considered a threat to those protecting abortion rights, a U. S. law professor says.
National Post, September 4
Earlier: Stories about abortion, Morgentaler and religious freedom for doctors
When Jill wants to be a Jack
This is the week that all hell was to break loose in British Columbia classrooms. Thanks to an extraordinary agreement between two homosexual activists and the province's Ministry of Education, controversial new "gay-friendly" curriculum and teaching resources were to be introduced today in public schools.
Brian Hutchinson, National Post, September 2
Earlier: Opposition growing to school curriculum changes
Tough as nails, but sweet inside
Shirley MacLaine has a well-earned reputation as one tough broad. And in an interview from her home in New Mexico, prior to a visit to Toronto next week to collect a humanitarian award from Best Buddies Canada, the sharp-tongued, bird-like creature more than lived up to her image as a woman who has seen it all, done it all and never - absolutely never - hesitates to speak her mind about things that irk her spiritual sensibilities.
Globe and Mail, September 3
Priest ordered to give up seat
Elected as Bloc MP, Father Gravel's views on same-sex marriage, abortion rile the Church
Globe and Mail, September 4
September 4/2008
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