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Stories about Alberta's human rights legislation:

Teachers, experts fear chill in classroom if Alberta legislation goes ahead
The change says parents should be notified when classes "include subject matter that deals explicitly with religion, sexuality or sexual orientation," and should have the right to ask that their child sit out that part of the class. The term "religion" is extremely broad and could edge its way into almost anything that comes up in the classroom, said Dan Shapiro, research associate with the Calgary-based Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership.
Canadian Press, May 3

Ed Stelmach, up to his knees in turd
And then Premier Ed Stelmach's government finally unveiled its proposed reforms, spinning a golden political opportunity into dross. Under the proposed Bill 44, the section prohibiting expressing ideas "likely to expose a person or a class of persons to hatred or contempt" goes entirely untouched, shocking freethinking Albertans and chastening Blackett. Not surprisingly, given the Supreme Court rulings on the matter, the province will add to the HRC's mandate protection for gays and lesbians. But in an entirely unexpected and rather woolly move, the province will add the right of parents to pull their kids out of classrooms should they dislike any sexual or religious messages being taught there. So, while you can't write or speak anything critical about gays, even if you happen to be a cleric of a religion that has something to say on the matter, pulling your kids out of a classroom where there's mere talk of the existence of gayness is now an Albertan human right.
Kevin Libin, Full Comment, National Post, May 6

Earlier: Stories about the politics of homosexuality

Stories about "human rights" tribunals and commissions:

Eliminate rights bodies, PC leadership hopeful says
Ontario should eliminate its human rights commissions and tribunals, according to Randy Hillier, one of four candidates vying for the leadership of the province's Progressive Conservatives.
National Post, May 7

It's about to get embarrassing
I grew up in Calgary and I'm proud of my Alberta roots. So the other day when Mark Steyn noted that, in regard to the Danish cartoon controversy, Alberta was the only jurisdiction in the world which prosecuted anyone (Ezra Levant) over it, I felt a pang of embarrassment. It's going to get a lot more embarrassing.
Father Raymond J. de Souza, National Post, May 7

Earlier: Stories about Ezra Levant's Shakedown

Stories about the Maclean's magazine poll on inter-religious attitudes:

What Canadians think of Sikhs, Jews, Christians, Muslims . . .
Canadians like to think of their country as a model for the world of how all sorts of people can get along together. But when it comes to the major faiths other than Christianity, a new poll conducted for Maclean's finds that many Canadians harbour deeply troubling biases. Multiculturalism? Although by now it might seem an ingrained national creed, fewer than one in three Canadians can find it in their hearts to view Islam or Sikhism in a favourable light. Diversity? Canadians may embrace it in theory, but only a minority say they would find it acceptable if one of their kids came home engaged to a Muslim, Hindu or Sikh. Understanding? There's not enough to prevent media images of war and terrorism from convincing almost half of Canadians that mainstream Islam encourages violence.
Maclean's, April 28

The return of God
Last week's poll in Maclean's magazine, which revealed that Canadians are leery of religious ethnic groups living in their midst, shouldn't be that surprising. There is convincing evidence that religious Canadians who choose to live in deeply segregated enclaves, rather than immersing themselves in the broader public, have a deleterious effect on the population at large. When God gets in the way of the duties of citizenship, there is reason to be wary. We've been down this road before, and we'll travel it again, no doubt. The question is: Why did Maclean's choose to address the subject now?
Yoni Goldstein, National Post, May 4

I expect better from Maclean's
Now that its battle on free speech issues with certain human rights commissions is settled, you'd think Maclean's magazine would be the last to accuse anyone of thought crimes. Maybe it's a delayed case of Stockholm Syndrome, but a Maclean's poll-based feature story in the May 4 issue, "Divided by religion: What Canadians think of Sikhs, Jews, Christians, Muslims...," reads as though conceived and interpreted by the very HRCs that harassed the magazine.
Barbara Kay, National Post, May 6

Stories about the Toronto Catholic school board:

Catholic trustees say they're 'truly sorry'

A year after scandal left board in turmoil, officials admit to public: 'We let you down'
Toronto Star, May 2

For Catholic school trustees, Hail Marys or humility?
In wake of apology for spending scandal, board members endure a public penance
Toronto Star, May 5

Catholic school board 'truly sorry' for past mistakes
Trustees of the troubled Toronto Catholic District School Board have apologized to taxpayers. In a new report to the provincially appointed supervisory team, the 12 trustees repented for a year of spending scandals and deplorable behaviour, including spending $30,000 on personal expenses such as alcohol, vacations and car washes, and profane public infighting. Here are the forward and public apology from the report.
National Post, May 6

Earlier: Stories about the Toronto Catholic school board

Stories from David Eagleman's book of stories on the afterlife:

The many versions of you
Each day this week, we present a vision of the hereafter from a new book by David Eagleman. Today's story is entitled 'Prism.'
David Eagleman, National Post, May 1

The cartographers
Today we present the final in a series of visions of the hereafter from a new book by David Eagleman. Today's story is entitled 'Narcissus.'
David Eagleman, National Post, May 4

Continue article >>

Stories about Islam and the West:

Muslim woman wins part victory in fight to testify while wearing veil
A Muslim woman won a partial victory Friday in her fight to wear a veil that leaves only her eyes exposed while she testifies against two men she alleges sexually assaulted her. In a landmark case, an Ontario Superior Court justice overturned a decision by a lower court judge who had ruled the woman had to take her niqab off at a preliminary hearing.
Canadian Press, May 1

From sick minds, burnt offerings
Yet hideous as these crimes may be, the victims were the children of others. The urge to protect one's own offspring is a hard-wired human instinct on par with self-survival. What kind of lunatic perversion of Islam could cause someone to override it?
Jonathan Kay, National Post, May 1

Wearing veil on stand not a right: ruling
An Ontario Superior Court judge has ruled there is no blanket right of a Muslim woman to wear a veil while testifying in court. Justice Frank Marrocco did not issue a broad finding under the Charter of Rights, however, and instead suggested this should be decided by judges on an individual basis in court proceedings.
National Post, May 2

Court hearings to consider whether Muslims may testify with veil on
Should a devout Muslim be allowed to testify in a Canadian criminal trial with her face concealed? Perhaps, a court ruling has suggested. But much hinges on how devout she really is.
Globe and Mail, May 2

Judge has 'jurisdiction' to lift veil
But Superior Court rules hearing needed to explore woman's reasons for wanting to keep face covered
Toronto Star, May 2

Talks with key cleric could help Pakistan
As Pakistan's forces battled the Taliban in the Buner valley for the fourth straight day, authorities announced they had opened peace talks with an influential cleric. Maulana Sufi Mohammed has frequently acted as a go-between with the Taliban -- his son-in-law is Maulana Qazi Faizullah, a leader of the hardline Islamists. He is also the man who persuaded the government to allow sharia law in the Malakand division of the North West Frontier Province, fulfilling his lifelong ambition.
National Post, May 2

Earlier: Stories about Islam and the West

Other stories from the past week:

Debate rages over why East Asians aren't religious
My question about why most East Asian-Canadians don't describe themselves as religious has prompted a river of provocative answers, including from East Asians (who are generally defined as ethnic Chinese, Japanese and Koreans).
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, April 30

Pope told of sainthood bid for former residential school student
More than 1,000 aboriginal believers make the annual pilgrimage to Rose Prince's grave in British Columbia
Globe and Mail, May 1
Earlier: Stories about the Pope's apology for residential school abuse

Cancelled flights, Catholic fears: flu outbreak jangles nerves worldwide
Mexico took its status as an international pariah in stride Friday as the widening spread of swine H1N1 prompted airlines to cancel flights, Catholic priests in Canada to consider touch-free Sunday mass and Mexican officials to trade barbs of blame with the World Health Organization.
Canadian Press, May 1

In the end, it may be legal bills that sink the polygamists
The criminal charges -- one count each of practising polygamy -- against Bountiful's two leaders, James Oler, 44, and Winston Blackmore, 52, are expected to end up in the Supreme Court of Canada because their defence is that the Constitution guarantees their right to freedom of religion and polygamy is one of their beliefs. Their legal costs could be $1 million or more. Even in good times, that's a lot of money for men with multiple wives and, in Blackmore's case, 119 children. But these aren't good times.
Daphne Bramham, Vancouver Sun, May 1
Earlier: Stories about the polygamy debate

Ancient Buddhism and modern psychology
Both practices are focused on releasing followers from suffering, and both aim for emotional health
Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun, May 2

Israel to Vatican: the ultimate goodwill gesture
Israeli president Shimon Peres says the sovereignty of several Christian holy sites in Israel should be handed over to the Vatican. Talks about the sites have been on-going for more than a decade but officials are keen to seek a resolution ahead of the Pope's visit to the Holy Land next week.
Charles Lewis, Holy Post, National Post, May 4

Using your iPhone to get closer to God
The iPhone is associated with music and games, but it's actually an ideal tool to help believers follow their faiths. There are already more than 100 applications in Apple's App Store aimed at devout Christians, Jews or Muslims. Some are free, some charge a nominal fee (often 99) and a few run as high as $30. Many apps show the dates of religious holidays or provide written and audio versions of ancient holy texts.
Sarah Efron, Holy Post, National Post, May 4

Is this Vancouver's #1 ethics scandal?
Metro Vancouverites are good at naming the positive things that define West Coast culture, like wearing fleece jackets, jogging, bicycling and sitting in outdoor restaurants under cloudy skies. But what about naming our culture's dark side? I'm sure readers have their own suggestions, but my contender for Metro Vancouver's most notorious and widespread ethical breakdown of the past 30 years is the leaky condo crisis. It has brought true pain and hardship to hundreds of thousands.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, May 4

Dr. Seuss meets Charles Darwin
This being the 150th anniversary of Darwin's On the Origin of Species, as well as the 200th anniversary of the great man's birth, Boyd has written On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and Fiction (Harvard University Press), a searching, free-wheeling book that sets forth a Darwinian view of narrative's place in human history. And Dr. Seuss's Horton fills all of 60 pages, getting equal billing with Homer's Odyssey, the other title chosen to demonstrate Boyd's theories. One section of the book is titled, "From Zeus to Seuss."
Robert Fulford, National Post, May 5
Earlier: Stories about the evolution debate

Saskatchewan introduces law to stop killer Colin Thatcher from profiting on book
The Saskatchewan government has tabled legislation aimed at stopping criminals, including convicted wife killer Colin Thatcher, from cashing in on their notoriety. The Profits of Criminal Notoriety Act, introduced Wednesday by Attorney General Don Morgan, would prevent criminals from keeping the money if they sold their crime stories.
Canadian Press, May 6
Earlier: Stories about Colin Thatcher

Torture: what would Jesus do?
Jesus of Nazareth was tortured by being nailed to a wooden crossbeam. Given his agonizing death, you would think his followers would be the ones most adamantly opposed to torture. But a new poll reveals that Americans who most frequently attend church are those most likely to support the use of torture. They do so at a rate higher than the national average, and much higher than those who say they aren't religious.
Douglas Todd, The Search, Vancouver Sun, May 6

Banking on priesthood
In Thomas Lim's last job, he earned a six-figure salary, lived in an expansive home and managed the bustling operations of Sun Life Financial, a brokerage firm. He was a high roller on an upward career trajectory. On Saturday, he starts a new job: one without material luxuries and the fast-paced intensity of the stock market. He is becoming a Catholic priest.
National Post, May 7

May 7/2009