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| “Gender identity” bill passes in House of Commons | | | 2013-03-21 | | OTTAWA, ON March 21, 2013 – Bill C-279, which would add “gender identity” to the Canadian Human Rights Act as a prohibited ground for discrimination, passed its third and final reading in the House of Commons March 20 by a vote of 149-137. The League opposed this change, noting that it adds a somewhat vague and subjective category to what has traditionally been an objective list of characteristics. To add a category that is essentially self-defined could put employers and others who must help uphold human rights law in difficult position. Many legal experts agreed the transgendered already had protection under the prohibition against discrimination on the grounds of sex. The bill now heads to the Senate.Transgender “bathroom bill” passes by 149-137, National Post, March 21, 2013Gender identity bill passes in House of Commons, LifeSite News, March 20, 2013... | | Supreme Court's Whatcott decision disappoints religious freedom advocates | | | 2013-03-06 | | OTTAWA, February 27, 2013 - A Supreme Court of Canada decision in the case of William Whatcott has disappointed religious freedom and free-speech advocates.On Feb. 27 the Court upheld some significant parts of a Saskatchewan Human Rights Tribunal ruling against Whatcott, a Christian activist who faced complaints concerning four pamphlets he distributed criticizing homosexual behaviour. The Court upheld the Tribunal’s ruling that Whatcott's pamphlets equated homosexuality with pedophilia, and described homosexual sex practices as “filthy.”Article continues by Deborah Gyapong, Canadian Catholic News... | | Loyola High School applies to SCC to appeal ERC decision | | | 2013-02-08 | | MONTREAL, QC February 8, 2013 (CCRL) - Loyola High School of Montreal has announced that it will apply to the Supreme Court of Canada to appeal the decision of the Quebec Court of Appeal that required it to offer the province’s Ethics and Religious Culture course without modification to meet the school’s goals as a Catholic institution. Because this case raises questions that are pivotal to Catholic education as well as to religious freedom, the League plans to apply to intervene if the appeal is allowed. The school had asked to cover the course material in a world religions’ course based on its Catholic perspective, which it had already been offering for a number of years, a request which was upheld by the Quebec Superior Court but appealed by the province. The Court of Appeal decision, issued December 4, declared that because Loyola’s course is Catholic in orientation, it could not be considered equivalent to the ERC program, because the ERC course was s... | | Keep Christmas symbols in public spaces | | | 2012-12-18 | | TORONTO, December 18, 2012 - During the Christmas season, it’s important to assert our right to religious decorations and symbols, as the religious origins of Christmas are the “reason for the season” for so many of us. Even the occasional vandalism of nativity scenes or other Christmas decorations, or complaints from busy atheists, should not stop us from making the effort. For example, commenting on the vandalism of the nativity scene at Toronto’s City Hall, Suresh Dominic, founder and head of Gethsemane Ministries, which sponsors the scene, said: “It is disappointing to see the intolerance toward Christianity in our city. I hope Canadians will realize that this hatred destroys the joy and peace that everyone looks for in this season.“This is a time of joy and peace, as you see the entire city of Toronto gearing up for this Christmas season, and this ruins everyone’s peace,” he said.The tradition of a nativity scene in front of To... | | Faith is not estranged from reason | | | 2012-12-18 | | By Richard BastienIn an essay this month in the Citizen headlined “Celebrating Christmas without religion,” Canadian philosopher Mark Mercer argues that a relationship between faith and reason is not only nonexistent, but inconceivable. He understands the notion of a “rational” or “reasonable” faith as an oxymoron.Article continues© The Ottawa Citizen, Dec. 17, 2012Richard Bastien is director of the CCRL for the National Capital Region, and vice-president of Justin Press.... | | League paper on parental rights presented | | | 2012-11-29 | | TORONTO, ON November 29, 2012 - The League presented a paper on parental rights in education at the recent conference of the Fellowship of Catholic Scholars. The paper will be published in a future edition of the fellowship’s journal, and is also available here.... | | Appeal court upholds ruling in favour of 2002 anti-homosexual letter | | | 2012-10-19 | | The Alberta Court of Appeal has upheld a Queen’s Bench decision that concluded a 2002 letter to the editor that ran in the Red Deer Advocate, entitled Homosexual Agenda Wicked, is protected by the fundamental freedom of expression.Article continuescopyright: The Calgary Herald, October 19, 2012... | | Calling Catholic groups ‘cult-like’ does not amount to discrimination: Ontario Human Rights Tribunal | | | 2012-10-18 | | The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal has dismissed a complaint against a women’s studies professor who fought a Catholic volunteerism program at Brock University, saying her anti-Catholic comments were offensive, but not akin to discrimination.Article continuescopyright - National Post, Oct. 18, 2012... | | Use of mandatory union dues under scrutiny | | | 2012-09-27 | | OTTAWA, ON September 27, 2012 (CCRL) - Two issues of longstanding interest to the League are on the agenda as Parliament begins its Fall session. Stephen Woodworth’s motion to commence a parliamentary study on whether our current Criminal Code provisions about when life begins are in keeping with modern medical knowledge was defeated September 26, but it’s quite likely there will be other efforts to restore respect for life. (Motion 312 defeated but debate will continue, says CCRL, Sept. 26.) And efforts to give union members greater religious and conscientious freedom in the use of their mandatory dues, a principle the League has always supported, are coming under greater scrutiny.Private member’s Bill C-377, introduced by MP Russ Hiebert, passed second reading in March and is now before the House Standing Committee on Finance. Among other provisions, it would require unions to disclose how much money they spend on political activities. Up to now, no such... | | Council prayer should not be banned, says League | | | 2012-08-02 | | TORONTO, August 1, 2012 - The recent filing of a lawsuit against Grey County council for opening public meetings with the Lord’s Prayer is part of Ontario Secular Alliance’s ongoing effort to remove the prayer from the opening of council meetings in at least 18 Ontario municipalities. The alliance is clear enough about its goal for faith-free public spaces. On this particular campaign, its home page states: “Secular Ontario's first initiative is to request that municipalities in Ontario refrain from reciting the "Lord's Prayer" at council meetings. The population of Ontario embraces a variety of religious sects and some do not acknowledge any deity. Municipalities serve all residents and cannot be seen as favouring one particular religion. Therefore, municipalities have to remain secular so that all of its citizens can feel included.”A genuine understanding of secularism and inclusion would mean that all religions are welcome. In the case of prayer at publ... |
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