Has Your Faith Group Faced Challenges From Your Municipal Government?
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The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s (EFC) Centre for Faith and Public Life has released Zoned Out: Religious Freedom in the Municipality, an introductory guide to understanding the religious freedoms of faith groups and the engagement process when they face municipal zoning challenges. You can download the report.
Out for the Count: Religion Question Dropped From 2011 Census
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For more than a century the Canadian census has included a religious affiliation question. Not anymore. In 2011, the long form of the census, which included the religious affiliation question, will be scrapped in favour of a new voluntary National Household Survey. Read the EFC’s Rick Hiemstra’s blog on the impact this change could have for research and religious liberty.
Clemenger and Other Religious Leaders Identify Global Callenges During G20
Bruce J. Clemenger, president of the EFC, joined with 70 other religious leaders to issue strong statements to the world's leaders during the G20. Read a ChristianWeek story about the gathering here. The summit issued a faith challenge statement dilivered to the Honourable Steven Fletcher, Minister of State for Democratic Reform for consideration of the Prime Minister, G8 and G20 leaders.
Urgent Prayer Alert for Christians in Afghanistan
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The EFC's Religious Liberty Commission has issued a prayer alert in response to the disturbing comments made by high ranking government officials in Afghanistan, which have sounded an alarm worldwide. Some Afghan leaders are calling for imprisonment and even possible death sentence for Christians found guilty of engaging in “proselytizing” or evangelical activity. Currently, many Afghan believers are fleeing their homes to escape dragnet activity by their own government. Some believers are already reported missing.
EFC VP Attends National Forgiveness Summitt
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Don Hutchinson, EFC’s vice-president and director of the Centre for Faith and Public Life, attended the National Forgiveness Summit held in Ottawa, June 11-13. The summit is one response to the Prime Minister’s request for forgiveness issued in the official apology to Indian residential school survivors on June 11. Hutchinson writes about the experience in “A Heart for Forgiveness” at ActivateCFPL.
The EFC Participated in Quebec Consultation
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Don Hutchinson, vice-president of the EFC, and legal counsel Faye Sonier met with an interfaith leaders group in Montreal on June 11 to discuss issues relating to the place of faith in the public square in Quebec.
EFC Addresses Military Chaplains
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Don Hutchinson, vice-president of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) and director of the Centre for Faith and Public Life, and Rick Hiemstra, director of the EFC's Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism, made presentations to the EFC military chaplains - chaplains who belong to EFC affiliated denominations and congregations - on May 31.
EFC VP Speaks to Faith & Freedom Alliance
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Don Hutchinson, vice-president of the EFC, spoke at the Legal Intervention Academy, hosted by the Faith and Freedom Alliance in Toronto, June 3-5.
Answer to Prayer for Persecuted Women
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You will want to read the EFC’s Anita Levesque’s update on the results of your prayers for two persecuted women from Iran in her ActivateCFPL blog UPDATE: ”Maryam Rostampour and Marzieh Amirizadeh Acquitted and Freed!”
EFC Comments on Christian Horizons Court Decision
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Don Hutchinson, general legal counsel and vice-president of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), offers commentary at ActivateCFPL titled Heintz v Christian Horizons: Win, Lose or Draw? and an opinion column in the National Post called Heintz v Christian Horizons: Solomon Would Not Approve. Read the official text of the decision itself.
EFC Legal Counsel Attends Reference at Saskatchewan Court of Appeal
![]() Faye Sonier, EFC Legal Counsel, attended the Marriage Commissioner Reference at the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal on May 13-14 with litigator Scott Kennedy to present arguments in the marriage commissioner reference case. The decision in this case has the potential to impact all public service employees in Canada. For more information, read Faye's blog summaries from Day 1 and Day 2 in the courtroom. Also, listen to Don Hutchinson's, VP General Legal Counsel interview with CBC.
EFC Engaged in Forum on Faith and Public Life Events
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The EFC was engaged with two key events in Ottawa recently. Don Hutchinson spoke at the “Forum on Faith and a Sustainable Economy: The Churches’ Contribution to the Voluntary Sector.” On May 19 the EFC and the Canadian Council of Churches hosted “What Role for Faith in the Public Square” at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Ottawa. Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs was the speaker. This is the third in a series which featured Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff last year and MP Bill Blaikie of the NDP the year before.
EFC at National March for Life
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EFC Vice-President Don Hutchinson addressed a crowd of over 12,000 at last week’s March for Life rally in Ottawa. In addition to other media coverage, Hutchinson was featured in this Ottawa Sun video report of the event. You can watch a three minute video of EFC VP Don Hutchinson’s talk to over 10,000 people at the 2010 March for Life rally on Parliament Hill. It’s on YouTube and at the EFC’s Facebook page.
EFC VP Speaks at Ottawa Church
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Don Hutchinson, EFC vice-president and director of the EFC's Centre for Faith and Public Life spoke at Community Pentecostal Church, an EFC affiliate congregation, in Ottawa on May 16 as the church re-launched their social concerns committee. Royal Galipeau, MP for the riding, and John Shea, school board trustee, also attended. Hutchinson spoke on “Public Policy Engagement and the Bible: The Character and Principles of Effective Public Witness.”
EFC Speakes Out Against New Canadian Porn Channels
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The EFC features prominently in the debate over the CRTC’s decision to require a homegrown pornography industry to support its licenses for Canadian pornographic cable channels. Here’s one story from the Vancouver Province newspaper. Also, EFC Vice-President Don Hutchinson was interviewed by CanWest News Media’s print division with reports published in the Montreal Gazette, the Ottawa Citizen, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Regina Leader-Post and the Vancouver Sun among others. The story was also reported on Global News’ website. Hutchinson was also interviewed live by Jim Richards of Toronto’s NewsTalk Radio 1010 CFRB.
EFC Comments on Canada's Child and Maternal Health Care Initiative
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Don Hutchinson, a vice-president at The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), comments on the dangers of ideological battle interfering with an international initiative to improve maternal and child health in the Global South in this ActivateCFPL blog: Maternal Heal and Child Care - Will the Pro-Life Community cooperate with the Pro-Choice Community to Derail a Life-Saving Initiative?
EFC Applauds Defeat of Euthanasia Bill
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The pro-euthanasia bill introduced in the House of Commons was defeated by a vote of 228 to 59 on April 21. Read this blog by Don Hutchinson, general legal consel and vice-president of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), at ActivateCFPL.
EFC Releases Report on Link Between Prostitution and Sex-Trafficking
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The EFC released its report Selling Ourselves: Prostitution in Canada, Where are we Headed? The report compares the Swedish and Dutch prostitution law models and examines the correlation between prostitution legislation and rates of human trafficking. The report also examines the Canadian legal framework and offers recommendations to the Canadian government. Watch a brief interview with Julia Beazley, EFC co-ordinator, poverty and homelessness, as she discusses the report and shares thoughts on the legislative and societal response to prostitution in Canada.
EFC Legal Counsel Interviewed on Coerced Abortion Bill
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EFC Legal Counsel Faye Sonier was interviewed in regard to the EFC’s endorsement of Private Members' Bill C-510 (known as Roxanne’s Law), a bill proposing to criminalize coerced abortion. Read the commentary at ActivateCFPL about the potential for this Bill to expose the reality of the abortion situation in Canada, about the uniqueness of this bill in Canadian law, and read the EFC's Question and Answer sheet about the Bill.
Was it Retreat or Surrender When McGuinty Withdrew Controversial Sex-Ed Curriculum?
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Premier Dalton McGuinty withdrew Ontario’s proposed new sex education curriculum. Read EFC General Legal Counsel Don Hutchinson’s blog at ActivateCFPL.
EFC Comments on Government's Debt Relief Plan for Haiti
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Julia Beazley, The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada's (EFC) coordinator for poverty and homelessness, comments at ActivateCFPL on the Government of Canada's financial support and debt relief plans for Haiti.
EFC Presence Essential at Environment Conference
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In this Activate CFPL blog, God’s Wonderful Creation: an Issue for This Time?, Don Hutchinson, EFC vice-president and director of the Centre for Faith and Public Life, writes about getting ready to engage on creation care and why it matters. He spoke recently at public roundtables and a conference retreat on Climate Change and Environmental Decline as a Moral Issue.
Working Together on Common Ground Always Works Well
![]() ChristianWeek newspaper reports on the successes of the EFC and others when working with other faith communities on select public policy issues in the article "Faith Groups Find Common Ground".
How Should we Perserve the Innocence of Children?
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Protecting our children from child pornography is everyone’s responsibility! This EFC resource provides information on the prevalence and effects of this issue as well as laws and court cases. This background paper outlines a Christian approach to the issue and ways to respond as individuals, citizens, parents and churches. Don’t miss the tips for internet-proofing children and discussion questions to stimulate informed discussion in your church or small group.
Important Resource on Death Decisions
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A Christian perspective on euthanasia and assisted suicide, is available in print or downloadable format to assist Christians in learning how to understand the complexities of this issue and how to become engaged in advocacy on behalf of the vulnerable.
Religious Persecution of Christians in Iraq
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The EFC's Religious Liberty Commission released a report recently entitled A History of Faith – A New Century of Suffering. This report on religious liberty details the nature and intensity of persecution suffered daily by Iraqi believers for their faith in Jesus Christ. Drawing on verified sources and documented attacks, the report paints an agonizing portrait of a reality of suffering that few western Christians could imagine. Increased religious freedom is what was at stake in the March 7 election in Iraq and is detailed in the recent Religious Liberty Commission Prayer Alert.
Micah Challenge to Join EFC at Interfaith Gathering
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Religious leaders from around the world will gather in Winnipeg to send a clear message to G8 leaders around poverty, the environment, and peace-building, prior to the G8 and G20. Read an article about the meeting here. Micah Challenge Canada will be present along with the EFC and some EFC affiliates. Micah Challenge Canada is an EFC partner campaign that is working to mobilize Canadian Christians for action in response to the Millennium Development Goals.
Will the World Reach the Millennium Development Goals?
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Mike Hogeterp, research and communications manager for the Christian Reformed Church, and Robyn Bright, national coordinator for Micah Challenge Canada, spoke about the status of the MDGs and how Christians can take action in response to global poverty in this article. The EFC hosts the Micah Challenge National Office within the EFC's Centre for Faith and Public Life.
Why Do Evangelicals Need to Speak Out on Global Poverty?
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Robyn Bright, national co-ordinator for Micah Challenge Canada, spoke with Christian Week editor Josiah Neufeld, about why Canadian Christian voices on global poverty are so important. The EFC is a key partner of the Micah Challenge.
EFC Stands with World's Poor
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Don Hutchinson, EFC Vice-President, writes to question the efficacy of the government ending a 35 year relationship that has benefited development and human rights around the world in the Christianity.ca webitorial, The Federal Government Giveth. Read it and comment on it at the ActivateCFPL blog.
Withering Rights: Religious Freedom in Canada
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Religious freedom and freedom from discrimination on the basis of religion are important rights to Christians. This EFC booklet contains summaries of cases addressing a wide variety of subjects – family, education, work, church, to help you understand the current religious freedom challenges and the role you can play to help ensure religious freedom in Canada.
Assisted Suicide Would Change Canada's Legal Landscape
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EFC Legal Counsel Faye Sonier examines how the right to assisted suicide would necessarily lead to the duty of one Canadian to kill another, and how this would transform Canada’s legal heritage. Read the webitorial on Christianity.ca or the blog at Activate CFPL.
EFC and StreetLevel Make Submission to Parliament
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Don Hutchinson, director of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada's (EFC) Centre for Faith and Public Life, and Julia Beazley, coordinator for the EFC’s National Roundtable on Poverty and Homelessness, appeared before the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Human Resources on Nov. 5 (Meeting 55) in connection with the EFC’s support for private members’ Bill C-304 which proposes the development of a national affordable housing strategy. You can read the submission Moving Forward Together on Affordable Housing.
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