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May 21, 2019

21 May 2019

Ontario Court of Appeal Upholds ‘Effective Referral Requirements’ for Euthanasia, Abortion

Last Wednesday, May 15, the Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision in Christian Medical and Dental Society v. College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. The court unanimously upheld the college's policies on medical assistance in dying and human rights obligations. The policies require doctors who conscientiously object to ethically controversial procedures (such as euthanasia/assisted suicide and abortion) to take “positive action” to facilitate them, such as by providing an “effective referral” to a willing and available physician. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario, and the Christian Legal Fellowship – who jointly intervened in the case as a coalition – are disappointed with the ruling. Read the full media release on our website.

EFC Vice-President to Visit Ontario, Saskatchewan, British Columbia

David Guretzki is the guest speaker at the Community Christian Fellowship Church of Canada, this Friday, May 24 in Belleville, Ont. On May 27-31, he will be at Briercrest Seminary in Caronport, Sask. teaching a seminary course entitled, “Life in the Mess: A Theology of Forgiveness and Reconciliation.” That Sunday, June 2, Guretzki will be in Vancouver at the Canadian American Theological Association annual meeting to present a paper, “Do Humans Have Inherent Dignity? A Theological Corrective.”

The EFC Seeks Intervener Status Again on Religious Freedom in Alberta Schools

On April 29 the Alberta Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal by faith-based schools and others to be exempt from recent Alberta legislation on Gay-Straight Alliances until there is a ruling on its constitutionality. Alberta’s Bill 24 was passed in November 2017. It requires principals to immediately grant permission for GSA clubs or activities upon request and specifies that there is to be no notice to parents about student participation, even for the youngest students. The EFC was an intervener in this case to argue in support of parental rights and religious freedom. Because the dismissal was a split decision, the request for an injunction will now carry on to the original hearing in Alberta, and the EFC has applied once again for intervener status. For more information, see the EFC's website.

Federal Election 2019 Resources

The EFC’s federal election 2019 resources are now available online. Get our:

→ Issue questions for candidates
→ What churches can and cannot do
→ Brochure on faith, voting and political engagement (aussi en français)
→ And more!

Feel free to reproduce and distribute copies of these resources in your group or church: www.TheEFC.ca/Election2019.

Mercy Before Grace: Mercy Reclaimed in an Age of Images and Idols

When we consider the words mercy and grace, grace has recently become the more popular of the two, while “mercy is not a word we hear as often.” In this column from Faith Today, EFC President Bruce Clemenger explains that “God’s mercy and call for us to truly understand speaks truth to the faulty premise of individual autonomy and to the idols of our Western culture.”

A Magazine Dad Will Love – for Half Price!

Father’s Day is June 16. Are you looking for a gift? Faith Today is offering half-price gift subscriptions for a limited time. Get your dad six issues of Canada’s Christian magazine for only $14.99 (reg. $29.99) at www.FaithToday.ca/Dad.

Coming Events at TheEFC.ca/Calendar 

Publicize your event for free.
→ Historymaker Youth Conference, Chilliwack/Nanaimo, May 24-26
→ Together for Adoption and Fostering Canada, Waterloo, May 24-26
→ Day of Prayer for Christian Camps, nationwide, May 26
→ EFC Speaker at PAOC Campus Worker / YA Leader Summit, Calgary, May 27-29
→ International Collaboration on Faith and Violence, Wolfville, May 27-29
→ Reveal Conference on Sexualized Culture, Sarnia, June 1
→ Mission of God Conference 2019, Grimsby, June 1
→ Transition 101, Toronto, June 1
→ EFC Speaker in Three Hills, Alberta, June 1
→ Church Leaders Forums – World Vision, June 4-6, 11-13
→ Land and Place: Indigenous Perspectives – In an Era of Displacement, Toronto, June 6-8
→ Olympic Faith: Women’s Ministry Retreat, Brantford, June 7-9
→ EFC Speaker in Alma, Ontario, June 9
→ EFC Speaker in Clive, Alberta, June 9
→ Conference on Ecclesiology and Ethnography, Winnipeg, June 12-14
→ Word Awards Gala, Hamilton, June 14
→ WonderJam 2019, Vaughan Mills, June 15
→ Write Canada Conference, Hamilton, June 14-15
→ EFC Speaker in Taber, Alberta, June 16
→ World Refugee Sunday, worldwide, June 16
→ Toronto Christian Music Festival, Toronto, June 16

In Case You Missed It 

The FT Interview with Dr. Anna Robbins
EFC Presentation to Senate Committee on Bill C-75