Canada

Decision for Trinity Western University

Trinity Western University - Photo: Google
Photo: Google

The Supreme Court of Canada has announced that they will be releasing their decision regarding Trinity Western University's School of Law on Friday, June 15th. The ruling could have wide-ranging implications on the protection of religious freedoms in Canada.

The court will decide whether provincial law societies are permitted to refuse the admittance of graduates from TWU's law school into membership. Objections centre around a community covenant all of its students sign, consisting of a voluntary agreement to abstain from certain practices -- one of which is sexual intimacy outside of heterosexual marriage.

For a summary of the situation and implications, visit The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada's webpage. This page also contains informative video footage, commentaries and legal briefings.

Please pray that the Supreme Court of Canada will respect the religious freedom of this long-standing, reputable university and its students in the upcoming ruling. May the court's decision respect the rights of all citizens, resulting in a favourable outcome -- one that will have no further implications nor negative reactions from those representing the judicial system in a nation originally founded on Biblical principles.

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  • Decision for Trinity Western University
    Trinity Western University - Photo: Google
    Photo: Google

    The Supreme Court of Canada has announced that they will be releasing their decision regarding Trinity Western University's School of Law on Friday, June 15th. The ruling could have wide-ranging implications on the protection of religious freedoms in Canada.

    Read more...

  • Dramatic Stage Play Awakens Canadian Audiences
    Solitary Refinement
    Photo: ARW/VOM Canada

    The first few weeks of the Solitary Refinement touring stage play has already had audiences in various parts of the nation captivated. On numerous occasions, those who have been blessed to witness this life-transforming production have responded with standing ovations -- to the glory of God!

    Read more...

  • BRITISH COLUMBIA: Christian Law Graduates Banned from Practising Law
    Photo: Flickr / steakpinball

    "It should be front page news across Canada," states Sun Media's Ezra Levant in an email news alert. Due to the results of a referendum among the province's lawyers, the British Columbia Law Society voted recently to reverse an earlier decision to accredit Trinity Western University (TWU) law school graduates. As a result, graduates of TWU's law school will not be able to practise law in British Columbia (BC).

    The legal profession rejected accreditation for TWU's graduates based on a personal pledge of conduct the university's students are required to sign. The pledge, which includes a promise to abstain from sex outside of traditional marriage, raises a same-sex equality rights issue for the BC Law Society, but pits it against religious freedom in Canada.

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  • Update: Judge overturns hate speech ruling against Canadian pastor

    On December 3, a Court of Queen's Bench judge overturned a December 2007 ruling by the Alberta Human Rights Commission (AHRC) that a letter written by Stephen Boissoin published in a local newspaper broke provincial law against spreading hatred (click here for more details). Justice E.C. Wilson ruled that the AHRC panel chair Lori Andreachuk had made many errors in her ruling. The judge ruled that Andreachuk's order that Boissoin pay $5,000 and refrain from making "disparaging remarks" about homosexuals could not be enforced, as it was "unlawful or unconstitutional."

    The judge said that while Boissoin's remarks were "jarring, offensive, bewildering, puerile, nonsensical and insulting," they were not hateful or extreme and that there was nothing in the letter to suggest it was exhorting Albertans to discriminate against homosexuals in areas which fall under provincial jurisdiction. At last report, Darren Lund, who launched the complaint against Boissoin, has not decided whether he will appeal this ruling.

    In another religious freedom case in Canada, Christian Horizons, a Christian organization that assists individuals with developmental disabilities, will be appealing a May 2008 ruling by the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal (OHRT) on December 15-17. The OHRT ruled that Christian Horizons violated the rights of a former worker, Connie Heintz, by terminating her employment when she revealed that she was a lesbian (click here for more information). The ruling ordered Christian Horizons to compensate Heintz $23,000 in lost wages and to stop requiring its staff to sign an explicitly Christian morality code.

    Thank the Lord that the ruling against Stephen Boissoin was overturned. Ask the Lord to give the believers involved in the Christian Horizons case Christ-like endurance as they stand up for their beliefs. Pray that Canada will uphold the religious freedom of its citizens.

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