World attention has been focused for some time on the Bilin community in the West Bank whose farmland was being walled off from them by the building of what they have called the "racial segregation wall" but that Israel calls a "security fence". Ordered to redraw the line by the courts, the Israeli government has yet to do so. Now, attention is increasing and fast as those opposed to the wall, Palestinians, Israelis, and others, have been painting themselves blue and drawing references to their plight from the blockbuster hit Avatar.
After claiming that the absence, in the publication of the new study guide for immigrants, of reference to Canadian equality rights as they pertain to gays and lesbians was the result of an oversight , homophobic Immigration minister, Jason Kenney, is found to have personally wielded the red marker that struck sections on gay equality and marriage from early drafts.
Beginning on Monday evening March 1, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. (to 9:30 p.m. with a short break) in the Lounge is a six (6) week Lenten/Easter series on: Faith.
Lent is traditionally a time of reflection, of giving something up - in anticipation of Easter.
This series is a Conversation with you. What have you given up regarding your faith journey ... BUT more importantly, what are you choosing to keep!!! What does your faith journey look like these days - what inspires you and connects you to/ with 'mystery, the divine, the spirit, gaia, wisdom, your inner-knowing, the transcendent, god, creation, love, and so on ...'?
The weekly conversations are hosted by Janice Meighan, chair of wellness & care. There are no books to read, simply because, YOU are the 'book of faith' being shared during this conversational program!
Some topics for the Conversations include:
Faith/Spiritual/Religious Journey - are they the same thing, different and does it really matter?; Death & Dying - the afterlife?; Creativity As An Expression of Faith - music, art, poetry, drama, pottery ... do you "connect" through creativity? ... AND Much More....!!
Come out to one, several or all weeks ... it's your choice. Please do sign-up (initially) if you are interested in attending any week in this series. Sign-up sheet is on the Wellness & Care board directly across from the church office. Or speak to Janice if you have questions.
Mark your calendars and see you Monday March 1, 2010!
Archdeacon Glyn Cardy, of Auckland, New Zealand's St. Matthew's in the City, and a colleague in the progressive movement, aimed to spark debate about some of the conventional beliefs around Christmas. Did he ever get it! Within hours of unveiling a billboard, it was defaced with paint and the religious community was in an uproar. Read the BBC article. Read Glynn's sermon and following comments.
Alerted to the Government's failure to pass Bill C-291 which would have led to the creation of a Refugee Appeal Division, I sent the following email to my MP, Dan McTeague (who voted in favour) with copies to Judy Sgro, Joe Volpe, and the Speaker of the House, Peter Milliken. The Bill had reached its third and final reading in the house and, at the conclusion of the vote, the Speaker voted against it to break a tie. Apparently, this is only the 12th time a speaker has had to break a tie in parliamentary history.
Please feel free to copy any portions of this text and forward a letter to your own MP about this deeply disappointing action on the part of those who had expressed support for this important bill.
Hi Dan,
I was absolutely stunned to read this morning that two liberals who were in the House yesterday, Judy Sgro and Joe Volpe, abstained from voting on the RAD Bill C-291 thereby allowing it to be defeated on its third reading. It is unconscionable that the Government of Canada continues to deny refugees access to an appeal process, the absence of which has undoubtedly cost lives. I thought your party was aware of that and were taking action to ensure that the injustice was eradicated. I am deeply saddened to see that it meant little to these politicians.
Mr. Milliken, as Speaker, may have taken the opportunity to vote according to conscience and not fashion, the rarity with which the Speaker must cast a vote serving to underscore the feebleness of the position he chose to take. Indeed, his words, "In this case", made very clear his recognition that he was making a choice rather than leaning on tradition.
Does the fact that this vote took place in a House reeling with accusations of detainees being handed over to torture in Afghanistan not make it even more incredible that it is now, willfully, refusing to offer asylum to thousands of others whose claims are denied by a single, overworked, bureaucrat and who have no optoin for appeal? Should we not consider those who voted against or who abstained from this vote complicit in every "disappearance", torture, or death that happens to someone turned away by our inadequate refugee process? Are we not returning them to the exact fate we so loudly protest? Where were Sgro's and Volpe's voices in this challenge? Why did Sgro, Volpe remain silent? Why did Milliken choose not to exercise his right with conscience?
That the Speaker paused before the conclusion of the vote to offer holiday wishes is simply unbelievable. I recognize the desire for merriment at this time of the year; however, that the Speaker's wishes were bracketed with a grave injustice is a symbolism that can't be overlooked. Is nothing that happens in the world -- blight, death, rape, child labour, destruction of habitat, infant mortality, commodification of resources, the return of innocent men, women, and children to torture and potentially death --is none of this is more than an insignificant blip in the midst of which we must remember to keep ourselves merry? Perhaps Sgro and Volpe were making their Christmas lists up instead of paying attention to the House' proceedings.
I cannot express the depth of my dismay and horror at the indifference Sgro, Volpe, and the Speaker showed to the lives of so many who are at risk, and with the Speaker's particularly insensitive timing. I am simply shocked and appalled.
Mark your calender and plan to join us in the Lounge on Friday December 4, 2009 to watch the last movie in our Fall Film Fest (or WHIFF - West Hill International Film Festival).
The movie is: The Life of Brian - by Monty Python. Seen it? Come and have a laugh again.
Never have seen it - well, here's a bit of the plot:
Brian is born on the original Christmas, in the stable next door. He spends his life being mistaken for a messiah. ... Sound familiar?
Let's get ready for the Season!
Again that's Friday December 4, 2009 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lounge. Refreshments and Popcorn are supplied - as is good conversation and fellowship! See you there!
As a signatory on the Earth Charter, we support the principles and aims it will be presenting at the Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in a few weeks. ECI brings together elements of climate change challenges that are often missed when discussions take place. It isn't just science that will save the planet. Economics and justice play a huge role in creating a sustainable world.
If you'd like to participate in the youtube competition and show your support for the Earth Charter, click on this link, then "vote" in the top band across the video. When option boxes appear to the right, type ecinternational in the lower one. They have suggested we vote for the "Club of Rome" video by clicking on the thumbs up button, though you really should make sure you watch the other one, too. (Nothing happens to show you've voted but it's safer not to vote twice and potentially get ECI disqualified.)
So, we've signed the Earth Charter, we've committed ourselves to live in right relationship with the planet, we're cutting back on our consumption and, soon, entering into a conversation about responsible, humanitarian food choices. But still, the argument rages between those who believe global warming is a looming crisis and those who believe it's as likely to destroy us as the Y2K bug; that is, it's not. Here, in a video posted 2 full years ago, is a simple answer to that question. And it all comes down to a simple gamble.
Again, thanks to Scott Campbell for forwarding this link.
Friend to West Hill, Matthew Behrens, has passed on information about this upcoming talk, presented by Amnesty International, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Stop Canadian Involvement in Torture, and Toronto Action for Social Change, Endorsed by The Centre for Integrated Anti-Racism Studies (OISE)
When: Monday, November 9, 7:15 pm Where: Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street (one block south of College), Toronto, Ontario
Free admission
Introduction by Hadayt Nazami, human rights and refugee lawyer
About this event: On Monday, November 9 at 7:15 pm, Ottawa resident Abdullah Almalki, an engineer and father of six children, will speak in Toronto for the first time about how he was falsely labelled and became the target of one of the longest "national security" investigations in Canadian history.
Hadayt Nazami is a respected Toronto human rights, immigration and refugee lawyer who represented Ahmad El Maati at the Iacobucci inquiry.
This event is part of an ongoing speakers series that explores Canadian involvement in torture.
For more information phone: (416) 651-5800, email: tasc@web.ca, web: www.abdullahalmalki.com/
