University of New Brunswick Cancels Evangelical Lecturer
The Story: The University of New Brunswick canceled a scheduled lecture from American evangelical Corey Miller who had been slated to speak on the question “Is Christianity Good or Bad for Civilization?” The canceled lecture had been part of a philosophy of religion series presented by the university’s philosophy department. Although the University provided little explanation for the lecture’s cancellation, Miller was the subject of at least one complaint from a student over alleged anti-LGBTQ bias. According to an email written to Miller by philosophy chair Robert Larmer, “the student was not stridently angry, but was concerned that you might have anti-LGBTQ views.”
The Significance: Speaking in response to the cancellation of his lecture, Miller stated, “for Christian professors to operate—you’re operating clandestinely—and that’s why I’m not surprised by the fear and trembling by that department at the University of New Brunswick.” Miller’s statement outlines a clear pattern in public education wherein the ascendent orthodoxies of modern progressivism are the ultimate standard for right and wrong. Everything opposed to this standard—including Christianity—is harmful at best and immoral at worst.
However, the rejection of Christianity is, by extension, the rejection of education itself. Writing about Christ to the Colossian church, the apostle Paul said, “for by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16-17). If, then, all things have been created through Christ and for Christ, learning about creation is never complete without a sufficient knowledge of Jesus Christ.
If it seems as though professors and students alike have lost all understanding of “the real world,” it’s because they have. Only in Christ do “all things hold together” and, until his Lordship is recognized, nothing will operate according to design. Very simply, true education is impossible without Christian education. Understanding this reality, Christian citizens should be prepared to build and support alternative institutions of higher learning—institutions that offer true education in the name of Christ.
Read More: Lindsay Shepherd, Truth North, “University of New Brunswick philosophy department cancels Christian lecture”
Ontario Municipalities Attack Free Speech
The Story: The Region of Waterloo Council, which governs Kitchener, Cambridge, Waterloo, and several townships, unanimously passed a motion that allows police to ticket protestors who use language, signs, or other means of communication that the council determines to be “harassment.” The motion applies to gender identity, sexual orientation, and gender expression issues. The new by-law is specifically written to address non-criminal matters and carries a $250 fine.
Elsewhere, in the City of Pickering, Councillor Lisa Robinson was suspended from city council for 60 days over claims that she is “promoting attitudes which are homophobic and transphobic.” The claims stem from three motions she introduced that would have banned the pride flag (along with all other special interest flags) on municipal property, required an age limit for drag shows, and enforced a women’s-only changeroom.
The Significance: Many Canadian Christians are rightfully focused on the many failings of Canada’s Federal Government. However, these same Christians are often more directly impacted by bad government at the local level. Sadly, many of these local governments are controlled by elected officials who may appear to be reasonable, but who are actually ideologically anti-Christian or simply too afraid to stand for truth.
This is evidenced by the fruit of their governance: suspending a good city councilor for courageously representing reality, and passing a by-law that may soon be used to suppress legitimate protests of abortion and childhood gender transition over false accusations of “harassment.”
Read More: Liz Monteiro, Waterloo Chronicle, “Regional council unanimously approves anti-hate street harassment bylaw before large crowd of proponents and opponents”
Harrison Faulkner, True North, “Ratio’d | Ontario councillor suspended without pay for opposing gender ideology”
Assisted Suicide Becomes Canada’s 5th-Leading Cause of Death
The Story: Assisted suicide (MAiD) accounted for more than 4% of all Canadian deaths in 2022, per a Government of Canada report. The 13,241 Canadians who died as a result of assisted suicide make MAiD the 5th-leading cause of death behind only cancer, heart disease, COVID-19, and accidents. Anti-euthanasia advocate Amanda Achtman has concluded that the total number of Canadian deaths from assisted suicide since 2016 is now greater than the total number of Canadian deaths from COVID-19. The contagion also appears to have a regional effect: according to American journalist Alexander Raikin, assisted suicide now accounts for a jarring 7.5% of all deaths on Vancouver Island—a region that no longer has any “MAiD-free” hospice spaces.
Despite the rapidly rising death toll, the House of Commons recently voted to proceed with a scheduled expansion of assisted suicide to Canadians whose sole underlying condition is mental illness.
The Significance: As the Government of Canada prepared to legalize assisted suicide in 2016, many pro-life advocates argued that legalization would create a continually-expanding industry of death. The Government largely ignored these concerns and assured the nation that the newly-available practice would only be offered to Canadians who are near death and living with unbearable, incurable pain. Just seven years later, the annual death toll is 13,241 and assisted suicide will soon become Canada’s signature antidepressant.
As we mourn the premature death of our neighbors and resist the expansion of assisted suicide in our own communities, we should remember that a culture which has forgotten that God made man in his own image is a culture with no safeguards against mass death. Canada is already a nation where approximately 300 preborn children die by abortion every day. If children are valueless clumps of cells to be discarded for reasons of convenience, there is simply no reason why aging, disabled, and depressed Canadians should not be treated with the same level of concern.
Only belief in God-bestowed human dignity can stop the callous Canadian bloodshed. How many will die before it does?
Read More: Alexander Raikin, National Review, “How Death Care Pushed Out Health Care”
Military Chaplains: Government Directive Bans Prayer at Remembrance Day Ceremonies
The Story: After receiving a directive from the Government of Canada on the use of “inclusive language,” many Canadian Armed Forces chaplains responded by stating that the policy update effectively bans them from praying at public gatherings—including at upcoming Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Minister of National Defence Bill Blair has denied the chaplains’ claim, stating that, “chaplains are not—and, will not be—banned from prayer on Remembrance Day, nor at any other time.” However, many chaplains have pointed out that it would be essentially impossible to fulfill the directive as written while offering any kind of sincere Christian prayer.
The Significance: Christians should not be surprised by the blatant crack-down on praying to the one true God. Our culture has rejected Judeo-Chrisitan values in favour of critical theory. As a result, our military Chaplains are now faced with a demand to ignore their spiritual mandate in the name of inclusion.
More alarming, however, is the fact that the bureaucrats who wrote this directive do not understand how a military chaplain cannot simply reinvite a foundational Christian practice to accommodate political correctness. More than ever, Christians must be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15a). Our government has proven that Christians and Christianity will not be left alone if we simply keep our heads down and try to get along. We must be willing to call out falsehood and be prepared to answer for why we believe as Chrisitans believe, behave as Christians behave, and pray as Christians pray. “Yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Pet. 3:15b).
Read More: Brian Passifume, National Post, “Directives to military chaplains urge expunging God, religion from Remembrance Day, public ceremonies”
Quick Hit
Saskatchewan legislature passes Parents Bill of Rights: A Bill to protect the relationship between parents and children has passed during a special sitting of the Saskatchewan Legislature. The Bill prevents children under the age of 16 from changing their names or pronouns at school without notifying their parents. While some activists claim the law is hateful, the Government has insisted that schools have no right to hide information about children from their parents. The law also contains Notwithstanding Clause provisions to protect the legislation from a Charter challenge.
Read More: The Canadian Press, “Saskatchewan legislature passes controversial pronoun bill in special sitting”
A Truth To Consider
