President's Blog

There is a lot of legislation currently being discussed that concerns Christians in Canada today. Much of it will have far reaching consequences and impact on the church in our nation.

Here are a couple updates with some links. These are not exhaustive — just a taste to whet your appetite to discover more:

Religious Freedom in Canada (Trinity Western University court case)

In the Fall of 2017, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC), will be intervening before the Supreme Court of Canadian two cases involving TWU (Trinity Western University) of Langley, BC. Previously, the EFC intervened in court cases in BC, Ontario, and Nova Scotia against the provinces’ Law Societies. The Societies were unwilling to accredit TWU’s proposed law school, thus denying law students of TWU to practice in their province due to the university’s “Community Covenant”. Two of the three provinces lost their court cases, however, the BC and Ontario cases are being heard by the Supreme Court.

They argue the University’s “Community Covenant”, which includes a requirement to abstain from sexual intimacy outside of heterosexual marriage, deprives students, including the LBGTQ community, from access to education from TWU.

What’s at stake? If TWU loses this autumn, all Christian organizations may be denied public accreditation because they uphold Biblical principles and beliefs. The Supreme Court’s decision will have far-reaching consequences.

Personal Conscience Freedom in Canada (Bill C-14 MAiD Law)

Doctor-assisted suicide (death) and euthanasia is now legal in Canada. The Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) Law allows competent, consenting adults in advanced stages of irreversible declining health to commit suicide. The BC Civil Liberties Association has filed suit saying the law is unconstitutional and too restrictive. Doctor-assisted suicide should be available to anyone (children/teens?) who suffer from chronic illnesses that may not cause their untimely death.

This past June 13-15, EFC and other Christian groups intervened in support of five doctors and the Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada. These doctors are challenging Ontario’s requirement that all medical practitioners perform the medical service (suicide) or refer the patient to someone who will perform it, thus violating their conscience and personal belief system. Many doctors of faith believe referring patients for suicide is no different morally or ethically than committing the act themselves. Ontario’s policy requires doctors to violate their conscience or lose their job.

What’s at stake? Those in society who are particularly vulnerable, the aged, or living with disabilities, are concerned that any protection under the law may vanish, possibly leading to the abuse or misuse of MAiD.

Click HERE for a full brief of what was shared on June 13-15, 2017.

And the story continues...