Hugh Owens ruling stands
Regina, SK—The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission has decided it will not appeal to the Supreme Court over an anti-gay ad placed in a Saskatoon newspaper by Hugh Owens in 1997. A commission board of inquiry initially found the ad violated the Human Rights Code, a decision upheld by Saskatchewan’s Court of Queen’s Bench in 2002. But the province’s Court of Appeal overturned the lower court’s decision last April, saying while the ad was bluntly presented and upsetting to many, it didn’t violate the code. No reason was given on why the province’s human rights commission has decided not to launch another appeal. (Broadcast News)

Age of protection legislation supported
Ottawa, ON—The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) is supporting the federal government’s introduction of the Age of Protection legislation which would raise the age of consent for sexual activity from 14 to 16 years of age. Janet Epp Buckingham, the EFC’s director of law and public policy, says police associations and provincial ministers of justice have long called for this change—a “significant step forward for the protection of children.” At 14 years of age, Canada’s age of sexual consent differs from the international norm, which is at least 16. (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)

Editor/publisher appointed
Toronto, ON—David Wilson is the new editor and publisher of The United Church Observer, effective September 1. Wilson succeeds Muriel Duncan, who is retiring after 32 years with the magazine, the last 15 as editor and publisher. Wilson, 51, joined The Observer in 1987, and most recently has been the magazine’s associate editor. Wilson is the magazine’s seventh editor since the founding of The United Church of Canada in 1925. The Canadian Church Press recently named The Observer best denominational magazine for 2005.

Honorary doctorate awarded
Gerald Vandezande will be awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from The Institute of Christian Studies (ICS) at its next convocation on October 20. This is the first honorary degree to be offered by ICS under its newly revised Province of Ontario degree granting legislation. Vandezande has long supported the mission of the ICS to offer Christian graduate education and played a key role in helping the ICS obtain the right to offer provincially accredited graduate degrees.

Cyclists set out across Canada
Toronto, ON—More than 75 cyclists from across Canada began a two-month, 7,800-kilometre bicycle journey across the nation in Victoria, B.C. on July 2. Representing more than 17 Christian denominations, the cyclists are raising funds for the work of the Canadian Bible Society (CBS), celebrating its centennial year of translating, publishing, distributing and encouraging the use of the Scriptures in Canada and the world. The 64-day journey, called “The Bike for Bibles Centennial Ride,” will take cyclists through more than 100 Canadian communities until they hit the shores of Newfoundland on September 3.