ChristianWeek

Battle far from over for supporters of traditional marriage

More than 15,000 people gathered on Parliament Hill to voice their support for the traditional definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Bill C-38, the proposed legislation to change the definition to include same-sex couples, is working its way through the House of Commons.		OTTAWA, ON—A bid by the Conservatives to derail the Liberal government’s same-sex marriage bill failed in the House of Commons April 12 by a vote of 164-32, despite help from 34 Liberal backbenchers. In introducing the amendment to kill the second reading of Bill C-38, Tory leader Stephen Harper said it “fails to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.” Even though their amendment didn’t pass, the Conservatives are expected to force a spring election before the House can vote on the full bill, making the redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples a hot campaign issue. read the full story>

Canadian Gideons
blitz Toronto with Bibles
TORONTO, ON—More than 200 members of the Gideons International in Canada descended on Toronto recently to hand out free Bibles and New Testaments during a three-day “Bible Blitz.”
read more>

Children are left to raise younger siblings and care for themselves as the AIDS pandemic sweeps Africa.

Norm Cheng staffs the Bible League booth during MissionFest Toronto.

MissionFest Toronto
smaller, but healthier
ETOBICOKE, ON—Although it was a scaled back version compared to similar conferences in recent years, MissionFest Toronto (MFT) attracted a good-size crowd and raised some much-needed capital to help reduce its debt.

Held in a smaller venue away from the downtown Toronto core, organizers say the conference took place at all was a “miracle of God.” MFT executive director Jude Hodgson estimates 10,000 people walked through the doors of Queensway...
read more>

available in our PRINT EDITION

Complaints target bishop
Tim Callaway
CALGARY, AB—The outspoken Roman Catholic bishop of Calgary says he has no intention of apologizing despite two formal complaints to the Alberta Human Rights Commission regarding views he articulated against same-sex marriage in a recent pastoral letter and in his monthly column in the Calgary Sunget the full story>

Parishes concede a “Pyrrhic victory”
Frank Stirk
NORTH VANCOUVER, BC—Less than a month after vowing to fight to keep their buildings in the face of an eviction notice from New Westminster Anglican bishop Michael Ingham, two dissenting parishes decided that it would not be worth the cost involvedget the full story>

Kempling suspended for second time
British Columbia teacher and counsellor Chris Kempling says he will appeal to the province’s human rights tribunal an immediate three-month suspension handed him at the beginning of April by his local school board, The Province reportedget the full story>