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Justice and Freedom
19 Nov 2012 Human right to the barber of your choice?
The ridiculous nature of human rights in Canada is in full display this week as news spreads of the complaint from a woman who was denied a men's haircut at a barber shop that only cuts men's hair. As Ezra Levant14 Nov 2012 URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Senate Must Exercise Sober Second Thought on Sports-Betting Bill
In a troubling twist of process, Bill C-290, the sports-betting bill, has passed from the House of Commons into the Senate without a standing vote. This Bill seeks to legalize single-sport betting in Canada. For many reasons, including the inefficient use of government funds for revenue generation, the social ills it causes (including 200 suicides a year!), the undermining of the integrity of sport, and the dubious democratic process employed in this instance, we all need to urge the Senate to exercise their role as the Chamber of Sober Second Thought, and to stop the passage of Bill C-290. This is urgent - the Senate is almost done with the bill! We've made it easy to do. Just click on read more for a sample letter and the contact information for the Senators in your province. For more background, read this excellent op-ed by Member of Parliament Michael Chong as well as this article and letter to Ottawa City Council.11 Nov 2012 Casino in the Capital: Short Term Gain or Long Term Pain?
The City of Ottawa recently sent a letter to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), expressing interest in becoming a host city to a large gaming entertainment centre (read: casino). You can learn more about that story here. We were happy to hear that at least some councillors were hesitant about the idea, expressing concern over the social welfare of the city. ARPA Canada drafted a letter to Mayor Jim Watson and the 23 councillors outlining the risks and hidden costs of such a project and urging caution. Often...
09 Nov 2012 Gideon Strauss on Principled Pluralism
Find an 8 minute video of Gideon Strauss making the case for Principled Pluralism here. This is a concept that has been expounded further in God & Government, a quality book recently written by ARPA board member Dr. Cornelis Van Dam. What follows is the description of the short video: "From debates about the hiring practices of churches to rumors of community adherence to Sharia law, Americans have long been facing questions regarding the role of various religions in public life. As our nation grows increasingly diverse, can we coexist...
07 Nov 2012 ARPA submission published in legal journal
The Association for Canadian Studies, in partnership with the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), has now published the Special Issue of Canadian Diversity on Creed, Freedom of Religion and Human Rights and it includes an article by ARPA's legal counsel. ARPA Canada was pleased to be part of the OHRC consultation process when they undertook to revise their policy on creed. Our legal counsel was able to present a paper on protecting religious associational rights at the Dialogue that took place in Toronto in January. You can read about...