Too many of us struggle with being disconnected. New studies show that social institutions help lower loneliness
Social isolation and loneliness are among the most important challenges of our times, and governments alone can’t fix them. Frankly, these problems are too big for the politicians. Consider some basic findings from a new Angus Reid Institute study, conducted in partnership with Cardus: Almost one-quarter of Canadians struggle with extreme social isolation and loneliness.…
Cultural appropriation is how people learn. We take the most useful information we come across and pass it on to our children
The controversy concerning what’s called cultural appropriation has taken a strange new twist. Complaints about this newly-invented crime have typically involved Indigenous artists complaining that a non-Indigenous person has appropriated something from them. But now a group of Inuit claims a fellow Indigenous artist has culturally appropriated the throat-singing they say belongs to them alone…
Trudeau and his government are complicit in interference of the worst kind in India’s internal affairs
French President Charles de Gaulle travelled to Quebec, ostensibly to visit Canada’s Expo 67, on July 24, 1967. But the old rascal had something entirely different in mind. He had come to Canada for one reason: to stir up trouble. Leaning over a balcony before a large Montreal crowd, he uttered a carefully rehearsed phrase…
The relatively low value Canadians assign to religious freedom and the tepid opposition to secularism laws are worrisome
Have we lost all sense of proportion when it comes to our fundamental rights in Canada? Two recent cases suggest we have. Both cases involve the notwithstanding clause in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which allows legislatures to temporarily bypass certain constitutionally-protected rights. Two premiers have sought to invoke the much-discussed clause recently. Yet…
People everywhere should be able to worship as they please or not worship at all
The massacre of Muslims at prayer in New Zealand on March 15 is yet another appalling example of the horrors of extreme hatred. In this case, the mass murderer was a deluded white supremacist. Other recently targeted victims have been Jews at worship in Pittsburgh, or just anyone who chose to come to the wrong…
Banning the wearing of religious clothing robs public servants of the right to make their own choices
Legislative hearings on outlawing the wearing of religious clothing or symbols by specific Quebec public servants could easily be dismissed as proverbial lipstick on a pig. In fact, they’re worse, much worse, than a skin-deep brush with porcine cosmetology. They are part of a calculated exploitation of the deep human spiritual need to push other…
We cannot allow profit to be more important than the well-being of the human family
Since taking office in 2013, the world has been calmed by the presence of Pope Francis. The documentary A Man of His Word notes his lifelong effort to respect each person, regardless of their station in life. Since becoming Pope, he has emphasized the importance of giving homes to refugees, challenged traditional Catholic teachings on…
Climate change blamed for the slow dissolution of the beautiful coral reefs that surround many of the islands off mainland Panama
Jesus Prestan is a stranger in his own land. Born a member of the Guna (pronounced Kuna) indigenous people on the off the eastern coast of Panama, he grew up and was educated in Panama City. Now, when he returns to the islands that are home to his people, he’s treated politely, but as a…
Attacks on places of worship are based on the horrendous lie that we need to fear those who are different
Humanity is reeling from the deaths of innocent people all over the world in houses of worship. Members of no religion seem to be immune from violence, nor can any major religion claim to be free of extremists who perpetrate hate crimes. Many will ask what the world is coming to. In fact, these horrendous…
A building like the great cathedral casts us moderns, who think we’re so smart, in a pallid light
Fire destroyed much of Notre Dame de Paris on Monday. The loss is impossible to calculate. Whatever rebuilding efforts the French government and the Catholic church mount, the building will never be what it was. It’s almost best that they leave the ruins as they are. But rebuild they must. I visited Notre Dame once.…
Social isolation and loneliness are among the most important challenges of our times, and governments alone can’t fix them. Frankly, these problems are too big for the politicians. Consider some basic findings from a new Angus Reid Institute study, conducted in partnership with Cardus: Almost one-quarter of Canadians struggle with extreme social isolation and loneliness.…
