Brian Dryden, Canadian Catholic News
Inequity on rise, systemic change needed
OTTAWA -- Anti-poverty groups say Canadians most vulnerable to living in poverty will fall further behind because of COVID-19 unless post-pandemic recovery efforts focus on eliminating systemic issues keeping them in a perpetual state of poverty.
MAiD ‘nothing less than murder’: faith leaders
OTTAWA -- Canada’s Catholic bishops have joined with religious leaders nationwide to denounce the federal government’s plan to make it easier to obtain a medically-assisted suicide.
MPs look to bridge gap in faith, politics
OTTAWA -- MPs from across the political spectrum are working to form a new all-party caucus in Parliament to foster more dialogue and respect between faith communities and federal politicians.
Child-care policy can’t be one-size-fits-all
OTTAWA - The federal government’s commitment “to make a significant, long-term, sustained investment to create a Canada-wide early learning and child-care system” sounds good on the surface to a national religion-based think tank, but only if it doesn’t create a onesize- fits-all government-mandated system.
Wife loses her battle to stop husband’s death
OTTAWA - A Nova Scotia man got what he wanted — a medically assisted death — just one day after his estranged wife lost her bid to block him from using Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAiD) system.
Assisted-suicide bill re-introduced
Catholics need to ‘ignite fire’ in public policy
OTTAWA -- The Catholic voice, silenced so long in Canadian public life, needs to be heard loud and clear once more, Archbishop Richard Gagnon said in his president’s report at the Canadian bishops’ annual plenary.
Throne speech offers comfort for advocates
OTTAWA -- Social justice and religious groups demanding a “just” recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic heard the words they wanted to hear when the federal government’s Speech from the Throne was delivered by Governor General Julie Payette on behalf of the Liberal government on Sept. 23.
Church must overcome pandemic ‘malaise’
OTTAWA -- The COVID-19 pandemic may have forced the Catholic Church in Canada to significantly change the way it operates, but the far ranging impact of the global health crisis has reinforced and strengthened the Church’s commitment to its mission, said Archbishop Richard Gagnon.
Cardinal Parolin visit to Canada scrapped by COVID-19
OTTAWA -- A planned visit this month by one of the highest-ranking members of the Catholic Church to commemorate the anniversary of a milestone in the relationship between Canada and the Holy See has been put off until at least next spring because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.