News/Canada

{mosimage}OTTAWA - When Canada’s aboriginal leaders meet with the Pope April 29 they hope to turn the page on the tragic legacy of Indian residential schools.

“This meeting has the potential to be a historic and momentous occasion for First Nations, survivors, Canadian Catholics and indeed all Canadians,” said Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine at an April 15 news conference. “I am both honoured and excited to have this opportunity to meet with the Pope to discuss this important matter and to move forward to work towards real reconciliation.”

{mosimage}Canadian bishops are winging it to Mexico to speak with Mexican bishops and local non-governmental organizations, trying to get to the bottom of accusations the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace has funded groups lobbying the Mexican government for legal abortion.

Bishop Martin Currie of St. John’s, Nfld., and Bishop Francois Lapierre of Sainte-Hyacinth, Que., were scheduled to fly to Mexico on April 16 accompanied by staff from Development and Peace, CCCB general secretary Msgr. Mario Paquette and the outside eyes of Msgr. Carlos Quintana from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ secretariat for the church in Latin America. They planned to meet with representatives of five human rights organizations that LifeSiteNews.com alleges are promoting legalized abortion in Mexico.

{mosimage}He is constantly on the move, climbing the steep mountain slopes, crossing meandering rivers and trekking the forest for hours and at times days to be with the indigenous people whom he calls his “family by adoption.”

“This is my life and missionary condition and this brings me to meet with all sorts of people, hear all kinds of stories and be mixed up in a variety of situations,” says Fr. Pierre Samson, describing his reality living with members of the Manobos, the B’laan and the Tagakaolos tribes that eke out an existence in isolated settlements at the edge of jungles in the southern Philippines.

TORONTO - Catholic Missions In Canada is holding its annual fundraising dinner, Tastes of Heaven, on April 22 with the goal of raising $100,000.

The dinner will help support 12 parishes and 21 missions throughout the diocese of Whitehorse. Whitehorse Bishop Gary Gordon will be the guest speaker. 

“This is a very unique event. People can meet the heroes of our dioceses and recognize the work they do,” said Kathleen Ancker, the National Director of Development for Catholic Missions In Canada.

{mosimage}OTTAWA - Liberal MP John McKay is reaching out to Catholic and Christian voters on behalf of the federal party.

He hopes to “redress” the relationship with faith communities — a relationship that has been hurt by Liberal tactics that have at times demonized Christian voters as “scary” or “anti-charter.”

“I am hoping that this initiative will free up some political space for faith leaders to speak into the marketplace of ideas and not feel that they will end up battered and bruised and run out of town on a rail,” said McKay.

{mosimage}OTTAWA - Two bishops from eastern Canada will lead an inquiry into allegations that funds from the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace have gone to Mexican groups that have ties to abortion advocacy.

Archbishop Martin W. Currie of St. John’s, Nfld., and Bishop François Lapierre, P.M.É., of Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., were to go to Mexico April 15-18 to meet with local bishops, announced the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

{mosimage}TORONTO - Spring and a young man’s fancy turns exactly where you think it does, and so does a young woman’s. Anything wrong with that?

{mosimage}TORONTO - The ecumenical social justice coalition KAIROS claims the Conservative government has been less than honest with a delegation of Colombians who came to Canada to lobby against a free trade deal.

KAIROS sponsored a delegation of Colombian church and civil society leaders on a visit to Canada in February. The group received assurances Canada wouldn’t proceed with an already negotiated free trade agreement between Canada and Colombia until concerns about the South American nation’s human rights record have been investigated.

{mosimage}Canadian Nurses for Life may retire along with its national director on June 1 if no volunteers step forward to take her place.

Mary-Lynn McPherson, a retiring nurse and busy grandmother, has led the volunteer organization dedicated to fighting for nurses’ conscience rights in the workplace for about 20 years. She has set aside time in the past two decades to advocate on behalf of patients and nurses in the defence of human life from conception to natural death. This has included lobbying government, supporting membership with information and encouraging other nurses to be involved in standing up for their rights.

{mosimage}The federal government has opted for a voluntary code of conduct for Canadian mining companies abroad, with no sanctions for those that fail to comply.

The 200,000 Catholics who have sent postcards to Ottawa asking Parliament to set rules for Canadian mining companies operating in smaller and poorer nations around the world have been answered with a set of voluntary guidelines, an office that will investigate complaints only if the mining company agrees and an industry-run “centre of excellence” to encourage mining companies to be more open when it comes to the environment, labour rights and corporate governance.

For ecumenical social justice organization KAIROS , the voluntary guidelines are a step backward.