Canadian society has come a long way in encouraging tolerance and accommodation. Generally speaking, laws and attitudes have evolved for the better when it comes to the treatment of racial and ethnic minorities, women, the disabled and others who historically have faced discrimination.

In ancient Greece, warring sides would sign a truce for the duration of the Olympic Games so athletes could safely join the sporting festival. That ideal, sport as a bridge to peace, still endures despite the modern Games being darkened so often by scandal.

Changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program that for all intents blacklist employers who oppose abortion and gender theory are outrageous, discriminatory and, surely, unconstitutional.

One failing of the ongoing negotiations to amend the North American Free Trade Agreement is that leaders are fixated on wealth, not poverty.

For much of the past two decades, Christmas celebrations in the birthplace of Christ have been muted. Recent Decembers, however, have seen Bethlehem start to become a more joyous place and the annual Christmas tree lighting last month in Manger Square was said to be the most festive in years.

The Our Father is the foundational prayer of Christian faith. So perhaps it is fitting that Pope Francis has placed it in the spotlight as we make ready to celebrate the Saviour’s birth.

In a media world where absurdity abounds, one of the silliest statements of late is a claim that a trip to Myanmar damaged the moral authority of Pope Francis. Quite the opposite.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the government’s new housing initiative, even moreso than a multi-billion-dollar pledge, is recognition in Ottawa that every Canadian has a fundamental right to housing.