The RCMP spied on many Christian
groups during the Cold War and into the 1980s, says political
scientist Steve Hewitt who researched the files. Groups under
suspicion of subversion included Project Ploughshares and the
Student Christian Movement, as well as that symbol of charitable
causes, Lotta Hitchmanova of the Unitarian Service Committee.
The United Church and peace groups were also under surveillance
as communist sympathizers. "The RCMP must have been very
immature to assume we were a pacifist group bent on subverting
members of the military," said Mennonite Ernie Regehr, Ploughshares
director. "I don't know if the current gang, CSIS, is any
more sophisticated." CSIS (Canadian Security and Intelligence
Service) took over the RCMP's intelligence gathering role in the
1980s.-The Vancouver Sun, April 1
Trinity Western University
(TWU), a Christian institution in Langley B.C., has the right
to offer teacher training degrees, ruled the Supreme Court of
Canada on May 17. The decision is being seen as a victory for
religious freedom in Canada. The B.C. College of Teachers had
refused to approve TWU's education program because TWU requires
its students to refrain from extramarital sex, including homosexual
behaviour. The College argued that the requirement might lead
to discriminating against homosexuals in the classroom. The Supreme
Court said that "there is nothing in TWU's Community Standards
that indicates that graduates of TWU will not treat homosexuals
fairly and respectfully." The Supreme Court "has affirmed
that, in our multi-cultural and multi-faith society, people cannot
be arbitrarily penalized or barred in participating in public
life simply because they hold religious views," said Guy
Saffold, TWU vice-president. -From TWU release
Copyright
for the contents of this page belongs to the Canadian Mennonite.
Please seek permission to reprint from the editor
.