OTTAWA – A national coalition, made up of religious leaders from a broad range of faiths as well as notable secular thinkers, has come together to create a two-day conference exploring the role of religion in Canada’s public discourse in the face of the increasing secularization of our society. It will take place today and tomorrow, May 27 and 28, at McGill University’s Faculty of Religious Studies in The William and Henry Birks Building, 3520 University St. From discussions about truth and reconciliation to debates about religious freedom and Canadian foreign policy, the conference promises wide-ranging conversations and a range of perspectives on the theme of religion and public discourse in Canada.
“Many Canadians have the impression that our national discourse has become increasingly polarized and the civility of democratic deliberation is eroding. Fundamentalisms of many stripes – ideological, religious, and secular – seem to drown out more moderate and considered voices,” says EFC Vice-President Don Hutchinson. “We might ask ourselves, ‘Within this context, how should perspectives that draw from religion inform the national conversation? Where does responsibility rest for changing the current state of affairs?’ These are questions that will be explored together over these two days as we discuss how to bridge the secular divide.”
Among the conference speakers and panelists are EFC President Bruce J. Clemenger and EFC Policy Analyst for Poverty and Homelessness, Julia Beazley. Other participants are listed below.
For those unable to attend in person, the conference will be live-streamed at http://bcooltv.mcgill.ca/Viewer3/?EventID=201305135553. (See hourly schedule.)
MONDAY, MAY 27 (participants include):
Rabbi Lisa Grushcow, Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom in Montreal.
Dr. Imam Hamid Slimi, Chairman, Canadian Council of Imams, Former Commissioner of the Ontario Commission of Human Rights
Peter Stockland, Publisher, Convivium; Past Editor-in-Chief, Montreal Gazette
Joe Comartin, Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh, Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons
Archbishop Christian Lépine, Archbishop of Montreal
Hon. Bill Blaikie, Director, the Knowles-Woodsworth Centre for Theology and Public Policy, former Member of Parliament
Prof. Daniel Weinstock, Professor of Ethics, Law and Public Policy in the Faculty of Law at McGill University
Dr. Victor Goldbloom, President, Christian-Jewish Dialogue of Montreal, former MNA and Cabinet Minister in Quebec
Dr. Gerald Filson, Director of Public Affairs, Baha’i Community of Canada
TUESDAY, MAY 28 (participants include):
Dr. Janet Epp Buckingham, Director, Laurentian Leadership Centre
The Reverend Dr. James Christie, Director of the Ridd Institute for Religion & Global Policy
Rizwan Mohammad, Canadian Council of Muslim Women
Prof. Spencer Boudreau, Faculty of Education, McGill University. His research interests include religious education in public and private schools
Hon. David Kilgour, Former Member of Parliament and Secretary of State, Co-Chair of the Canadian Friends of a Democratic Iran
Lori Ransom, Senior Advisor, Church and Faith Relations at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Dr. Andrew Bennett, Ambassador of Religious Freedom, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Anne Leahy, Former Canadian Ambassador to the Holy See
The Reverend Dr. Karen Hamilton, General Secretary Canadian Council of Churches
For full information about the conference program, venue and participants: www.bridgingthedivide.ca.
Post-conference Updates
Find the following outcomes of the conference online:
Image from May 27 panel. EFC President Bruce J. Clemenger is flanked by Susanne Tamas (Director of Government Relations, Baha’i Community) and Balpreet Singh Boparai (Legal Counsel, World Sikh Organization - Canada).
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For more information or an interview contact:
Katherine Gomby
Media Relations/Relations avec les médias
McGill University
514-398-2189
katherine.gombay@mcgill.ca