Bill C-9: Does it represent an attack on religious freedom, or is the reaction in some corners an example of Maple MAGA?

It appears that issues related to housing, food prices, energy nationalism, and tariffs have been supplanted – if only temporarily – by a group of Conservative MPs, including Elgin-St. Thomas-London South MP, Andrew Lawton.
The hot-button issue of late appears to be religious freedom, and Lawton has been busy appearing at and hosting town hall meetings across the country, including an event this week in Saskatoon.
Some MPs, particularly in Ontario and BC, are pushing back against Bill C-9, an Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places.)
Some religious leaders believe the bill could remove a key legal protection for people of faith. Bill C-9 has been amended to remove religious defence under the Criminal Code. See the item below from David Goodwin.

Continue reading

Preventing the community from ever getting into this homelessness bottleneck again

city_scope_logo-cmykIn November of last year, Danielle Neilson reminded city council that the solution to homelessness is housing and housing with supports.
Neilson is the city’s Homelessness Prevention and Housing Programs Coordinator and at that meeting of council, she presented a thorough overview of the homeless situation in St. Thomas, including an analysis of unsheltered homelessness.
She observed, “. . . this is not only the result of increased demands on our emergency shelter beds, some of my firsthand experiences with people living unsheltered in St. Thomas revealed other factors as well.
“Such as needing lower barrier supports that are matched more appropriately to someone’s mental health or addiction challenges that may result in unpredictable behaviours.
“Having personal belongings or accumulating personal belongings at a rate that exceeds the shelter’s ability to store them.
“Having a complete desire to live unsheltered, even when housing options are available.

Continue reading