PoliticsCanada: Swearing Oaths: Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kennedy negates niqabs and burkas at naturalization-citizenship ceremonies

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Cardus Blog (December 15, 2k11)
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Veiled Interference in Freedom of Religion
by Ray Pennings
Intro material reposted here by Politicarp

For the record, I think Minister Jason Kenney is right in insisting that when taking the oath of citizenship, new Canadians are required to show their faces. He is quoted as saying, “The citizenship oath is a quintessentially public act. It is a public declaration that you are joining the Canadian family and it must be taken freely and openly.”

The issue is controversial, of course, due to the practice of certain Muslim women of wearing a niqab or burka in public. While Minister Kenney’s edict sounds reasonable, as Peter Stockland noted in this space yesterday, the response of outrage to the announcement also sounds reasonable. Recognizing that freedom of religion is a greatly attacked freedom these days, I am usually inclined to bend over backwards to protect it, but here—in matters as basic to our citizenship as swearing public oaths, establishing identity, or witnessing at a trial—I think the state has a more reasonable argument, to ensure it functions properly. These essential processes in the state’s functioning are part and parcel of the very package of freedoms that allow for the freedom of religion, which in my mind does allow for the wearing of religious head coverings on other occasions.

Read entire article 

CanadaEconomics: 4-sectored economy: What's Conserv govt gonna' do? Will parliament say Yes or No?

Comment magazine (Mar22,2k11)

Cardus Budget Analysis: 

Good News for Economy, 

Ho-Hum for Society

Read the whole article! Below is just a sampling...

by Ray Pennings and Robert Joustra

... C.D. Howe estimates that the unfunded liabilities of pension plans for federal government employees are enormous, possibly $65 billion higher than reported amounts in public accounts (Laurin and Robson, 2010). Demographically our health care system is in for a related crunch, as hospital beds are overwhelmed with elderly patients. How will the federal government deal with these challenges when the current health accord expires in 2014?"

Our Governor-General reviews our troops, 

presently engaged over Libya.

I continue to be impressed by the work of reformational thinktank Cardus and by Comment magazine, as well as by the contributions of these two writers to Cardus output overall.  -- EconoMix


While we're on the topic at hand, you may also want to check out these materials from Citizens for Public Justice, now based in Ottawa, which has info for us on

Bearing the Brunt

by Chandra Pasma | Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Bearing the Brunt: How the 2008-2009 Recession Created Poverty for Canadian Families details the rise in poverty and economic insecurity caused by the recession. The report examines key economic trends, comparing them to the baseline of 2007 (the last year for which poverty measures are available) in order to understand the recession’s impact.

The report: Bearing the Brunt

Le rapport: Elles en payent les frais

A summary document and provincial fact sheets are also available:

Bearing the Brunt – Summary 

Elles en payent les frais – Sommaire en français

Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
New Brunswick
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan

Hope for a New Day: 

Federal Poverty Reduction Strategy 

Is Now on the Agenda -- Catalyst (CPJ Winter 2010)

"CPJ's research indicates that poverty increased to 4.3 million as a result of the recession. November's Hunger Count by Food Banks Canada reported unprecedented historic highs in food bank use (up 9% this past year, after a record-setting increase of 18% in 2009).

Also in November, Campaign 2000's 2010 Report Card on Child and Family Poverty, reported that 1 in 1o children still lives in poverty.