Bill C-4
As many of you know, Bill C4 which is the bill to ban conversion therapy did pass unanimously in the House of Commons on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.
Bill C4 says that conversion therapy is “a practice, treatment or service designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual or gender identity to cisgender, or to repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behaviour."
The definition does not just apply to efforts to change a person’s sexual orientation. It would risk banning private conversations in which personal views are expressed about sexual behaviour.
While this bill's predecessor C-6 only applied to restricting conversations involving minors, Bill C-4 would impose the same restrictions on consenting adults. If a counsellor, or mentor were to provide advice on sexual behaviour to a consenting adult who was seeking counsel, that person could be deemed to have provided “Conversion Therapy” as misdefined by this law, and sent to prison for up to five years.
Unfortunately, parliament did not take the time to do their due diligence through regular debates, committee study and investigation with experts to ensure that this bill is good for all Canadians. Instead, MPs unanimously adopted a motion presented by a Conservative MP to fast-track the passage of the Liberal government bill.
We are now hearing that the Senate is also planning on fast-tracking this bill with a vote to take place on Tuesday. We encourage you to please call your senators. Click here for the list of Senators and their contact information. We encourage you to keep calling until you get someone. Let them know that you want to see proper procedure to occur with this bill. That is to say that they will debate, hold committees and hear from witnesses.
If this bill is passed by the Senate, it will receive Royal Assent and go into effect as law on the 30th day of that month.
We also encourage you to reach out to Erin O'Toole's office to ask him why they opted to not go through proper parliamentary procedure. Click here for Erin O'Toole's contact information. Canadians deserve so much more from the party we call the official opposition.
Pray for our Senators that they would be open to hear concerns surrounding this bill.
Pray for groups like Free to Care, EFC, ARPA and others who will be working to prepare detailed analyses of the bill and amendments for the Senate.
Continue to pray for our government leaders that righteousness and justice will reign in both the House of Commons and the Senate.
November 29, 2021
Floods in British Columbia
The second in a trio of intense rainfalls subsided in many areas Sunday, however Environment Canada warned that associated warming had pushed freezing levels well above mountain tops. That means snowmelt is flowing into runoff, causing rivers to rise and increasing the risk of flooding. A third storm in the series of devastating atmospheric rivers is forecast to arrive on Tuesday and Wednesday and officials have warned that it could be the worst one yet.
Pray that God would stop the next storm from reaching inland.
Pray that the church would be a light in this dark time. May they be the hands and feet of Jesus to so many who need help.
Pray that roads stay open and all infrastructure stays intact.
Pray that farmers will be able to stay with their animals to keep them safe.
Pray that the supply chain of essentials will not be cut off.
November 9, 2021
Up to 30 Conservative MPs have banded together to form the “Civil Liberties Caucus” to speak up for unvaccinated Canadians who are losing their jobs.
MP Marilyn Gladu says, “Our job as MPs is to raise the issues that our constituents are bringing, and ask the
She also said that this causus will sift through “multiple sources of data” and suggest “reasonable solutions” to both keep people safe and make sure personal freedoms are protected.
Pray that all MP's would have ears to hear what their constituents are saying.
Pray that the focus of media narrative would shift from anti-vaxer rhetoric to discussions on policies that would protect our constitutional freedoms.
Pray that other MP's and Senators from all political stripes would have boldness and courage to speak out for the liberties of those in their ridings.
Pray for those who are facing difficult decision due to vaccine mandates.
Pray for those cases that are now before the courts that the judges will be able to see clearly the plumbline of our constitution regarding freedoms for every Canadian.
October 26, 2021
4.4% Inflation is at highest since 2003
The result is a high cost of living hitting the poorest Canadians the hardest. The cost of essentials like food and fuel have increased considerably. The working class have seen their pay checks shrink in real value as everything goes up. Only the very rich are not negatively impacted because their assets continue to increase in value as prices of everything goes up. Former PM Jean Chrétien says, “We’re printing money like crazy,” which is worrisome. He says, “We’re moving into a dark alley."
Pray that the new Minister of Finance (more than likely will continue to be Chrystia Freeland) will have strategies to get inflation and spending under control
Pray that there is strategy for job creation and helping small businesses to get back on their feet.
Pray that it become priority for our government to not leave a legacy of high debt for our children and grandchildren.
Parliament resumes November 22nd, 2021
52 new members have been elected to the House of Commons. This means many new staff and advisors will be hired to their teams.
Pray for the choosing of righteous, integrals and wise advisors
Pray for smooth transitions
Pray that righteous, wise and knowledgeable members will be added to the cabinet and the shadow cabinet.
Pray that the church will continue to engage with these members
October 18th, 2021
Urgent Prayer needed for Haiti
Seventeen missionaries, including 16 Americans and one Canadian, have been kidnapped during a trip to an orphanage in Haiti. This is not political but rather perpetuated by criminal gangs for the purpose of extortion. Haiti's President was assassinated this past summer leaving the country in political instability.
Pray for the safe return of all the kidnap victims - that the American, Canadian and Haitian governments would have wisdom when dealing with these gangs.
Pray that the rule of law be restored to the country
Pray for the Transforming power of God to move in this nation
Update October 4th, 2021
Pray the News - Tofino Beach!
We must continue to pray for our government leaders that His truth would set them free and that they would all be reconciled to Him.
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."
1 Timothy 2: 1-4
National Truth and Reconciliation Day
The following was taken from Pray Ottawa's Weekly Prayer Point September 29, 2021. Pray Ottawa is a prayer effort that encourages focused and sustained prayer in order to see the city of Ottawa prayer-saturated.
Our points for prayer are a bit cumbersome, but the heart behind this is to engage with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (TRC), and with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) to which the TRC refers. We want to hold these openly before our Lord and ask for his help for all the people and land in Canada.
Pray that Jesus Christ will provide the hope and reconciliation, and that Christians will be ambassadors of reconciliation to God and to fellow humans.
Child Welfare: (From TRC 1-5)
There are disproportionate numbers of indigenous children in the child welfare system and removed from their communities, which perpetuates the legacy of the Indian Residential Schools. – Pray that in those instances where there is concern regarding neglect, more solutions are found that keep families together or such that the children are provided care within their community and family rather than being taken away.
Health: (from Article 24 of UNDRIP)
Pray for indigenous people to have access to the highest standards of mental and physical health.
Lands and Resources: (from Article 27 of UNDRIP)
Pray for people whose work involves recognizing and adjudicating the rights of indigenous peoples pertaining to their lands and resources. Pray that both the indigenous people concerned and non-indigenous people work together at this. Pray for the love and wisdom to establish impartial processes that recognize indigenous people’s laws, traditions, and land tenure systems.
Pray for Christians to persevere in seeking reconciliation, taking responsibility, while rightly dividing God’s way from the world’s way. Pray that we will engage in prayer and in support of this much needed healing of our nation.
Kenny Blacksmith
The following was taken from Kenny Blacksmith's Facebook page.
Just thinking out loud….
National Truth & Reconciliation Day….Louise and I remembered our journey of forgiveness and much more….we asked ourselves what does reconciliation really mean? We said when two people are doing well from the beginning then they encounter a falling out and they fix things between themselves they then reconcile.
First Nations and governments never started off good - it was bad from the beginning. Can bad reconcile with bad?
In the context of the apology on the IRS - a wrong was acknowledged; forgiveness was asked; forgiveness was given….
But true Truth & Reconciliation needs to go deeper still. It cannot begin with the Indian Residential School. The roots are deeper.
It again begins with a true reconciliation with us as individuals and as a people and nation with a merciful and loving God.
If we miss this firm spiritual foundation - reconciliation will only be an empty meaningless gesture.