New Conversation Needed
The Vancouver Sun published an op/ed piece, "We need a new conversation on religion and secularism in Canada," in advance of the conference - "Our Whole Society: Bridging the Religious/Secular Divide" - taking place at UBC Robson Square March 22-24.
Geoffrey Cameron (Baha'i Community of Canada) and Karen Hamilton (Canadian Council of Churches) state in their opinion piece,
To be a citizen of Canada means more than a passport; it means being part of a whole society. A citizen participates in making her society a better place to live, by working with others for the well-being of the whole. We need to revitalize citizenship in Canada, not through border control and punitive measures, but by embracing a new level of toleration and mutual respect. We need a sense of confidence as a society that diverse religious beliefs and practices (even those we don’t understand) can be welcomed into public discourse without threatening social cohesion.