Matters of religion are always a touchy subject; doubly so when they intersect with matters of public safety. Such was the case this past week when the Bloc Quebecois announced they intend to seek a ban on carrying a Kirpan within the House of Commons. While the ban would currently only affect one sitting MP, Navdeep Bains of Mississauga-Brampton South constituency, it is being seen as an assault on religious freedom and has become a hot-button issue. The announcement comes only a day after security staff at the Quebec legislature denied entry to four Sikhs, some of whom were carrying Kirpans. Read more »

On the January 12, 2011 the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) announced its ruling on a complaint it received regarding the use of the word “faggot” in Dire Straits’ Money for Nothing. It was the decision of the council that the song in its original, un-edited form did indeed violate the protocols set forth by the Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB). As nearly all licensed broadcasters are also members of the CBSC this ruling resulted in the effective ban of the song from Canadian airwaves. The public response was less than supportive with a number of prominent members of both the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) and broadcast communities speaking out against the decision. Q104 in Halifax and K-97 in Edmonton even broadcast protest marathons in order to make their dissatisfaction publicly known. Now, barely a week later the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is writing the CBSC to share it’s views on the matter. Read more »