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Canadian legislation would ban ‘barbaric cultural practices’

Canadian Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander has proposed a bill that would ban marriage for underage children and make polygamy grounds for deportation. (RNS photo courtesy Michael Swan/Flickr)

Canada is weighing legislation that would ban arranged marriages of minors and make polygamy grounds for deportation.

The “Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act,” introduced on November 5 by Chris Alexander, minister of citizenship and immigration, would set 16 as the minimum national age for marriage in Canada.

Canadian cyclists raise money for Botswana soccer pitch

The Drayton Riders cycled in the Ride for Refuge, which raised almost $20,000. Back row (l to r): Pauline Weiland, Ange Dewar, Nicole Lienhart, Ron Weber, Luke Hiller. Front row (l to r): Travis Wiens and Jason Martin. Missing from photo: Joel Hiller. (Photo provided by MC Canada)

Henry Krause (l) and Willard Metzger (r) joined 54 other riders across Canada for Mennonite Church Canada’s Ride for Refuge. (Photo provided by MC Canada)

On October 4, 56 cyclists and eight teams in six locations across the country took part in Mennonite Church Canada’s Ride for Refuge. Together they raised almost $20,000 in support of a ministry project for youth at risk in Botswana.

New exhibit features South American artists

The MHC Gallery exhibit, IDENTIDAD/IDENTITY features three artists with roots in South America. From L to R: Gabriela Agüero (Argentina), Lucy Riquelme (Chile), and Fanny Gómez de Correa (Colombia) stand in front of Riquelme’s mixed media painting, Mapuche’s Kultrún. (Credit: Ray Dirks)

On Sept. 19, 2014, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights received national attention for its opening in Winnipeg. On the same day, the Mennonite Heritage Centre Art Gallery quietly launched its own exhibit on human rights. 

An eerie calm: Iraqi Christians anxiously ponder their future

Afternoon prayer at the St. George Church in the historic Assyrian Christian town of Alqosh in the Nineveh Plain of Iraqi Kurdistan. Locals adhere to the Chaldean Catholic religion. The town was nearly overrun by Islamic fighters earlier this summer, when Peshmerga forces withdrew their forces, abandoning the Christian town. (Credit: Jodi Hilton/RNS)

Basima al-Safar retouches a picture of Jesus on an easel outside her house overlooking the flat Nineveh plains, 30 miles north of Mosul.

The murals she paints tell the story of her people, Christians in Iraq. But with Islamic State militants nearby, she is worried that life in Alqosh and towns like it could soon come to an end.

Cracked? Who’s cracked?

Liz Klassen felt the need to correct the rumour going around among the seniors that the play Cracked made fun of folk with dementia. Klassen, executive director of the Nithview Community in New Hamburg, operated by Tri-County Mennonite Homes, notes that the name of the play comes from Leonard Cohen’s 1992 song "Anthem" from his album The Future:

Six things you can do to prepare for PA 2015

Next year’s MWC Assembly will feature exuberant singing by people from around the world. (Credit: Merle Good)

In less than a year from now, our sisters and brothers from around the world, and from across North America, will be coming to Harrisburg to worship and fellowship with us. PA 2015, the Mennonite World Conference Assembly, will be held at the Farm Show Complex, July 21-26, 2015.

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