A Canadian non-profit organisation, Dying With Dignity Canada (DWDC), has filed a constitutional challenge against the federal government, seeking to expand the country’s euthanasia programme to include individuals suffering from mental illness. The legal action claims the current exclusion of mental illness from the Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) programme is discriminatory under the Canadian Read more
Before Canada legalised Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD) in 2016, Canadians understood it to be a rare and merciful end, when medicine had nothing left to offer. As Canadian law currently stands, only an adult with a grievous and irremediable medical condition can seek medical assistance in dying. But the numbers don’t fit with the Read more
Last month, Pope Francis came to Canada and expressed regret for the Roman Catholic Church’s part in running notoriously abusive residential schools for Indigenous children, which operated between 1880 and 1996. “I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples,” the pope said. Canada’s own government has previously Read more
Pope Francis’ six-day pastoral visit to Canada was a great success. It wasn’t until the news conference on the plane back to Rome that it became clear he wasn’t properly briefed for his visit. Francis, in Canada on what he called a penitential pilgrimage, apologized to the Indigenous peoples of the country for the Catholic Church’s Read more
A chief’s gift of an eagle feather headdress to the pope during his penitential tour of Canada is shocking many commentators. They include indigenous peoples from across the world. One, Hemopereki Simon, is a research expert in indigenous politics and Te Tiriti. “I have survived the settler colonial education system and have come out on Read more
The Doctrine of Discovery is making headlines, especially in Canada. Numerous individuals and groups want it gone. The Doctrine is a collection of papal teachings beginning in the 14th century. The teachings (called papal bulls) blessed explorers’ efforts to colonise and claim the lands of any people who were not Christian. The explorers would then Read more
Pope Francis’ trip to Canada to apologise for the horrors of church-run Indigenous residential schools marks a radical rethink of the Catholic Church’s missionary legacy, spurred on by the first pope from the Americas and the discovery of hundreds of probable graves at the school sites. Francis has said his weeklong visit, which begins Sunday, Read more
Pope Francis’ “penitential pilgrimage” to Canada began with an impassioned apology, setting the scene for the 6-day pilgrimage. The apology is only a first step towards reconciliation. The pilgrimage began Monday, July 25. The first act on the Canadian “penitential pilgrimage,” was the return of two pairs of children’s moccasins on 25 July. “I am Read more
Pope Francis’ first act on his Canadian “penitential pilgrimage,” July 25, was the return of two pair of children’s moccasins. The shoes were not part of the Vatican Museums artefacts but were given to him when Canadian Indigenous visited Rome in March 2022 “The first step of my penitential pilgrimage among you is that of Read more
Pope Francis has arrived in Canada on what he calls a “penitential” trip. The Vatican says the trip’s theme is “walking together”. Francis hopes to reconcile with Canada’s indigenous people for the abuse indigenous children suffered at mostly church-run residential schools. Hundreds of possible grave sites have been found at the schools. Catholic missionaries are Read more