Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has committed to bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees into Canada by the end of the year. The first are due to begin arriving by the end of November. On the feature interview today, we speak to a former refugee – a Christian pastor who had to flee Egypt during the “Arab Spring” uprising – about the need to balance compassion with security. Today, Reverend Majed El Shafie leads an organization called “One Free World International”. 

In the news:  

The Trudeau government has now said it is no longer interested in hearing specific recommendations from a blue-ribbon panel appointed by the Harper Conservatives. This panel that was to gather input from groups which intervened in the Carter case last year.  Instead, the panel has been asked to provide a summary of what it heard, without any specific recommendations for government action.

Two provinces, including BC, are moving ahead on the basis that doctor-assisted suicide will soon be legal by crafting regulations around the issue.

The new federal Health Minister has signaled that the Trudeau government wants to expand access to abortion across the country. Mike Schouten from WeNeedaLaw.ca says “[it is] mind-boggling that, in the face of so many problems facing our health care system, [including] an aging demographic and other issues, the first thing [the new government] wants to talk about is how we can kill more pre-born children.”

Lastly the Alberta School Boards Association at its annual convention voted down a resolution to craft a policy to protect LGBTQ students from discrimination. Alberta’s Bill 10 requires every school board in the province to have a policy in place by the end of March. We speak to an advocate for Alberta’s private and independent schools about what the vote might mean.