Research with the BC Humanists


Castanet, March 8, 2023
New study finds crisis pregnancy centres have anti-abortion agendas
A new study of crisis pregnancy centres in Canada has found they have hidden anti-abortion agendas. The study was created by the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC) and the BC Humanist Association (BCHA). The Canada-wide study looked at the websites of nearly 150 crisis pregnancy centres (CPC) and looked for misleading information.

Newmarket Today, Dec. 9, 2022
Report slams Newmarket, other councils for prayers at meetings
Newmarket and other Ontario municipalities earned scorn in a new report calling for an end to prayers at municipal council meetings. The B.C. Humanist Society released a report analyzing the 2018 inaugural council meetings and found that 156 municipalities (47.6 per cent), including Newmarket, have still maintained the practice. The organization said this runs contrary to a 2015 Supreme Court ruling that found prayers at council meetings to breach a municipality's duty of neutrality.

OnlySky, May 12, 2022
Canada’s government rejects motion to end daily prayer in House of Commons
“It was disappointing to see so few MPs actively engaging in the substance of the issue and standing up to support the separation of religion and government,” said BCHA Research Coordinator Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff. “Instead of taking the opportunity to reflect on the duty of religious neutrality and how to ensure that Parliament is a welcoming and inclusive space that reflects the diversity of Canadians, they chose to chastise the Bloc for using their opposition day to present a perfectly valid motion.”

Winnipeg Sun, March 28, 2022
BC group calls out Winnipeg for opening council meetings with prayers
A group of British Columbia humanists, atheists and agnostics is calling out the City of Winnipeg for its practice of beginning its council meetings with prayers in a new report, released on Monday. The BC Humanist Association (BCHA) found seven Manitoba municipalities that have opened council meetings with prayers, seemingly in open violation of a decision from the Supreme Court of Canada. Three of those municipalities, including the City of Winnipeg, begin every council meeting with a prayer while six began their most recent inaugural meeting when newly elected officials are sworn in with a prayer.

NSRN 2021 Conference,
July 7, 2021
Practitioners Session: Legislative Prayer in Canada
The following is a recording of the practitioners session from the NSRN 2021 Conference. Presenters from the BCHA:
Teale Phelps Bondaroff, Research Coordinator
Adriana Thom, Researcher
Ian Bushfield, Executive Director
Katie Marshall, Board Member
RESPONDENT: Solange Lefebvre, Université de Montréal

Canadian Atheist, Feb. 16, 2021
2021 Canadian Atheist Awards – Person of the year – Teale Phelps Bondaroff
For his continued and wide-ranging work making Canada—and the world—a better, more humanist place, for his research combating Christian hegemony and furthering secularism, and for his success in making real change happen even in the usually unyielding halls of power… Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, you are Canadian Atheist’s 2021 person of the year.

CFAX 1070, Dec. 21, 2020
Should churches that break COVID rules lose tax exemptions?
Churches and religious buildings receive statutory property tax exemptions, and some also get additional property tax relief. Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff - BC Humanist Association, joined Adam to talk about if they should be eligible for tax breaks when they are breaking COVID rules?

Times Colonist, Dec. 21, 2020
Churches breaking COVID-19 rules still get government tax breaks
PTEs “exist specifically to support work that benefits the community,” said BCHA researcher Taele Phelps Bondaroff. “So, I would argue that a place of worship that is holding meetings in open defiance of COVID-19 regulations that are in place to keep people safe and prevent the spread of the pandemic is not providing a service that benefits the community – quite the opposite.

Chilliwack Progress, Nov.27, 2020
Most municipalities no longer begin council sessions with prayer: BC Humanist report
Starting a municipal council meeting with prayer was ruled unconstitutional in a 2015 Supreme Court decision.
Municipalities across the country have had a few years to stop the inclusion of prayer in their meetings and change procedures, according to a new report from the BC Humanist Association, ‘Duty of Neutrality Beyond Saguenay.’
Chilliwack, Langley, and White Rock were among the 23 municipalities found by researchers to have violated the “duty of religious neutrality” in 2018 by beginning their inaugural council meetings with prayers.

Globe and Mail, Nov. 29, 2019
B.C. Legislature changes rules to allow secular ‘reflections’ to open proceedings
British Columbia’s Legislature has changed its rules to formally allow “reflections” to open proceedings each day, in addition to prayer, amid a debate about the place of religion in Canadian assemblies....
The formal change follows criticism from organizations such as the B.C. Humanist Association, that the practice of legislative prayer “discriminates against non-believers and violates the state’s duty of religious neutrality.”
2023
-
2023-03-20 - Health Insight: "Why Anti-Abortion Groups Should Not Be Charities."
-
2023-03-16 - BCHA: "Anti-Choice Clinic Website Review: North Peace Pregnancy Care Centre."
-
2023-03-09 - Pique Magazine: "New study finds crisis pregnancy centres have anti-abortion agendas.
-
2023-03-09 - Vancouver Is Awesome: "New study finds crisis pregnancy centres have anti-abortion agendas."
-
2023-03-08 - Victoria Buzz: "Several Vancouver Island ‘crisis pregnancy centres’ mislead women with anti-abortion agendas."
-
2023-03-08 - Castanet: "New study finds crisis pregnancy centres have anti-abortion agendas."
-
2023-03-08 - CDEACF: "Une étude révèle que les « centres de grossesse d’urgence » sont trompeurs et manipulateurs."
-
2023-03-08 - ARCC: "Study: Examining the Websites of Anti-Choice “Crisis Pregnancy Centres.”
2022
-
2022-12-09 - Newmarket Today: "Report slams Newmarket, other councils for prayers at meetings."
-
2022-11-10 - Hope Standard: "Northern B.C. officials ban nativity scene from Terrace city hall roof."
-
2022-11-06 - Parksville Qualicum Beach News: "BC Humanist Society criticizes inaugural Parksville council meeting’s inclusion of ‘blessings.’
-
2022-11-05 - News 24: "Les données du recensement montrent que la Colombie-Britannique est la province la plus laïque du Canada."
-
2022-11-01 - Trail Times: "B.C. is Canada’s least religious province, has country’s 6 least religious metro areas."
-
2022-10-31 - BCHA: "Humanists decry planned invocation by Clearwater council."
-
2022-10-30 - CBC: "Census data shows B.C. is the most secular province in Canada."
-
2022-10-18 - BCHA: "BCHA reminds newly elected councils not to open meetings with prayers."
-
2022-07-04 - BCHA: "Changes to legislative prayer in the Isle of Man."
-
2022-06-13 - BCHA: "BCHA Research Update."
-
2022-05-12 - OnlySky: "Canada’s government rejects motion to end daily prayer in House of Commons."
-
2022-05-12 - BCHA: "Standing up for Reproductive Rights and Justice in BC and Canada."
-
2022-05-10 - BCHA: "BC Humanists urge MPs to support motion to abolish prayer."
-
2022-03-30 - The Winkler Morden Voice: "B.C. humanist group calls out local councils for opening meetings with prayer."
-
2022-03-28 - Winnipeg Free Press: "Winnipeg defends freedom of expression: Council prayer violates court ruling, says watch group."
-
2022-03-28 - Winnipeg Sun: "BC group calls out Winnipeg for opening council meetings with prayers."
2021
-
2021-10-27 - BCHA: "Saanich endorses COVID-19 denial through permissive tax exemption."
-
2021-09-03 - CHEK News: "Concerns raised over religious ‘tent revival’ on SD61 property."
-
2021-08-05 - Canadian Atheist: "Ask Dr. P.B. 5 – Permissive Tax Exemptions."
-
2021-07-20 - Saanich News: "B.C. Humanists continue to lobby against giving clergy charitable tax breaks."
-
2021-07-18 - Canadian Atheist: "Ask Dr. P.B. 4 – The Arbiters of Faith.”
-
2021-07-12 - BCHA: "A Public Good? Religious property tax exemptions in BC."
-
2021-07-07 - NSRN 2021 Conference: "Practitioners Session: Legislative Prayer in Canada."
-
2021-06-30 - BCHA: "BCHA AGM 2021 - Research Update."
-
2021-06-21 - LUEE Podcast: "Episode 169: Legislative Prayer."
-
2021-06-15 - BCHA: "An extra burden: The clergy residence deduction."
-
2021-05-27 - Canadian Atheist: "Ask Dr. P.B. 3 – History and History-Making: Public Prayers & Land Acknowledgements."
-
2021-05-26 - Canadian Atheist: "Ask Dr. P.B. 2 – Public Prayers: Inclusion, Exclusion, and Decolonization."
-
2021-03-22 - Humanist Canada: "Whatever happened to Saguenay? Municipal Prayer in Canada."
-
2021-02-24 - Friendly Atheist: "Canadian Atheist Group: Churches Breaking COVID Rules Must Lose Tax-Exempt Status."
-
2021-02-22 - BCHA: "A public good? Property tax exemptions for places of worship in British Columbia."
-
2021-02-16 - Canadian Atheist: "2021 Canadian Atheist Awards – Person of the year – Teale Phelps Bondaroff."
-
2021-02-01 - Canadian Atheist: "2021 Canadian Atheist Awards – Nominations."
-
2021-01-26 - News Intervention: "Municipal Case Study: British Columbia and Permissive Tax Exemptions."
2020
-
2020-12-23 - CFAX 1070: "Should churches that break COVID rules lose tax exemptions?"
-
2020-12-21 - Times Colonist: "Churches breaking COVID-19 rules still get government tax breaks."
-
2020-12-21 - Burnaby Now: "B.C. churches breaking COVID-19 rules still get government tax breaks."
-
2020-12-07 - BCHA: "2020 In Review."
-
2020-12-07 - Global News: "Some Okanagan city councils unconstitutionally included prayer in meetings: report."
-
2020-12-04 - The Tide Lights: "Christian-Based Prayer At Inaugural Vancouver Island Council Meetings Violates Court Ruling."
-
2020-12-03 - Humanist Canada: "Webinar Series 2020: Strategies in Reproductive Health Activism."
-
2020-11-27 - Surrey Now-Leader: "White Rock council under fire for inaugural prayer."
-
2020-11-27 - The Chilliwack Progress: "Most municipalities no longer begin council sessions with prayer: BC Humanist report."
-
2020-11-27 - InfoNews.ca: "No prayer? Some Okanagan councils chastised for violating 'duty of religious neutrality.'"
-
2020-11-26 - Saanich News: "Christian-based prayer at inaugural Vancouver Island council meetings violates court ruling."
-
2020-11-25 - My Caribou Now: "Study finds two Cariboo municipalities in violation of Saguenay Decision."
-
2020-11-25 - CBC Radio: "Daybreak South with Chris Walker."
-
2020-11-25 - The Friendly Atheist: "Many British Columbia Municipalities Open Meetings with Prayer, Breaking the Law."
-
2020-11-24 - Vernon Morning Star: "Prayer at Spallumcheen, Armstrong council meetings a violation of religious neutrality: study."
-
2020-11-24 - Salmon Arm Observer: "Prayer at North Okanagan council meetings a violation of religious neutrality: study."
-
2020-11-24 - BCHA: "The Duty of Neutrality Beyond Saguenay: Unconstitutional Prayers at Municipal Councils in British Columbia."
-
2020-10-10 - Canadian Atheist: "Ask Dr. P.B. 1 – Religious Privilege in Practice in Canada: Municipal Prayers & Permissive Tax Exemptions."
-
2020-10-05 - BCHA: "The Arbiters of Faith: Prayer in the BC Legislature and Religious Entanglement."
-
2020-05-25 - The Friendly Atheist: "BC Humanists Call for Land Acknowledgment to “Decolonize Legislative Prayers.”
-
2020-05-20 - BCHA: "Decolonizing Legislative Prayer: A House of Prayers Supplementary Report."
-
2020-05-15 - BCHA: "From the Research Desk - Charity Law."
-
2020-05-08 - Centre for Inquiry Canada: "British Columbia House of Prayers."
-
2020-05-07 - Radio Victoria: "Pourquoi tant de prières à l’Assemblée législative ? avec Dr Teale Phelps Bondaroff."
-
2020-04-24 - BCHA: "From the Research Desk - Municipal Prayers."
-
2020-04-06 - BCHA: "From the Research Desk - Prayers in the BC Legislature and other projects."
-
2020-02-07 - BCHA: "BC Humanist Association Special Lecture: Inspecting the House of Prayers."
-
2020-01-02 - Atheist Nomads: "Episode 336 – Prayer in Victoria with Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff."
2019
-
2019-12-22 - Globe and Mail: "Ontario legislature unlikely to stop saying Lord’s Prayer at the start of each day."
-
2019-12-11 - RadioCanada: "L’athéisme est-il une religion?"
-
2019-12-01 - News 1130: "Group applauds shift to daily 'prayers and reflections' in B.C. Legislature."
-
2019-11-30 - Times Colonist: "Prayer routine adds non-religious reflection at legislature sittings."
-
2019-11-30 - The Friendly Atheist: "B. C. Legislature Replaces Daily Prayers with “Prayers and Reflections”."
-
2019-11-29 - Globe and Mail: "B.C. Legislature changes rules to allow secular ‘reflections’ to open proceedings."
-
2019-11-29 - Global News: "Thoughts and prayers: Religion stays in B.C. legislature, now joined by ‘reflections’."
-
2019-11-29 - CBC News: "Separating church and state: B.C. Legislative Assembly daily prayers receive minor tweak."
-
2019-11-29 - Vancouver Sun: "Prayers to continue at B.C. legislature, but now there will also be 'reflections'."
-
2019-11-28 - BCHA: "Prayers and reflections to begin every sitting of BC Legislature."
-
2019-09-30 - The Runner: "It’s Time to End the Practice of Reciting Christian Prayers in Government."
-
2019-09-18 - Canadian Atheist: "Interview with Dr. Teale Phelps Bondaroff on BC Legislature Prayers."
-
2019-09-15 - The Friendly Atheist: "After Analyzing 16 Years of Government Prayers, BC Humanists Want Them to End."
-
2019-09-12 - Victoria News: "Does prayer have a place in the B.C. Legislature?"
-
2019-09-10 - Vancouver Sun: "Atheists, humanists want an end to prayers in B.C. Legislature."
-
2019-09-04 - CHEK News: "Group lobbies to drop daily prayer at BC Legislature."
-
2019-09-00 - CFAX 1070: "Should the BC Legislature drop morning prayers?"
-
2019-09-04 - Victoria Buzz: "BC group launches campaign to end daily religious prayers at provincial legislature."
-
2019-09-03 - CTV News: "B.C. group calls for end to prayers in the legislative assembly."
-
2019-09-03 - Georgia Straight: "Humanists launch campaign to end 'discriminatory' practice of praying in B.C. Legislative Assembly."
-
2019-09-03 - News 1130: "Should daily prayer be ousted from the B.C. Legislature?"
-
2019-09-03 - CBC News: "Group lobbies to scrap Legislative Assembly daily prayer."
-
2019-09-03 - Global News: "Should prayer be scrapped in B.C. legislature? Humanist group says yes."
-
2019-04-10 - Victoria News: "Humanist group with Saanich ties accused of being “hardline secular activists.”