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Canadian military chaplains are called to important work, and we should remember them in our prayers, writes Bruce J. Clemenger, vice chair of the Interfaith Committee for Canadian Military Chaplaincy. The EFC has joined with hosts of Canadians in calling for prayer for those impacted by the devastating fire at CFB Wainwright. Read the EFC's official statement at TheEFC.ca/Wainwright-fire. Let us be in prayer for: the families and colleagues of those killed, in this time of p

EFC President David Guretzki reflected on the value of the relationship between churches and seminaries at a speech given at Tyndale Seminary’s 50th anniversary in September 2026. Here's an excerpt. I am a long-time participant in Canadian theological education. As a systematic theologian, I am deeply committed to the church and her God-given call. I see theological education as a crucial partner with the Church. In this regard, Christian educational institutions grounded in

Will you join us in a week of prayer for our local MPs? The House of Commons resumes on Sept. 21, 2026, after the summer recess. We have a prayer for each day in the week leading up to Sept. 21 that you could use in your personal time of prayer, in small groups or congregations. Let's ask God to bless our local MPs and our country. Consider sending your MP a note to thank them for their service to the community and let them know you're praying for them. Let’s pray for our loc

August 22 is the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. While this day might easily pass unnoticed, for Christians, it is a significant occasion to remember those who have suffered and died because of their faith. The Christian story has included persecution from its earliest days. The first Christian martyr was Stephen, whose death is recorded in Acts 7. A book published in 2025, The Martyrs of the New Millennium, documen

A new policy forbids military chaplains from not only praying, but from referring to God or the divine in spiritual reflections. They are being required to be publicly secular. The eminent Canadian philosopher Charles Tayor calls our time the Secular Age, a time when life can be lived without reference to God or the transcendent. Belief in God is only one option. For military chaplains, conforming to the secular age in their public pronouncements is now compelled. The policy

The date when MAiD for mental illness would be allowed has been looming for years. The law allowing this expansion was passed in 2021, with a delay until it would take effect. Thankfully that take-effect date has been pushed back more than once – in 2023 and 2024. Now, it’s looming again. In less than 8 months, on March 17, 2026, the law allowing MAiD for mental illness will take effect, unless a bill is passed to delay it again – or stop it altogether. Over the summer, the J

To respond to the devastation caused by two earthquakes on June 24, the federal government announced June 25 that it will donate $5 million in humanitarian assistance funding. UPDATE: On June 30 it announced it will match humanitarian donations given from June 25 to July 14 through members of the Humanitarian Coalition and the Canadian Red Cross up to $4 million. As Canadians consider where to direct their donations, they may want to consider international relief and develop

Does your congregation observe World Refugee Sunday? The World Evangelical Alliance has supported such an annual observance for decades, in connection with June 20 being World Refugee Day. Even if it's not your church practice, now is a good time to reflect on how support of refugees can be part of Christian living. Perhaps you'll be inspired by a recent blog over at FaithToday.ca on the topic. Perhaps you'll want to download the latest version of the EFC's resource Welcome t

Bill C-9 has now passed in both the House of Commons and the Senate, and is now law. In its final stage, the House of Commons voted on June 17, 2026, to accept a change to the bill’s list of symbols that had passed in the Senate. The provisions of Bill C-9 took effect on July 18, which was 30 days after it received Royal Assent. Many Canadian Christians are wondering what has changed with the passing of Bill C-9. The good faith religious belief defence is removed If a person

National Indigenous Peoples Day is coming this Sunday. This annual celebration has been held each June 21 since 1996. The EFC is working on a documentary about a momentous yet often forgotten Sacred Assembly that helped spark this special day. There is now a trailer on Vimeo.com that can be shown to raise awareness. National Indigenous Peoples Day was declared by Canada’s governor general in 1996, in part as a response to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and in par

The Senate made one change to Bill C-9 and passed it on June 4, 2026. The Senate did not pass any amendments to help clarify and protect religious expression. The bill has been sent back to the House of Commons for a vote on the change. Bill C-9 has passed in the Senate. What’s next? The Senate amended Bill C-9 by adding the noose to the list of symbols in the offence of promoting hatred through the use of symbols. The bill was then passed by the Senate. A bill has to pass wi

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada looks a little different as it launches into a new fiscal year on June 1, 2026. We’ve promoted several staff and reorganized our management structure to align with our 2025-2028 strategic plan, summarized in the new EFC tagline “Calling Evangelicals to greater visible unity in gospel witness.” The plan has four ends: EFC Affiliate leaders will lead with theological soundness and prophetic imagination in the face of current and future chall

Many Christians are concerned about the impact of a proposed hate crimes bill on religious expression. Bill C-9 has passed in the House of Commons and is moving through the Senate. A Senate committee is now studying the bill and hearing from witnesses. Would you pray for us? The EFC is slated to appear before the Senate committee on Thursday afternoon. Please pray for wisdom, discernment and peace for the EFC director of public policy Julia Beazley. Pray the senators will be

Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act, is now in the Senate. What’s different about the Senate and how can we engage? Just to recap, the Jewish community has been asking for changes to criminal law in the face of an alarming rise in antisemitism. Bill C-9 defines hatred and creates new criminal offences to protect access to religious and cultural sites and services. While Bill C-9 was being reviewed by the House of Commons Justice Committee, a change was passed to remove the reli

This article is reprinted with permission from Faith Today (Mar/Apr 2026). →en français It was a unique moment in Canadian history. A gathering of political, religious and Indigenous spiritual leaders, all seeking a path forward in relationships with Indigenous Peoples, a path toward understanding and reconciliation – a Sacred Assembly. It was December 1995, less than two months after the Quebec referendum. The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples had begun in 1991, and man

The Justice Committee’s changes to Bill C-9 were tabled in the House of Commons today. The next step will be one day of debate and votes on the committee’s changes on Monday, March 23. This is the second last step the bill goes through in the House of Commons. New changes to the bill can be proposed and voted on at this stage, although the time to do so will be very short. We’d like to focus on three points about the Justice Committee’s changes. 1. The committee tightened the

[Note: the motion to limit debate on Bill C-9 was passed on March 10, 2026] The government has given notice of a motion to close the debate on Bill C-9, the hate crimes bill. (See the full text of the motion, below.) On Monday, March 9, the House of Commons will debate and vote on a motion that would stop further debate on changes to Bill C-9. The motion directs the Justice Committee to vote on changes that have already been proposed without further debate. According to the m

To celebrate February as Black History Month, the EFC highlighted important contributions of Black pastors and churches in Canada online. Our continued ministry mandate of promoting united gospel witness in Canada involves maintaining an open, curious posture to the spiritual formation experiences of Evangelicals nationwide. This includes exploring and celebrating intercultural realities from Caribbean- and African-Canadians in municipalities big and small. Our social me

A new committee of MPs and Senators is being formed to study MAiD for mental illness. This was required in the last bill that delayed MAiD for mental illness until 2027. The committee is to be set up by Feb. 28 and will report back to Parliament with recommendations by Oct. 2, 2026. The government has delayed MAiD for mental illness when past committees have recommended delays. Please pray. Bill C-218, an individual MP’s bill to stop MAiD for mental illness alone, is now expe

This article is reprinted with permission from Faith Today (Jan/Feb 2026). Evangelicals are usually early adopters of new technologies because we see potential to reach people with the gospel. We were quick to radio, television and social media. As each technology settles into our ministry rhythms, there comes a time to take stock. Is it fostering discipleship? Is it doing something unintended in our lives? The EFC and its affiliate partners are deep into a research project t