Thank you for participating in the 2022 Canadian Religious Freedom Summit.
Incase you missed it, some sessions are available on our public YouTube Channel.
Incase you missed it, some sessions are available on our public YouTube Channel.
Summit 2022: Free to believe. Free to speak?
Freedom of religious expression is a cherished value of Canadians, enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Christians rely on this freedom to extend the life-transforming good news of Jesus Christ to our needy world. Cherishing this freedom, we must not take it for granted. Many recognize today that freedom of religious expression is under increasing pressure in Canada. This summit is an opportunity for evangelicals from across the nation to come together, to pray, to become properly informed, and to consider the road ahead. Please plan to join us online for this important and timely summit.
Our Mission: To protect and promote freedom for gospel ministry in Canada
Our mission is to protect and promote freedom for Gospel ministry in Canada. Our goals with this event are 1) to call believers to prayer, 2) to equip the church to respond to issues related to religions freedom, 3) to gather key leaders together to consider long-term strategy and 4) to raise awareness in the public square of the church’s concern and interest.
Location
Online (streaming link will be sent to registered attendees by email on the day of the event)
Date & Time
February 26, 2022
01:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST
02:30 PM - 5:30 PM NST
02:00 PM - 5:00 PM AST
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM CST
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM MST
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM PST
01:00 PM - 4:00 PM EST
02:30 PM - 5:30 PM NST
02:00 PM - 5:00 PM AST
12:00 PM - 3:00 PM CST
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM MST
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM PST
Participants
Jonathan Griffiths
LEAD PASTOR, METROPOLITAN BIBLE CHURCH, OTTAWA
Jonathan Griffiths serves as Lead Pastor of the Metropolitan Bible Church in Ottawa, as a Council member of the Gospel Coalition Canada, and as Bible teacher for Encounter the Truth. Jonathan studied theology at Oxford and Cambridge universities and is the author of a number of academic and devotional books. He is passionately committed to bringing the good news of salvation in Jesus to Canadians.
Janet Epp Buckingham
Director of World Advocacy, World Evangelical Alliance
Janet Epp Buckingham lives in Ottawa, Canada and serves as the Director of Global Advocacy for the World Evangelical Alliance. She is also a Professor of Political Studies at Trinity Western University with a research focus on religious freedom law in Canada and internationally. She is also the Co-Director of the International Institute for Religious Freedom (Vancouver) and the editor of the International Journal on Religious Freedom. Janet and husband Don worship at Pine Grove Bible Church.
Kristopher Kinsinger
National Director, Runnymede Society
Kristopher Kinsinger, JD (Osgoode Hall), LLM (McGill) is an Ontario lawyer and the national director of the Runnymede Society. He is currently completing a year-long NextGen fellowship with the Cardus think tank, and serves on the board of directors of Christian Legal Fellowship. His writing on the relationship between law and religion has appeared in The Gospel Coalition, the National Post, and the Supreme Court Law Review. He is a member and deacon of Hespeler Baptist Church in Cambridge, Ontario.
Albertos Polizogopoulos
Lawyer and Founder, The Acacia Group
Albertos is the principal and co-founder of The Acacia Group, an openly Christian law firm devoted to providing legal and strategic communications services to churches and other faith-based organizations across Canada. Albertos has a particular expertise in religious freedom matters, having litigated dozens of high-profile and precedent-setting cases across Canada. He represents churches, denominations, private schools, colleges and universities, hospitals and privately held companies. He has been counsel in more than 10 appeals before the Supreme Court of Canada and is regularly approached by media for comment on constitutional legal issues.
Laura Lewis
Executive Director, Pregnancy Care Canada
Dr. Laura Lewis serves as the Executive Director of Pregnancy Care Canada, a best practice, Christian, national association of over 80 pregnancy care centres. After working for 22 years as a family physician, she saw the need for education, support, and practical options for women and men facing an unexpected pregnancy. Dr. Lewis has a HonsBComm from Queen’s University, a Medical Degree from the University of Western Ontario, and a certificate of Family Medicine from McMaster University. .
André Schutten
DIRECTOR OF LAW AND POLICY, ASSOCIATION FOR REFORMED POLITICAL ACTION
André is Director of Law and Public Policy and General Legal Counsel for ARPA Canada. Based in ARPA’s Ottawa office, he researches and writes on public policy, conducts regular analysis on the impact of different government bills and court judgments and acts as ARPA’s chief Parliamentary lobbyist. He lectures regularly on constitutional and legal issues. He also represents ARPA in various court interventions, having made arguments before the Supreme Court of Canada three times and three provincial courts of appeal.
Ann Penner
Executive Director, Trinity Western University Laurentian Leadership Center
Ann is the interim Executive Director of Trinity Western University’s Laurentian Leadership Centre. She administers the Centre and teaches upper year courses in the areas of law, public policy and political leadership. Between 2013 and 2019, she served as a Permanent Member of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) and decided many complex cases in the areas of trade remedies, procurement, customs and excise appeals. She received her PhD from Carleton University in Canadian Politics and Comparative Politics.
Schedule
1:00 PM
Opening Remarks and Prayer
1:05 PM
Jonathan Griffiths - We Also Believe, and Therefore Speak
1:25 PM
Kristopher Kinsinger - Why Christians Should (and Shouldn’t) Care About Religious Freedom
1:50 PM
Albertos Polizogopoulos - Canada Summer Jobs: The Good, the Bad and the New Blasphemy
2:10 PM
Break
2:20 PM
Laura Lewis - Keeping a Hope-Filled, Christ-Centered Stride in Uncertain Times
2:40 PM
Janet Epp Buckingham - An International Perspective on Freedom of Religious Expression
3:00 PM
André Schutten - It's getting chilly here but it ain't the ice age yet: political and legal trends on freedom of expression
3:20 PM
Break
3:30 PM
Q&A Panel Hosted by Ann Penner
4:00 PM
Closing Remarks and Prayer
Conference Location
This conference will be held online. A streaming link will be sent to your email on the day of the event.
Sponsors
News & Updates
UPDATE: Bill C-4 received Royal Assent on December 8.
On Tuesday, December 7, Bill C-4, which criminalizes conversion therapy, passed the Senate in a single motion. It had already passed the House in a single motion on December 1.
On Tuesday, December 7, Bill C-4, which criminalizes conversion therapy, passed the Senate in a single motion. It had already passed the House in a single motion on December 1.
On Tuesday, December 7th the Canadian Senate passed Bill C-4, effectively banning the practice known as conversion therapy. The bill had been introduced to the House of Commons on November 29th and was approved on December 1st without further debate or study. It received Royal Assent today and will become the law of the land in 30 days.
Contact Us
The Canadian Religious Freedom Summit is convened and facilitated by the Metropolitan Bible Church, Ottawa, with the gracious help and advice of the Summit’s sponsors.
Please use the following form to contact us.
Please use the following form to contact us.