Context Beyond The Headlines

A nation and a world exhale together in a deep healing breath in the name of George Floyd. The poison of racism diluted a bit more in the guilty verdict of former police officer Derek Chauvin as a 9-year-old child stood witness to a murder in broad daylight in the streets of her hometown. A modern-day lynching caught on 17-year-old Darnella Frazier’s cell phone changed the course of history. In light of the guilty verdict, we take another look at our “realities of anti-indigenous and anti-black racism” program but, get an update from Minneapolis Bishop Harding Smith. And a conversation with social justice and law enforcement advocate – former RCMP staff/sergeant Alain Babineau for a reaction on what this means for Canadian policing.

Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Three simple words ignited evil, hateful acts of violence against innocent Asian people around the world. Pandemics can happen anywhere, anytime, and in any country. COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China, and Asian people are now being demonized, causing long-standing and deep psychological impacts in Asian communities. This week on Context: Asian hate must stop.

How will history record the years 2020 and 2021? We thought we had seen it all, but has anything really changed? The hate-filled killings of unarmed Black people in the U.S. sparked international outrage from every race under the sun. Here in Canada, Indigenous people faced inexplicable pain when police answered wellness checks by families who called for their loved ones in distress but were met with death. Still, if anything is under-reported in all this outrage, pain, and anxiety, it’s not the lack of goodness in people, it’s the institutional and systemic change that must happen. This week on Context, the realities of anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism.

Gathering at churches, synagogue and temples is a sacred right, but these days, worshipping and gathering is inside,outside, zooming, face timing, skyping, even drive-in movie theatres. During the last year, Christians along with people of other faiths enduring lockdowns, unable to father, leave some people feeling that it’s an infringement on their religious freedom. While others say we’ve got to listen to health authorities. We look at all sides of the debate. And Maggie visits an inner-city ministry where God never sleeps, as they’ve been caring for the less fortunate since the beginning of the global pandemic. Christine Yoo visits a street pastor helping people who are unable to get to the only lifelines they have to the outside world. Is church essential? GUESTS: Lisa Bildy, Lawyer, Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms Pastor Jonathon Shierman, Moosomin Baptist Church Pastor David Lynn, Christ Forgiveness Ministries Bill Dyck, Pastor, Toronto Alliance Church

When power causes leaders and others in positions of influence to lose their moral compasses, the trail of pain and destruction is devastating – How do we heal? This week on Context – abuse in the halls of power and influence. From preachers to politicians, even inside the church. The immoral behaviors by some of the leaders in positions of power continues to erode the trust of the institutions that many people once embraced. In fact, Time Magazine reports that the year 2020 ushered in “an epidemic of misinformation and widespread mistrust of societal institutions and leaders around the world.” This week on the program – when abuse of power goes so far as to cause people to want to end their lives. How do we heal? GUESTS Dr. Serene Jones, President, Union Theological Seminary Daniel Gilman, former employee at RZIM Richard Landau, Educator and critical thinker Autumn Miles, Author, Speaker, Domestic Abuse Survivor Mary DeMuth, Speaker, Author, Advocate, and Abuse survivor

Although there’s been a pause amid COVID-19, caring for God’s earth is essential. A snowstorm in Texas,  floods in Fort Mac, forest fires in L.A. and Australia, increased hurricanes around the world: it’s clear climate change is changing mother earth. Internationally renowned Christian scientist Katharine Hayhoe joins context to explain what is happening to the planet. Plus: Context correspondent Cheridan Sanders talks with us from Rome, where the lockdowns and fewer tourists have given the canals of Venice back their beauty. Marney Bloom talks about Israel’s technologies in helping global climate change. Back in Canada where many environmentalists – even famous Hollywood actors like Jane Fonda are up in arms about Alberta oil. Indigenous leader Karen Ogen-Taves talks about some of Canada’s first nations being pro-pipelines. And a sit down with A Rocha CEO, Luke Wilson on what you can do. GUESTS: Katharine Hayhoe, Climate scientist Karen Ogen-Toews, CEO The First Nations LNG Alliance Cheridan Sanders, Co

It was one year ago this month that the world as we knew it changed forever. We were in shock and disbelief…and then the confusion began. For the grace of God we go. Adversity, hardship and challenges aren’t new in our lives, many of us feel like we’re in the dark. For most of us, COVID has ushered in a loneliness that is difficult to describe. Most affected are our children, students, our elders, and disabled. Coming out of the dark will require a steadfast faith and as we see in retrospect – God is with us, among us and guiding us. GUESTS Milena Batanova – Research & Evaluation MGR., Harvard Elizabeth Chuck, NBC Reporter Chris Daken, father lost his teenage daughter to suicide. Michael Gibson, Special Education Teacher Connie Stam – Compassionate Neighbourhood Health Partners Greg Luesink – Volunteer, Compassionate Neighbourhood Health Partners Andrea Groenewald, Registered Psychotherapist Patricia Khoury, Psychology Student

What went wrong with Canada’s early warning pandemic system? We find out from a specialist in international affairs and intelligence gathering. A Mississauga newspaper reports that international travelers arriving at Pearson airport are taking fines instead of quarantining or providing COVID-19 tests. And are quarantine hotels legal? We hear from a lawyer from the justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms in Calgary. And the global CEO of Ipsos public affairs, Darrell Bricker gives us an update on how Canadians feel the government is handling Covid-19’s second wave. Plus, a major concern for Canada’s school-age children. School board chair, Dawn Danko and Harvey Bischof, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation are here to talk about the children. Cardus executive vice president, Ray Pennings gives us the Christian view on the economy. GUESTS Wesley Wark, Adjunct Professor, University of Ottawa. Specialist in International Affairs and Intelligence Gathering Jay Cameron BA,

Context dedicates our program to International Women’s Day, and honours women of every age, stage, race, and religion – and the men who love us! Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker, Maryam Ebra-Himi speaks with Faten Al Faraj. See Hear Love host and new author – Melinda Estabrooks and 100 HS host Cheryl Weber talk women in Christian media with Maggie. And, Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson of Empowered in My Skin, and TD Bank speaks about Black women in tech and corporate leadership. And an inspiring talk with Susan Ponting’s mum who beat the odds, going back to university as a single mother. GUESTS Rita El-Mounayer, CEO of SAT-7 Broadcast Nkechi Nwafor-Robinson, CEO and Founder Empowered in My Skin Inc. Beverly McNight, Susan Ponting’s mother. Social worker. Maryam Ebrahimi, Documentary filmmaker, No Burqas Behind Bars Melinda Estabrooks, Host – See Hear Love Cheryl Weber, Host- 100 Huntley Street

The myth of multiculturalism in a global world. Where do people from other countries fit into the mosaic of Canada that is continually expanding? Shachi Kurl, President of Angues Reid is here. United Nations resettlement officer, Micheal Cassasola and Kalyani Thurairajah, each explain the hope that in in multiculturalism when we earase racism. Indigenous leader, Susan Levi Peters weighs in. And media professional, Ola Adebayo talks with Maggie about making it as a newcomer in the tough world of Canadian media. We ask: Is multiculturalism a myth or are we on the right track to fixing things when it comes to the boundaries that immigrants face daily in our Canadian – made systems? GUESTS: Shachi Kurl, President of Angus Reid Institute Kalyani Thurairajah, Professor at MacEwan Univeristy Michael Casasola, UNHCR Sr. Resettlement Officer Susan Levi-Peters, Former Elsipogtog First Nation Chief. Ola Adebayo, Media professional. Immigrant from Nigeria.

In a world that continues to reel from the global pandemic – that seems to have no end in sight – we look to other places around the world where even worse than getting Covid is simply being a Christian. Today on the program – we talk with Fadi Sharaiha about Christianity in the Middle East and North Africa – and the dire need to report this in the media. Kiaa Alipour speaks about Iran’s efforts to quash Chrisitanity, but the religion is still growing. Plus: a man who defected from North Korea tells his story of surviving jail. Greg Mussleman tells us how the Christian faith is flourishing despite persecution on all fronts. Gary Stagg from Open Doors Canada explains the astonishing numbers behind the 2021 World Watch List. GUESTS Gary Stagg, Executive Director, Open Doors Canada Kiaa Aalipour, Article 18 Spokesperson Fadi Sharaiha, Greg Musselman, Minister at Large, Voice of the Martyrs

Confusion reigns during the first months of the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine. Minister of International Development, Karina Gould, talks about Canada’s role in the global distribution of the vaccine. Dr. Matthew Miller weighs in on the efficacy of the vaccine, and Dr. Shannon Macdonald talks about the plight of vaccinating indigenous peoples. PLUS: Nurses against lockdowns are steadfast in getting their controversial voices heard about how they say lockdowns are causing more harm than good. Our multi faith panel gives insight into how their communities are dealing with the vaccine. We’ll speak with one lucky nurse named Lucky who’s had both of his shots. GUESTS: The Honourable Karina Gould, Canada’s International Development Minister Dr. Matthew Miller, Assoc. Prof. Depart. Biochemistry, McMaster University Dr. Shannon McDonald, Acting Chief Medical Officer First Nations B.C. Sarah Choujounian, nursing home nurse Kristen Nagle, Nicu nurse Lucky Aguila, Nurse, Rekai Centre Rabbi Jordan Cohen, Temple Anshe S

A knock out punch to the porn industry as New York Times writer Nicholas Kristof exposes millions of uploaded videos of women and girls, drugged and raped and then posted on Porn Hub. Find out what actions the credit card companies took, and what our Canadian government is doing about it. Also on the program MP Arnold Viersen and Glendyne Sylvester Gerrard of Defend Dignity and Garrett Jonsson of Fight the New Drug – and Sathiya Sam of Deep Clean Ministries shares his brave story of healing – and Rebecca Bender who says, “Lived through hell and now I’m going back to help others get out,” shows us all the road to healing through Jesus. GUESTS Nicholas Kristof, New York Times columnist Garrett Jonsson, Fight the New Drug Glendyne Gerrard, Director of Defend Dignity Arnold Viersen, Conservative MP Rebecca Bender, CEO & Founder, Rebecca Bender Initiative Sathiya Sam, Founder – Deep Clean Daisy Khan, Director of the Women’s Islamic Initiative in Spirituality and Equality.

Sadness and fear is gripping all of us during this global pandemic and time of social unrest. There are no easy answers – but there is a healer – we only need to reach out and hear God’s voice amid all the chaos. GUESTS: Asante Haughton, Mental Health Advocate Andrea Warnick, Grief Psychotherapist Dr. Andrew Blackwood, Healing Communication Facilitator and Consultant Founder of The Healing Communication Centre Jermaine Morrison RSW, BSW, Mental Health Advocate

Filmmakers Dan Shannon and Isabelle Depelteau discuss their award-winning documentary Me The People Film to speak about the many policies of populist leaders. Also on the program controversial New York University professor, Lawrence Mead, talks about western individualism and immigration. Fenwick Mckelvey of Concordia University answers the question: Is media broken? And, Ali Noorani from National Immigration Forum with Eric Kaufman, author of White Shift, join The Cue to talk about how we work through these troubling times in politics. GUESTS Filmmakers Dan Shannon and Isabelle Depelteau, directors of Me the People. Dr. David Koyzis, professor and political scientist. Professor Lawrence Mead, professor at New York University Fenwick McKelvey, PhD – associate professor, communication studies Eric Kauffman, author of Whiteshift Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum

A gruesome halloween stabbing by an alleged mentally ill man in Quebec sparked a $100 million dollar injection into that province’s mental health system. Christine Grou of l’Ordre des psychologues du Québec speaks with Maggie John about what her province is doing with the extra resources for people coping with mental health. Context Executive Producer, Susan Ponting talks with world renowned addictions specialist, author, speaker, and physician Dr. Gabor Mate about our mental health challenges amid the toxicity of the global coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Mate also speaks about the cost to our bodies of the hidden stresses that we face everyday. Plus, Patricia Khoury, a brave university student, tells Maggie about having to make dire changes in her life’s path in order to heal and preserve her own mental wellness.

The year 2020 will go down in history as the year of COVID-19, the global coronavirus that brought us all to our knees... (MORE)

This week on Context: “getting real” at Christmas time in the age of COVID-19, with Dr. Maggie Mulqueen who says, “We shouldn’t feel obligated to push joy… when this year has been a struggle for everyone.”... (MORE)

To vaccinate or not to – that is the question that is on many people’s minds. To mask up or not to – that is another question...(MORE)