Context Beyond The Headlines

April 18th, 2020, the residents of the small town of Portapique, Nova Scotia, went to sleep that night, not knowing they would wake up to complete mayhem in the middle of the night. Many heard gunshots and saw flames billowing in the night sky. An anonymous alert by the RCMP left many not knowing what was going on. By 11:26 a.m. on April 19th, 23 people were dead, and three people were injured. The man responsible for it all was shot and killed by the police. So many questions remain. How did the shooter get away with this? Why didn't the RCMP warn residents sooner? How could a civilian be dressed as an RCMP officer and drive a replica car and leave so much carnage behind? The Mass Casualty Commission, an inquiry into the actions that took place, found that the RCMP failed to protect the people of Portapique and the surrounding area that day, leaving several neighboring communities destroyed forever. This week on Context, host Maggie John takes us on location to unpack the God story beyond this headline

This week on Context: Canadians are on the move. In the past five years inter-provincial migration has grown exponentially. Alberta, British Columbia, and Nova Scotia have seen an influx of people moving from neighbouring provinces to start a new life.     Most interprovincial migrants come from Ontario. Between July 1st, 2021, and June 30th, 2022 over 14,000 more people came to Nova Scotia from other provinces or territories than left the area itself. A report from Scotiabank says pandemic restriction severity, housing affordability, and telework adoption all appear to have influenced the trend.  Context travels to Nova Scotia to discover why so many people are making such a big step. YouTuber/Vlogger Reggie from the Road talks about why he moved East to Nova Scotia and found a place to park his beloved trailer. He calls it “Fort Nova.”  We also check in with a couple initially from Ontario who made the big decision to move East, for many reasons, including how COVID affected people and how they acted toward

This week on Context we tell the story of African Nova Scotians and how they’ve contributed to the history of Canada. They’ve been in Canada for almost 300 years and yet some of us don’t know their stories and all that they have given us. Context is on the road as Maggie John travels to Nova Scotia to speak with Isaac Saney, a historian in African Studies at Dalhousie University. We’ll also get a tour of the historic Africville Museum. The original community of Africville was established in the 1700s. As you’ll hear today the museum is a replica of Seaview United Baptist Church - the core of the community, which was razed to the ground in the late 60s and early 70s. We’ll also hear from two amazing Canadians, the Honourable Mayann Francis who was the first black Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, and the first black MLA in Nova Scotia, Yvonne Atwell. Maggie also sits down with Vanessa Fells -- an 8th-generation Canadian who has spoken at the United Nations about legislation and policy regarding African Canad

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health is calling it a crisis in our country. After years of campaigns dispelling the stigma around mental health, we are now facing a shortage of mental health care support, with some wait lists a year-long leaving many Canadians with nowhere to turn for help. Fewer than 1 in 3 Canadians with mental illness can access care. The pandemic has put pressure on a system that was already fragile. In a poll conducted by Angus Reid in partnership with the CBC, 54 percent of Canadians felt their mental health had worsened during the past two years. The Canadian Mental Health Association found that the pandemic made the patchwork system of care more visible. And while the gov't has committed $50 million to support mental health distress centers, an open letter written by 65 national health associations to Federal Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett is calling on Ottawa to respond to the crisis with an election promise of $4.5 billion towards mental health services.

Eleven years of war in Syria -- with devastating consequences. What began as the Arab spring- pro-democracy demonstrations erupting all over the Middle East in 2011 soon turned into war when the Syrian government had enough.  Crackdowns intensified; Syrians were killed, as protestors demanded the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad. Then, a civil war erupted, accompanied by the factions of fighting also carried out by Isis and Kurdish forces in the region. The number of lives lost will never be known but estimates are that hundreds of thousands of Syrians have perished since 2011. The United Nations estimates almost 6 million Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries and abroad including here in Canada, while nearly 7 million are internally displaced. The war continues to this day. The situation has been called one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. The Government of Canada resettled 25,000 Syrian refugees between November 2015 and February 29, 2016.  Today on Context, Syria

Anger: we see it in traffic. We hear it on the radio, and we read it online. It’s all around us.    But are Canadians angry?    For many years we have been depicted as one of the nicest- happiest people in the world. Something has changed.    According to the “Rage Index”- a new way to measure our crankiness in this country- unvaccinated Canadians seem more perturbed than the rest- upset with things like their financial situation; the government; societal changes and the economy.     But all of us seem to have a bee in our bonnet when it comes to the pandemic; politics; mandates for vaccines - even the firing of news anchor Lisa LaFlamme appears to have pushed our buttons.    What has changed? Why are we angrier now? Can faith be part of the solution?    Today on Context: Rage, Why are Canadians so angry?  Find more at: http://www.contextbeyondtheheadlines.com Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ContextTV Like us on Facebook: h

Canada is among the 12 countries in the world that have made assisted death legal.       Brought into law 6 years ago, MAID continues to be a point of contention in this country.        Last year alone, 10,000 Canadians died by the procedure, with numbers expected to increase this year.        When Bill C-7 was initially passed the caveat to accessing the procedure was that one’s death had to be reasonably foreseeable.         Since then the law has changed and allows those with a serious and incurable illness disease or disability to access MAID.          A special joint committee is looking into changing the restrictions once more- allowing those with mental health diagnoses and mature minors access to the procedure.     Critics say the law is flawed and has made it too easy for Canadians to choose death.  44-year-old Sathya Dhara

The cost of being a woman in the world can be deadly as we saw recently with the death of Mahsa Amini – a 22-year-old Iranian woman, detained by morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab correctly. She died after falling into a coma while in police custody.    It is the most recent case that has resurfaced the debate around gender equality everywhere.      But as the protests in favour of gender rights continue - the silent death of millions of unborn girls worldwide including in Canada hasn't stopped either.     It's called gendercide or sex-selective abortion.    While there seem to be higher rates of gendercide in Asian countries - in 2020 Canadian MP Cathay Wagantall introduced a Sex-Selective abortion act (bill c-233) in the House of Commons It was a proposed law that would make it illegal for a doctor or practitioner to perform an abortion simply because of the sex of the child. It was voted down.    While a recent report by Pew

Two and a half years ago the world stopped as we all watched George Floyd die before our eyes. After years of hearing about the racial injustice experienced by people of colour - the world seemed ready to finally listen. But according to statistics Canada the number of reported hate crimes went up. Anti-black hate crimes went up 92% in 2020; hate crimes against indigenous people increased 152%  but the most startling were crimes against  east and southeast Asian Canadians which saw a 301% rise -making headlines around the world. But studies show diversity and representation at the decision-making level of organizations and churches has not changed. Pew research centre finding that Black Christians feel safer worshipping with those who look like them. On today’s context: Where are we now? 2.5 years after the racial awakening, has the world finally woken up?

A tragic death on an Ontario farm has led to calls for more rights and safety requirements for migrant workers working under Temporary Foreign Worker permits.    The workers fill vital positions - primarily in agriculture, food and beverage manufacturing, and home care. But are migrant workers being treated humanely?     An open letter from Jamaican farm workers to their country's Ministry of Labour describes the program as "systemic slavery" - listing poor housing, abusive bosses, and exposure to dangerous work conditions. In late September, the Canadian government released a statement on new measures to strengthen protections for the workers. But are they enough to protect vulnerable Temporary Foreign Workers?    This week on Context: Migrant Work: The True Cost of Labour.

As 97% of teens spend most of their time online, there is a dark layer to many of the social media platforms and sites they find themselves on. A recent study by the City University of London found that almost two-thirds of 16-17 year-olds had seen sexually explicit content on messaging and social networking apps, not to mention online games.  In November 2021, Canadian Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne presented a new bill that would restrict online access to sexually explicit material to young people under 18, proposing sites institute age verification technology to add a safeguard to easy access. Is proposed legislation enough to protect young eyes from sexually explicit material? What safeguards should be in place?  Context guests include Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes, a team helping parents, and educators to create safer digital spaces for children and teens. We also hear from a recovering porn addict who shares his story of the effect porn had on his life. This week on Context: Beyo

As Britain's longest-reigning monarch, she lived through wars, terrorist attacks, pandemics, and family loss.  While Queen Elizabeth II's life was focused on public service, she did that with great devotion to her faith in Jesus. From the beginning of her reign, the Queen professed a deep belief in prayer, and the church played a pivotal role in her life and her death.   Defender of the Faith was one of the many titles she held as Monarch and the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.  And as the world says goodbye to the Queen of a generation, many wonder if her legacy of faith will continue.    Also today -- Don’t miss a sit-down interview with Context’s founder and former host, Lorna Dueck, on the importance of having a Christian voice speak into news and current events, as Context has done for the past 800 episodes.

Grammy award-winning singer Michelle Williams was planning her own funeral when she realized she needed immediate help. Michelle had been sweeping her depression and anxiety under the rug, even while in the spotlight with R&B group Destiny’s Child. The singer and actress has written a book called Checking In: How Getting Real About Depression Saved My Life and Can Save Yours. We check in with Michelle for some real talk about what may be under that proverbial "rug" for all of us and what we can do about it! Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1-833-456-4566 KIDS HELP PHONE LINE: 1-800-668-6868 HOPE FOR WELLNESS LINE: 1-855-242-3310 PRAYER LINE: 1-866-273-4444

In June of this year, the Toronto Police released a report finding officers in Canada's largest police force used more force against Black people than any other group or demographic. The findings are what the BIPOC community in the city has been claiming for far too long. Then the Environics Institute released a study entitled "Canadian Social Norms and Racism." The national study looked into the different types of racial microaggressions directed at Black and Indigenous people in this country and how aware Canadians are that they are happening. This week on Context's podcast, Maggie John sat down with Keith Neuman, a senior associate with Environics Institute and author of that study, to find out more. Also, Jermaine Morrison, social worker and mental health advocate, reacts to these recent reports.

A government taskforce report says Canada has the "fastest growing rate of overdose mortality in the world.” So jurisdictions are turning to harm reduction. Hamilton, Ontario, is requesting to decriminalize illicit drug possession. The city, along with Toronto, is looking to join B.C.’s 3-year pilot project to decriminalize the small possession of drugs which begins in January. Is this the way out of the opioid crisis? Or does it go too far? And can the Church play a more active role in helping those who want to find healing from addiction? Matt Smedley, CEO of Mission Possible, has seen the impacts of the opioid crisis firsthand in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side. He joins Maggie John to discuss.

The statistics are shocking, and yet year after year, they only get worse. The opioid crisis has gripped Canada for the past five years. Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, opioid-poisoning fatalities have skyrocketed to an average of 20 deaths per day. But behind the person struggling with an addiction is often a family desperately trying to do whatever they can to get their loved one clean. As a firefighter in Brantford Ontario, Jeff Walsh has saved countless lives from opioid overdoses. But despite trying everything to get his son Brodie clean, the grips of addiction were too tight. Jeff shares his experience with Maggie. But not all stories end in overdose. Daniel Lazazzera shares his struggle with addiction and how he found a way out. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, there are resources to help. Go to www.crossroads.ca/opioidcrisis to find more information.

According to the International Labour Organization, there are 40.3 million human trafficking victims in the world. 71% of trafficking victims are women and girls. The numbers are overwhelming. But authors Kimberly McOwen Yim, Sandra Morgan, and Shane Moore believe the Church can help - with the right guidance. That’s why they wrote the book Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today. They join Maggie John to explain how the Church can most effectively protect vulnerable people from trafficking. Click here to purchase your own copy of Ending Human Trafficking: A Handbook of Strategies for the Church Today

The Pope has officially apologized to Indigenous People for the atrocities, including abuse, taking away of culture, and even death, committed at Residential Schools - most of which were run by the Catholic Church. But what makes an apology meaningful? And how can the Pope's apology be a meaningful step to reconciliation? Maggie John sits down with Andrew Blackwood, author of The Art of a Genuine Apology, to discuss how we can all learn to apologize better.

Pope Francis is set to visit Canada for a journey of healing, reconciliation, and hope with Indigenous people across the country. This visit comes months after the historic apology to a delegation of residential school survivors, elders, and youth at the Vatican in March. Cassidy Caron, President of the Metis National Council, was at that apology. She sits down with Maggie John to discuss what the apology meant for her community and how the Pope's visit to Canada can further reconciliation.

With the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade in the United States, the abortion debate has heated up, even in Canada. While Canada does not have any abortion laws, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighed into the decision south of the border saying it was “an attack on women’s freedoms” and adding,  “in Canada we will always defend women’s rights to choose.” But unplanned pregnancy - and the decisions that follow - are complex. Wrought with emotion, many pregnant women feel isolated and alone, including Jennifer Burley. She was about to graduate high school when she found out she was pregnant. Her parents decided for her: she would abort the baby. But there are pregnancy support centres that help women navigate the emotions and realities of pregnancy and motherhood. Maggie John sits down with Lois Benham-Smith from Atwell Centre - a pregnancy options support centre in Hamilton, Jennifer Burley, and Randy Lowe to hear their personal stories of post-abortion grief so many years after makin