If you're having trouble viewing this email, you can see it online.
Humanist Canada is very proud to welcome Dr. Rita Deverell
Many of our members are writers, podcasters, facilitators, performers, and officiants and to further inspire these creative intentions we have invited Dr. Rita Deverell to speak with us.
Dr. Deverell has worked in the Canadian arts and cultural industries and academe: as a theatre artist, television broadcaster/senior executive, independent producer, journalism educator, and author. She cites four awards that remind me of my responsibilities to the community and in the world: Gemini Canada, honours excellence in mainstream television programming that reflects the racial and cultural diversity of Canada; Member, Order of Canada, for work at Vision TV and APTN (Aboriginal Peoples TV Network); Black Women’s Civic Engagement Leadership Award; Governor General‘s Performing Arts Award, Lifetime Achievement, Broadcasting. She reminds us that ‘artists do not retire, and currently I am working on four theatre and media projects.’ Queen Bee: NFB film about Dr. Deverell
“Authentic Speaking, Writing, and Inter-Cultural Communications: A Discussion with Rita Shelton Deverell”Register Here
Are The Religious Healthier? Dr. David Speed in conversation with HC Humanities Program Committee member, Daniel Dacombe.
Religion and spirituality are consistently associated with beneficial effects. Religious attendance, prayer, and religiosity have been found to predict better health and wellness. Each year, hundreds of articles are published describing the health of religion and spirituality, and the public health benefits of having a religious population. However, there are unusual gaps in the scholarship surrounding religion, spirituality, and health, and the conclusion that religion provides health benefits is rife with inaccuracies. Psychologist Dr. David Speed will discuss his secularism research his critique of the religion and spirituality-health field, and the challenges of researching the growing nonreligious population. Register Here
Dr. David Speed (BA, Brock University, 2008; MASP, MUN, 2011; PhD, MUN, 2015) is an Associate Professor at the University of New Brunswick in the Department of Psychology. David’s specialization is in the topic of atheism and nonreligion and how they relate to health and well-being. To date, David has authored over a dozen studies addressing nonreligion, which included the largest study of Canadian atheists in the literature. David a co-editor of Secularism & Nonreligion, which is an academic journal dedicated to advancing knowledge of ‘the secular’. He teaches a variety of classes including graduate statistics, and research methods, and is the coordinator of the Master’s of Applied Psychology, Research, and Evaluation program. When David isn’t researching, teaching, or groaning at the amount of administrative work he must perform, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children.
Putting A Number On How Much Religion Costs in Canada
We are very excited to partner with our affiliates at BCHA and CFI to bring you this important and lively discussion. We hope you can join us - Please register to attend.
Join us on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 PM ET (4 PM PT) for an online roundtable discussion about the cost of religion in Canada - quantified by original research conducted by the Centre for Inquiry Canada.
Bettianne Hedges of Humanist Canada will be hosting Leslie Rosenblood from CFIC alongside Teale Phelps Bondaroff and Ian Bushfield of the BC Humanist Association, who will discuss the many ways Canada still tangibly privileges religion and its institutions over similar non-theistic organizations. Just a few policy choices cost Canadians billions - yes, with a "b" - each and every year. You can learn more by reading CFIC's Cost of Religion in Canada reports or watching the recent Podcast for Inquiry conversation with CFIC's Executive Director, Sandra Dunham: Why does Canada give $5.6 Billion annually to religious charities?
Coming Soon to Your Screen (save the date, more detail to follow)
Live Discussions
Sunday, April 7th, 3:00 PM. Dr. Jackie Nemni , 'Anti-Science is the New Religion'.
Sunday, May 26th, 3:00 PM, Alex Howard, "Divorce: Humanist Style".
Please note that our program offerings are recorded and will be available on our website.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are committed to bringing engaging and productive volunteer opportunities to our members. Please see your member portal for role descriptions and the application process. If there is something you would like to do but don't see it on the list please reach out to the Executive Director.
Committee Highlight - Humanities Program Committee
Our committee organizes live discussions, and webinars, and provides regular content to our members and the general public on a variety of platforms.
Committee members require skills in managing Zoom events, podcasts or editing video, research, or content development. They could also be able to interview guest speakers and host our discussions. Apply Now
Join our affiliate the Ontario Humanist Association, for their 2024 conference
Humanists building and maintaining relationships with the Indigenous community is essential to creating noticeable impacts in our shared community. Humanist Canada members have been invited to Crow Shield Lodgeon May 4th from 10 am to 1 pm. This in-person event has been organized by member Angie Hallman. program at Crow Shield Lodge is Indigenous-led. It will start with an elder, at a sacred fire, sharing their personal story and how we as Humanists can walk alongside them to demonstrate allyship. There will be an opportunity for each person to speak. At the end of the morning, we can all expect that we will have heard intimate stories about residential school survivors, sixty scoop survivors, and millennial scoop survivors or their dependents. We will have heard common themes about the way of life for local Indigenous people and how we can walk with them on the path forward to reconciliation.
To be held at 10 Huron Rd, Kitchener, Ontario (Ken Seiling Museum - gate 3). $125 per person - a light lunch will be provided. There is a twenty-guest maximum. RSVP to Angie at ahallmanrmt@gmail.com by March 15th. She will direct you to payment.
Toronto - May 9TH
ORGANIZED BY MEMBER DEREK FORGIE
Ottawa
ORGANIZED BY MEMBER MARTIN FRITH
Local members recently gathered In Ottawa for a tour of the National Gallery and dinner. Pictured are Ric Glowienka, Simon Parcher, and Carrie Parcher,
Please also note that the Zoom link to each community platform can now be found in your member portal - centre screen.
MEMBERS CONNECT
Are you looking for a good conversation? All of our members are welcome to join us at our weekly Members Connect Zoom discussion group - open format. We meet every Wednesday at 6:00 PM EST.
BOOK CLUB
The members of our popular book club have made their book choices for the next several months, please see below. Anyone is welcome to join. Read the book and join via your portal at 7:00 PM EST on any of the dates below.
March 5th, Hollow Bamboo by William Ping THIS WEEK
April 2nd, The Clockwork Universe by Edward Dolnick
May 7th, The Love of Singular Men by Victor Heringer
June 4th, Bush Runner, The Adventures of Pierre-Esprit Radisson by Mark Bourrie
CHAPTERS
WINDSOR For event details and more information please contact. A food bank/collection is being planned for March. WindsorChapter@HumanistCanada.ca
VANCOUVER (hybrid) NEXT IN-PERSON MEETING: Friday, March 8th, 2024 at Waves Coffee House 1095 Broadway, Vancouver BC, on the northeast corner of Broadway and Spruce. For event details and more information please contact VancouverChapter@HumanistCanada.ca
If you would like to begin a chapter or host a local members gathering in your region - and we can help you do just that - please reach out.
.jpg)
