A claimant need not show some sort of objective religious obligation, requirement or precept to invoke freedom of religion.
It is the religious or spiritual essence of an action, not any mandatory or perceived-as-mandatory nature of its observance, that attracts protection.
The state is in no position to be, nor should it become, the arbiter of religious dogma.
Justice Franck Iacobucci of the Supreme Court of Canada commenting on a case about Succoth.
When someone invokes protection of freedom of religion, courts must simply be assured the applicant's religious beliefs are sincere and "in good faith, neither fictitious nor capricious, and that it is not an artifice," said the ruling.
Thought I'd celebrate Canada Day with a nod to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
I've updated the layout of this page a bit. I've been playing around with DHTML (Javascript with DOM in HTML if that means anything to you) and I came up with this. What it does is make it easier for me to add more links to the page, and at the same time "hide" links in the menus that other people are unlikely to find interesting....
What I've been doing: I was at a wedding on Saturday. I was the assistant to the Sound Guy, so I did quite a bit of running around. Friday was set up and practice. Yesterday was the wedding, followed by tear down and set up again for the reception. Heh, the food at the reception was excellent. I got home at about 1AM. After church, I took a roughly 4 hour nap. I wonder if I'll be able to sleep tonight.
I'm in Northern Ontario this week, visiting family and their friends. It's been different from my normal routine. That's for sure. I got an infection beside my wisdom tooth on Wednesday or Thursday. It's made it hard to talk or to eat. I can't close my mouth all the way or open it as far as normal. Maybe I'll stick my foot in it a little less often. :) I went to a dentist here yesterday and she gave me a prescription for an antibiotic as well as a recommendation to "irrigate" that part of my mouth with mouthwash. Blech. I don't like the taste at all.
The Register has a story with a few statistics about bloggers. Some interesting things in there.
I came back down to Waterloo today. Wow it's cold here. It's way warmer up where my family is. The Weather Network claims it's 16C here compared to about 20 up there.
Yesterday morning, I decided to finally get around to cleaning my fridge. I had meant to back when I moved into the apartment almost 3 years ago. It looked like it needed it then. What I found across the bottom was rather gross. If you've had a fridge for a couple of years and you haven't cleaned it, go do it now. I'll wait. No, really, GO! You'll thank me when you see what kind of grossness you've removed. You're back? Okay, doesn't that make the interior of your fridge look so much better? Mine sure did when I finished yesterday.
The BBC is reporting about a new method for storing radioactive waste. Actually, it's an old method that has been used in nature for millenia, but humans are only figuring out how it works now. The hope is that this will remove one more objection to nuclear power. Maybe we'll be able to stop burning fossil fuels for power sometime in my lifetime?
The Star has a suggestion that Fox be kept under wraps in Canda similar to the way Al-Jazeera was recently kept under wraps. Al-Jazeera can be added to cable channels in Canada, provided the cable company censors any abusive verbiage, extreme bias and such like, but the report for the Star seems to think that Fox news has a similiar bias and abusive verbiage content. If you've never lived in the US, take a look at some of the links that the reporter gives to websites critical of Fox News. They're not likely to be exagerating. They have no need to. Fox has the some of the least believable reporting on the planet. They're the ones that claimed the moon landings were a hoax 4 or 5 years ago. I can't really see how Al Jazeera could be a worse import into Canada.
Also in the US: A US Congressional Committee, headed by a Republican, has decided to cut funding to space, environment and science programmes for next year. Bush's call to return to the moon and then go on to Mars is expected to be cancelled with such low funding. Is this a case of the left hand not supporting the right?
Also at the BBC, for parents of Web Using Teenagers: Something like 57% of all teenagers who use the 'net are likely to have come across porn, via popups or by accident. That's a nasty little statistic. So, chances are about even that any teenager I know has come across it. I know it would make me think twice about letting my children online unsupervised (if I had kids). Well, I guess I can't comment much more.
Today I spent out in St. Agatha, helping with a "shop auction." Actually, I was selling food to the people who were bidding on stuff (or rather were taking a break from bidding on stuff). It was an interesting few hours.
Syria and Iraq are on the steps to "tighten border security" jointly, which is to say, that Syria has suggested it will in future try to stop foreigner insurgents from entering Iraq via their common border. So, is this the final declaration that the government of Syria has decided to declare its residents the enemy? Let me explain that. Most border security is about keeping the enemy (for however the government behind that border describes the enemy) out. At the Canada-US border, you will, so far as I've seen, never be stopped from leaving the country. This applies also to most other borders, even airports (though airport and airline security may decide they don't want you). The idea is that if the enemy is in the country, he can leave, but he won't be able to come back. That's generally considered a good thing: the enemy outside your borders. Now, however, Syria has suggested that it might work to keep insurgents in its own borders. So, you'll have all these likely violent men running around who wanted to go to Iraq, but can't now, stuck in Syria. What are they going to do? Uh, maybe hurt the locals? Somehow, I don't think the Syrian government is that silly, or sadistic toward its own subjects. I'm guessing this won't come to anything. So, then, what's the promise worth? Not a lot. I guess Syria wants to look like it's playing ball since it was on Bush's Second Axis of Evil (or whatever it was called, can't remember if it's still there or not) and likely doesn't want to get invaded after Bush wins the election this fall. Yes, I think it's reasonable to assume that he will, especially if gas prices come down and they find Bin Laden and Iraq's WMDs in the coming months.
This is one of those things that I find interesting. Apparently, in South Africa, it's possible to be married without your consent, or even knowledge. Now, it's all due to corruption and general illegal activities, but it's not exactly something you want to have happen either. The story recounts how one woman was refused a marriage license because she was "already married" to some guy she had never heard of. It's an interesting little problem that the SA gov't is looking into.
According to the French the secret to not over eating is: to eat less! In France portions are smaller generally, and sugars and sweets are not eaten as commonly as here. Hmm, I guess I need to look into that...
in 1981, the world stopped for a little while to watch Prince Charles marry a common-woman. Probably one of the weddings that the most brides in the world wanted to copy...
I was wrong apparently, Canadian border guards are expected to check vehicles leaving Canada, possibly detaining people attempting to leave Canada illegally. I'm a little disappointed, but not totally suprised. Of course, this is a new thing and the article is about the guards' protest about the whole thing, but there it is. I guess the US has gotten Canada to declare it's subjects suspect...
Interesting Quote
by alan on Thu 1st Jul 2004 4:41PM
Justice Franck Iacobucci of the Supreme Court of Canada commenting on a case about Succoth.
When someone invokes protection of freedom of religion, courts must simply be assured the applicant's religious beliefs are sincere and "in good faith, neither fictitious nor capricious, and that it is not an artifice," said the ruling.
Thought I'd celebrate Canada Day with a nod to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Happy Canada Day!
New Layout
by alan on Mon 5th Jul 2004 4:41AM
I've updated the layout of this page a bit. I've been playing around with DHTML (Javascript with DOM in HTML if that means anything to you) and I came up with this. What it does is make it easier for me to add more links to the page, and at the same time "hide" links in the menus that other people are unlikely to find interesting....
What I've been doing: I was at a wedding on Saturday. I was the assistant to the Sound Guy, so I did quite a bit of running around. Friday was set up and practice. Yesterday was the wedding, followed by tear down and set up again for the reception. Heh, the food at the reception was excellent. I got home at about 1AM. After church, I took a roughly 4 hour nap. I wonder if I'll be able to sleep tonight.
Triped
by alan on Tue 13th Jul 2004 8:48PM
I'm in Northern Ontario this week, visiting family and their friends. It's been different from my normal routine. That's for sure. I got an infection beside my wisdom tooth on Wednesday or Thursday. It's made it hard to talk or to eat. I can't close my mouth all the way or open it as far as normal. Maybe I'll stick my foot in it a little less often. :) I went to a dentist here yesterday and she gave me a prescription for an antibiotic as well as a recommendation to "irrigate" that part of my mouth with mouthwash. Blech. I don't like the taste at all.
The Register has a story with a few statistics about bloggers. Some interesting things in there.
Home again
by alan on Fri 16th Jul 2004 3:14AM
I came back down to Waterloo today. Wow it's cold here. It's way warmer up where my family is. The Weather Network claims it's 16C here compared to about 20 up there.
This is not a good idea
by alan on Mon 19th Jul 2004 1:58AM
Yesterday morning, I decided to finally get around to cleaning my fridge. I had meant to back when I moved into the apartment almost 3 years ago. It looked like it needed it then. What I found across the bottom was rather gross. If you've had a fridge for a couple of years and you haven't cleaned it, go do it now. I'll wait. No, really, GO! You'll thank me when you see what kind of grossness you've removed. You're back? Okay, doesn't that make the interior of your fridge look so much better? Mine sure did when I finished yesterday.
The BBC is reporting about a new method for storing radioactive waste. Actually, it's an old method that has been used in nature for millenia, but humans are only figuring out how it works now. The hope is that this will remove one more objection to nuclear power. Maybe we'll be able to stop burning fossil fuels for power sometime in my lifetime?
Some interesting news around the world
by alan on Wed 21st Jul 2004 5:37PM
The Star has a suggestion that Fox be kept under wraps in Canda similar to the way Al-Jazeera was recently kept under wraps. Al-Jazeera can be added to cable channels in Canada, provided the cable company censors any abusive verbiage, extreme bias and such like, but the report for the Star seems to think that Fox news has a similiar bias and abusive verbiage content. If you've never lived in the US, take a look at some of the links that the reporter gives to websites critical of Fox News. They're not likely to be exagerating. They have no need to. Fox has the some of the least believable reporting on the planet. They're the ones that claimed the moon landings were a hoax 4 or 5 years ago. I can't really see how Al Jazeera could be a worse import into Canada.
Also in the US: A US Congressional Committee, headed by a Republican, has decided to cut funding to space, environment and science programmes for next year. Bush's call to return to the moon and then go on to Mars is expected to be cancelled with such low funding. Is this a case of the left hand not supporting the right?
Also at the BBC, for parents of Web Using Teenagers: Something like 57% of all teenagers who use the 'net are likely to have come across porn, via popups or by accident. That's a nasty little statistic. So, chances are about even that any teenager I know has come across it. I know it would make me think twice about letting my children online unsupervised (if I had kids). Well, I guess I can't comment much more.
How's the life?
by alan on Sun 25th Jul 2004 3:04AM
Today I spent out in St. Agatha, helping with a "shop auction." Actually, I was selling food to the people who were bidding on stuff (or rather were taking a break from bidding on stuff). It was an interesting few hours.
Syria and Iraq are on the steps to "tighten border security" jointly, which is to say, that Syria has suggested it will in future try to stop foreigner insurgents from entering Iraq via their common border. So, is this the final declaration that the government of Syria has decided to declare its residents the enemy? Let me explain that. Most border security is about keeping the enemy (for however the government behind that border describes the enemy) out. At the Canada-US border, you will, so far as I've seen, never be stopped from leaving the country. This applies also to most other borders, even airports (though airport and airline security may decide they don't want you). The idea is that if the enemy is in the country, he can leave, but he won't be able to come back. That's generally considered a good thing: the enemy outside your borders. Now, however, Syria has suggested that it might work to keep insurgents in its own borders. So, you'll have all these likely violent men running around who wanted to go to Iraq, but can't now, stuck in Syria. What are they going to do? Uh, maybe hurt the locals? Somehow, I don't think the Syrian government is that silly, or sadistic toward its own subjects. I'm guessing this won't come to anything. So, then, what's the promise worth? Not a lot. I guess Syria wants to look like it's playing ball since it was on Bush's Second Axis of Evil (or whatever it was called, can't remember if it's still there or not) and likely doesn't want to get invaded after Bush wins the election this fall. Yes, I think it's reasonable to assume that he will, especially if gas prices come down and they find Bin Laden and Iraq's WMDs in the coming months.
Don't miss this!
by alan on Tue 27th Jul 2004 1:35AM
This is one of those things that I find interesting. Apparently, in South Africa, it's possible to be married without your consent, or even knowledge. Now, it's all due to corruption and general illegal activities, but it's not exactly something you want to have happen either. The story recounts how one woman was refused a marriage license because she was "already married" to some guy she had never heard of. It's an interesting little problem that the SA gov't is looking into.
Yup
by alan on Tue 27th Jul 2004 6:09PM
According to the French the secret to not over eating is: to eat less! In France portions are smaller generally, and sugars and sweets are not eaten as commonly as here. Hmm, I guess I need to look into that...
On this day
by alan on Thu 29th Jul 2004 10:28PM
in 1981, the world stopped for a little while to watch Prince Charles marry a common-woman. Probably one of the weddings that the most brides in the world wanted to copy...
Oops
by alan on Fri 30th Jul 2004 11:27PM
I was wrong apparently, Canadian border guards are expected to check vehicles leaving Canada, possibly detaining people attempting to leave Canada illegally. I'm a little disappointed, but not totally suprised. Of course, this is a new thing and the article is about the guards' protest about the whole thing, but there it is. I guess the US has gotten Canada to declare it's subjects suspect...