Refreshing call for a new perspective in the “culture wars”

The topics of how Christians should interact with the wider culture, and how much should contemporary society be influenced by Christian values, have always been matters of much debate. These “culture wars” erupt whenever there is public debate over moral and social issues. Rising above the principled arguments from both sides, Dr. Franklin Pyles, President of the Christian and Missionary Alliance in Canada, wrote an excellent article for the November 2010 edition of Table Talk, a bulletin insert for Canadian Alliance churches. It is titled On Culture and Communities, and is a must-read.

Markham Stouffville Urgent Care Centre – Inaccurate Advertising

I received this note from a trusted friend:

“The Markham Stouffville Urgent Care Centre placed ads in the local newspaper saying that flu shots are available there. In the ad, they told the public that vaccines are available during regular clinic hours, in addition to special flu shot sessions. However, when I went there with my mother (she is a senior in her late sixties) last Thursday afternoon during regular clinic hours, they refused to vaccinate us. We were the only patients there at the time, and staff members were just sitting around. I asked if they could at least make an exception for my mother, but they still refused. As a result, the drive there, plus the time spent, was for nothing.

“Please tell everyone that no, the flu vaccine is NOT available at the Markham Stouffville Urgent Care Centre during regular clinic hours. Thank you!”

Pharisee church pastor tells breastfeeding mothers to cover up

The Pharisee church pastor complained to me about “women who use feeding their children as an excuse to trap men in lust”.

“What bothers me is the attitude that moms should be allowed to feed wherever they want, even if it is in public in front of young children or men who are not their husbands. This is a natural act, but it is also between a mother and child, not a mother, child, and the strange man at the table next to her.

There is just no reason that breastfeeding mothers cannot throw a blanket over their baby while breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is absolutely not a reason to expose a woman’s bare breast.

I have no problem with women nursing their baby in a public place. However, too many women think that everyone else wants to view their breast, and not give consideration to others who care about modesty. I find that to be sinful and in very poor taste. Some women just don’t care how much they expose. Shame on them!

My instructions to breastfeeding women are this: always be respectful, considerate, modest, and decent. A breast does not change what it is just because you are nursing. Men around you would definitely view it as a breast, as an object of sexual desire. Women are not supposed to expose themselves in public, where men who are not their husbands would be tempted by their exposed body parts.

The issue here is modesty. Once, during a bible study in my church, a new mother began to breastfeed her child while not properly covering herself. I immediately condemned her for her sinful exposure, and held her to account. There is no reason a breastfeeding mother should expose herself to others while nourishing her baby! She should either go to a private location, or simply cover herself appropriately. What she is doing is natural, but she needs to be respectful to others’ feelings.

Do not put a stumbling block in your brothers’ way. If you are not being modest with your breastfeeding habits, then you may be a stumbling block for men who are struggling with pornography or other temptations of lust. I have instructed all Christian accountability groups in my church to ensure that breastfeeding women are held to account regarding their modesty while breastfeeding.

I always act firmly and swiftly if I see any social misbehaviour by women (or men) who defy my Christian values. I demand the highest level of accountability from my disciples.”

Pharisee church pastor, speak for yourself when you talk about feelings of lust upon seeing a nursing mother. All I see is a mother’s wonderful love for her child.

Fitness to Work Evaluation processing times

A report by Health Canada indicates that for Fitness to Work Evaluation (FTWE) requests made by Transport Canada, the yearly-average processing times by Health Canada’s Workplace Health and Public Safety Programme (WHPSP), Ontario Region, ranged from 42.0 days (approximately 1 ½ months) to 203.5 days (less than 7 months) during the previous five fiscal years (2005/06 to 2009/10).  In the majority (57%) of cases during the previous five fiscal years, the FTWE was completed in less than 120 days (4 months).

 The yearly average processing times are as follows:

 2005/06 – 75.5 days

2006/07 – 117.3 days

2007/08 – 203.5 days

2008/09 – 42.0 days

2009/10 – 109.0 days

Source:  Health Canada Access to Information Request A-2010-00056 / ne

Canadian government mail processing in Ottawa (National Capital Region)

This portion of packaging for a piece of mail arriving at the Public Service Labour Relations Board displays signs for some of the processes for mail received by the federal government in the National Capital Region. The mail is X-Rayed, and information about the sender and carrier are tracked by an internal system. For privacy reasons, the sender’s information and the Canada Post tracking code have been removed.

Public Service Staffing Tribunal issues decision regarding venues for exchange of information

Yesterday, Canada’s Public Service Staffing Tribunal issued a decision regarding meeting locations used for exchange of information during the complaint process.

The Tribunal noted, “The purpose of exchange of information in the PSEA and the PSST Regulations is to promote transparent employment practices (Visca v. Department of Justice [2006] PSST 0016). It is implicit therefore, that such meetings are to be held at a place of business and not at a residence.”

“PSEA” refers to the Public Service Employment Act.

“PSST Regulations” refers to the Public Service Staffing Tribunal Regulations.

For more information, please contact the Tribunal and refer to the decision made on April 12, 2010, for file 2010-0071.