Bahai Library Online

Chronology of the Bahá'í Faith in Canada

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Date 2021, descending sort earliest first

date event tags firsts
2021 17 Nov
202-
The premier of the film The Legacy of Saskatoon's Secret Forest [CBNS17 November 2021]
    The inspirational story of Richard St. Barbe Baker, aka the "Man of the Trees," The heritage documentary The Legacy of Saskatoon's Secret Forest tells the story of his remarkable life and achievements. Note there is a 15 minute version heritage documentary and a one hour long presentation with greetings from around the world. The 15 minute prequel film "Richard St. Barbe Baker Park" tells how the heritage documentary came to be. From roots in Saskatoon he went on to inspire tree planting and forest protection around the world. The International Tree Foundation, which he founded in 1922, is still active in 14 countries. Countless people motivated by him are environmental champions today. A companion curriculum describes his holistic world view, and his daring life of action on behalf of the earth.
The Legacy of Saskatoons Secret Forest (film); Richard St. Barbe Baker; Saskatoon, SK
2021 13 Aug
202-
The passing of Bruce Kenneth Filson (b. 4 December 1952 in Saskatoon). He was interred at the Valley View Memorial Gardens in Surrey, BC. [Saskatoon Star Phoenix 18 August 2021] - In Memoriam; Bruce Filson; Saskatoon, SK; Surrey, BC
2021 17 Jun
202-
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, announced the nomination of the Honourable Mahmud Jamal to the Supreme Court. [PMO website]
  • A brief biography can be found here on the Prime Minister's website.
  • See also CBC story.
  • See his interview with CTV's Omar Sachedina about one year after his appointment.
  • Mahmud Jamal; Ottawa, ON
    2021 15 Jun
    202-
    The Universal House of Justice determined that, exceptionally, the new term for Auxiliary Board Members would begin on 1 July 2021 rather than on the Day of the Covenant this year, to provide the Board members with sufficient time to make preparatory arrangements for the conference of the Continental Boards of Counsellors and Auxiliary Board members called for January 2022.

    The Continental Board of Counsellors appointed the following 26 Auxiliary Board members to serve in Canada. Those serving on the Propagation Board:

      Mert Ozyonum, Atlantic Provinces
      Betty Dai, Anthony Jjumba, Shawyun Refahi and Anisa Skuce-Newell in British Columbia
      Lita Cameron, Elisa Cooper, Neda Farahmandpour, Caitlin Moore in Ontario
      Maëlle Turbide in Québec
      Dagmawit E. Habtemariam in Saskatchewan-Manitoba
      Drew Erickson in Alberta
    Those serving on the Protection Board:
      Alanna Robertson Vreeland in the Atlantic Provinces
      Agazzi Abay Tsehaye, Nabih Ardekany, Navid Jaberi, Lori Mason in British Columbia
      Ravin Appadoo, Rebecca Hamilton-Bachiu, Justin Kianfar, Bronwyn Naylor and Golbon Singh in Ontario
      Mona Pirmoradi in Québec
      Anis Sabet in Saskatchewan-Manitoba
      Karolina Drabik and Shabnam Shakibaei in Alberta

    The Counsellors expressed their love and gratitude to these distinguished friends who have served so faithfully and sacrificially and who will be relieved of this service as of 1 July 2021. They were: Sara Chesley, Sohayl Ghadirian, Alaleh Rohani, Robert M. Ngunjiri, Rhona Scoffield, Sophie Turbide, Stacey-Michelle Tekye, and Tahirih North. [Letter from the National Assembly to the Canadian community dated 16 June 2021 S113255]

    Auxiliary board members
    2021 Ridván
    202-
    There was no National Convention this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. A small team of delegates served as tellers to count the ballots cast by the 171 delegates. 100% participation was achieved. The names of those elected were: Mehran Anvari, Deloria Bighorn, Zelalem Bimrew Kasse, Hoda Farahmandpour, Gerald Filson, Judy Filson, Ciprian Jauca, Karen McKye and Elizabeth Wright. [Bahá'í Canada 27 April 2021] National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Mehran Anvari; Deloria Bighorn; Zelalem Bimrew Kasse; Hoda Farahmandpour; Gerald Filson; Judy Filson; Ciprian Jauca; Karen McKye; Elizabeth Wright
    2021 5 Feb
    202-
    More than 40 prominent members of Canada's legal community, including former Supreme Court judges and justice ministers, have penned an open letter to the Chief Justice of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, in order to draw attention to what they call "an alarming new chapter" in Iran's state-sanctioned persecution of its Bahá'í religious minority. Their letter came in response to a series of court rulings in 2020 that sanctioned the confiscation of the properties of dozens Bahá'ís in the village of Ivel in northern Iran justifying the seizure and sale of land on the grounds their religion denies them the right to own property. [Globe & Mail 8Feb21]
  • For a complete report see Land confiscation and mass displacement of Bahá'ís in Iran.
  • For the letter and the list of signatories see Open Letter to the Chief Justice of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
  • Former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney included his signature on this open letter. [BWNS1488]
  • Australian farmers have released a video message drawing attention to the unjust confiscation of lands belonging to their "farming brothers and sisters" in Iran. [BWNS1492]
  • The Collective Statement by Iranian Religious Modernists Condemning Confiscation of Baha'i Property.
  • Persecution, Iran; Ivel, Mazandaran; Mazandaran, Iran; Iran
    2021 20 Jan
    202-
    The Canadian Council of Imams made a statement in protest the ruling issued by an Iranian Court to confiscate the properties of 27 Bahá'ís in the farming village of Ivel in northern Iran. They went on to state that in Islam, all properties and dignity of every human beings are to be preserved and protected regardless of creed or ethnicity. This ruling is not in conformity with Shariah.

    Canadian Council of Imams is an organization of religious leadership of Imams (Sunni and Shi'ia), representing the Islamic Community in Canada. [Office of Public Information]

    Canadian Council of Imams; Canada; - Islam; Human rights; Iran; Persecution, Iran; - Persecution, Other; - Persecution
    2021 10 Jan
    202-
    The passing of Marlene Marie Macke in St. Marys, Ontario, She had been a member of the Bahá'í Faith for over 50 years. Obituary.

       After leaving a career in market development in the federal tourism agency that included postings in Sydney, Australia and St. John's, Newfoundland, Marlene served in the community development department of the Bahá'í National Centre in Thornhill, Ontario. Back in St. Marys, she devoted her life to working at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival, travelling and writing. She loved working as a Festival usher and, more recently, as a volunteer tour guide. Many of her trips involved Bahá'í service projects in destinations such as Cyprus, Ireland and Western Samoa and some quirky journeys such as travelling on a cargo ship from New York City to Chile and back.

       Marlene authored two biographies, Take My Love to the Friends: The Story of Laura R. Davis and Faithful Friends: Founding the Toronto Bahá'í Community 1919–1938, one play named Tabreez, several dramatic readings and essays and a dozen essays on Shakespeare plays. Joining a group of writers at the Desert Rose Bahá'í Institute in Arizona for annual winter gatherings, she co-founded the "Write Life", an annual writers' retreat, serving as a co-facilitator for two years. Marlene was named the first Writer in Residence at Desert Rose.

       For a list of Marlen's Dramatic Readings see Bahá'í Library.

    Marlene Macke; - In Memoriam; St. Marys, ON
    2021 - 2022
    202-
    One Year Plan One Year Plan; - Teaching Plans
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