Canada: Christians urged to engage

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) has called on Canadian Christians to fully engage with the political process ahead of the national federal election, describing voting as a “privilege and responsibility”.

The upcoming election, called by newly elected Liberal Party leader and prime minister Mark Carney and due to be held on 28 April, will be the first contest the liberals have faced without former prime minister Justin Trudeau at the helm in ten years, and Carney’s party is neck and neck with the Conservatives in the polls.

While the EFC is not formally backing a candidate and has urged member churches to take a non-partisan stance, it has issued guidance on key questions they should ask candidates about if they engage directly with them.

A guidance document suggests that churches should ask candidates about how they will protect freedom of conscience and religion, how they will protect children online and their views on abortion, assisted dying and prostitution, as well as how they will care for the environment.

Julia Beazley, EFC’s director of public policy, told “Leaders and elected representatives, and the laws and policies we have in place, impact so many aspects of our lives. They shape the communities and country we live in.

“We are encouraging Christians to pray for candidates and for party leaders. We pray that, as followers of Jesus, we would demonstrate the love of Christ to those we interact with – even those we disagree with. We pray that we would place our identity in Christ and as followers of Jesus above partisanship, and above all of the divisiveness in our society. And we pray for the outcome of the election: for peace, good governance, and the good of our neighbours and our country.”