FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 15, 2019 Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett, Director of the Cardus Religious Freedom Institute, has released the following statement regarding today’s Ontario Court of Appeal ruling on health care workers’ conscience rights: “Today’s decision by the Ontario Court of Appeal is a significant setback for the cause of conscience rights. Freedom of conscience is a fundamental freedom held by virtue of being human and is protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. To demand that health care workers go against their consciences for the provision of a medical service is a violation of the human dignity of those workers. There is no freestanding Charter right to any medical service in Canada. The only Charter right at issue in this case was the freedom of conscience of health care workers. The Court’s decision treats health care workers as merely servants of the state whose conscience rights are secondary to the demands of patients. Is it not the responsibility of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario to protect its members’ human rights? As regulators in other provinces have done, the College could create an online referral system, which would direct patients to a physician who would provide a demanded medical service while still preserving the fundamental freedom of conscience of all health care workers.” MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca About the Cardus Religious Freedom Institute The CRFI researches Canadian religious freedom issues in order to educate Canadians and to strengthen the national network of religious freedom advocates. Central to the Institute’s work is the understanding that religious freedom is the fundamental right of all people, their communities, and their institutions to live out their most deeply held beliefs in both public and private contexts without interference from the state or other authorities. To learn more, visit the Cardus website.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 13, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – Think tank Cardus is pleased to announce that author, journalist, and public intellectual Anne Snyder is the new editor-in-chief of Comment ­­– one of the leading Christian thought journals in North America. In celebration of this new moment, all are welcome to enjoy Comment’s entire online collection without a paywall. For a limited time, new guests and print subscribers alike can read 35 years of Comment to the brim of their hearts and minds. Ray Pennings, publisher of Comment and executive vice president of Cardus, is confident Snyder will advance the magazine’s mission. “Anne represents a new generation of Christian thinkers, so it’s exciting that she’ll provide editorial leadership for Comment,” says Pennings. “Her journalistic credentials and fresh take on contemporary issues will help the magazine break through the din of media voices to provide readers with accessible, artistic, and diverse commentary on how Christians can be faithfully present in North American culture.” Having served as a contributing editor to Comment, Snyder says she’s excited to lead a magazine at the nexus of North American cultural conversations. “I love Comment,” says Snyder. “No other magazine has challenged me so consistently with such big questions, playing an important role in my own thinking as a Christian seeking to interpret our times. It would be an honour to amplify that role for the benefit of a wider pool of writers and readers. The world is hungry for a moral lens that is both ancient and future-oriented, coherent yet open to new ideas.” Snyder is the Director of The Philanthropy Roundtable‘s Character Initiative, a Fellow at the Houston-based Center for Opportunity Urbanism, and a Senior Fellow at The Trinity Forum. She holds a Master’s degree in journalism from Georgetown University and a B.A. in philosophy and international relations from Wheaton College (IL). She has been published widely, including in Comment, The Atlantic Monthly, The Washington Post, City Journal, and elsewhere. In March of 2019, Snyder published her first book, The Fabric of Character. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca About CardusCardus is a non-partisan, faith-based think tank and registered charity dedicated to promoting a flourishing society through independent research, robust public dialogue, and thought-provoking commentary. To learn more, visit our website, follow us on Twitter, and like us on Facebook.

Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett, Director of the Cardus Religious Freedom Institute (CRFI), is scheduled to appear before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Thursday, May 9, 2019. The committee is studying how to combat the spread of online hatred. Rev. Dr. Bennett's testimony will draw on his personal expertise as director of the CRFI and his deep knowledge of religious discrimination issues in Canada and around the world. He will be available to the media following his committee appearance. Who:    Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett, Director – Cardus Religious Freedom Institute What:   Appearance before House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights When:  Thursday, May 9, 2019 from 9:45 to 10:45am ET Where: Room 325, Wellington Building, 197 Sparks Street Why:     To deliver expert testimony on combating the spread of online hatred MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis  Cardus - Director of Communications  613.241.4500 x.508  dproussalidis@cardus.ca About the Cardus Religious Freedom Institute The CRFI researches Canadian religious freedom issues in order to educate Canadians and to strengthen the national network of religious freedom advocates. Central to the Institute’s work is the understanding that religious freedom is the fundamental right of all people, their communities, and their institutions to live out their most deeply held beliefs in both public and private contexts without interference from the state or other authorities. To learn more, visit the Cardus website.

Dr. Albert Cheng joins Cardus Education to provide insight and direction for education research.      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  April 23, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – Cardus is pleased to announce that Dr. Albert Cheng has joined Cardus Education as a senior fellow. Dr. Cheng’s work with Cardus comes as he continues to work as an assistant professor at the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas. “Dr. Cheng is an accomplished professor with expertise in areas such as education policy and independent schools,” said Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of Cardus. “His knowledge and interests align very closely to ours, so it’s exciting to have him join our roster of senior fellows.”  Dr. Cheng says he’s looking forward to his new cooperation with Cardus. “I’m excited to be taking on this new role with Cardus – an organization whose work I know well and for which I have immense respect,” said Dr. Cheng. “The Cardus Education Survey and other Cardus research in education has helped to uncover and document the valuable contributions that independent and faith-based schools make to the common good.” Dr. Cheng has a PhD in education policy. He teaches courses on the history and philosophy of education as well as education policy analysis at the University of Arkansas. Known for his research on character formation, school choice policy, faith-based schooling, and homeschooling, he serves on the editorial board for the International Journal of Christianity and Education. He is also a research affiliate with Charassein: The Character Assessment Initiative at the University of Arkansas and the Program on Education Policy and Governance at Harvard University.  Dr. Cheng has a master's degree in education from Biola University. He worked as a high school math teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area after completing a mathematics degree from the University of California, Berkeley. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  April 17, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – Niagara-area teachers Laurie Blue and Brenda Boks have won a 2019 John Rozema Teaching Excellence Award. Blue won in the Humanities and Fine Arts category, while Boks takes home the award in the Special Education category. Blue teaches at Niagara Christian Collegiate in Fort Erie. Known for rigorous classes where students’ first work is never accepted as their final work, Blue also teaches students that art is not just a personal expression; it can also change societies and cultures. Boks is Director of Student Support Services at Beacon Christian School in St. Catharines. She led efforts to turn Beacon into a model of inclusiveness for students with special needs. The school now excels at providing physical access to students with mobility challenges, accessing health supports for students, and delivering additional literacy and numeracy support. “Laurie Blue’s work in the classroom and out of it exemplifies what a teacher’s commitment to art looks like,” says Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of think tank Cardus. “Brenda Boks efforts remind us that independent Christian schools have an enviable vision of inclusiveness for all.” Also winning Rozema Awards this year are: Harry Blyleven at Hamilton District Christian High School in the STEM Teaching category Rachael Weening at Toronto District Christian High School in the Global Perspective category Rozema Award winners will be honoured at the 2019 Edvance Christian Schools Association conference on October 24. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES  Daniel Proussalidis  Cardus - Director of Communications  613-241-4500 x508  dproussalidis@cardus.ca About the Award The John Rozema Teaching Excellence Award recognises excellence as an ongoing investment into the life of a Christian school community and a positive public contribution to the common good. Open to all independent Christian schools in Ontario, the award is presented in partnership with the Christian School Foundation and EduDeo Ministries.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  April 17, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – A high school teacher at a school in Vaughan, ON is being recognised for her work in leading students through a special cultural immersion program in the Dominican Republic. Rachael Weening will receive a John Rozema Teaching Excellence Award in the Global Perspective category. Under Weening’s guidance, students attending Toronto District Christian High School participated in a semester-long program that included eight weeks in the Dominican Republic. During their time there, the Canadian students learned Spanish, took English and Philosophy courses, and worked to serve others through manual labour, teaching, and as personal support workers at an orphanage. “Rachael Weening has truly expanded the perspectives of her students, making them more culturally aware and more sensitive to others’ needs,” says Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of think tank Cardus. “This is another example of an independent Christian school contributing to the common good.” As part of the award, Weening will receive $5,000 to help fund her personal professional development as a teacher. Also winning Rozema Awards this year are: Laurie Blue at Niagara Christian Collegiate in the Humanities and Fine Arts category Harry Blyleven at Hamilton District Christian High School in the STEM Teaching category Brenda Boks at Beacon Christian School in the Special Education category Rozema Award winners will be honoured at the 2019 Edvance Christian Schools Association conference on October 24. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES  Daniel Proussalidis  Cardus - Director of Communications  613-241-4500 x508  dproussalidis@cardus.ca About the Award The John Rozema Teaching Excellence Award recognises excellence as an ongoing investment into the life of a Christian school community and a positive public contribution to the common good. Open to all independent Christian schools in Ontario, the award is presented in partnership with the Christian School Foundation and EduDeo Ministries.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 17, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – Local high school teacher Harry Blyleven is being recognised for his work in teaching Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) to students in Grades 9 to 12. Blyleven will receive a John Rozema Teaching Excellence Award in the STEM category worth $5,000 to help fund his professional development as a teacher. Under Blyleven’s guidance, students at Hamilton District Christian High School created a smartphone app that allows Westfield Heritage Village visitors to enjoy a narrated walking tour of the museum. The project stretched students’ abilities in computer programming, audio engineering, graphic design, and communication. “Harry Blyleven worked with students at four grade levels to encourage them to test their boundaries and excel in their studies,” says Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of think tank Cardus. “His teaching is a reminder that independent Christian schools are often at the forefront of STEM teaching.” Also winning Rozema Awards this year are: Laurie Blue at Niagara Christian Collegiate in the Humanities and Fine Arts category Brenda Boks at Beacon Christian School in the Special Education category Rachael Weening at Toronto District Christian High School in the Global Perspective category Rozema Award winners will be honoured at the 2019 Edvance Christian Schools Association conference on October 24. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES  Daniel Proussalidis  Cardus - Director of Communications  613-241-4500 x508  dproussalidis@cardus.ca About the Award The John Rozema Teaching Excellence Award recognises excellence as an ongoing investment into the life of a Christian school community and a positive public contribution to the common good. Open to all independent Christian schools in Ontario, the award is presented in partnership with the Christian School Foundation and EduDeo Ministries.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 11, 2019 The new child care tax rebates announced as part of the Ontario government’s latest budget are a step forward in making child care generally more affordable, says think tank Cardus. The new rebates promise up to $6,000 for the lowest income Ontario families, though they could go a high as $8,250 for families with a child that has a severe disability. “Child care is a major expense for many families, so a refundable tax rebate should help to ease that burden,” says Peter Jon Mitchell, Acting Program Director of Family at Cardus. “And these rebates are largely in line with one of the key recommendations in our recently released policy paper, A Positive Vision for Child Care, which calls for funding to follow the child, not daycare spaces.” The new rebates will also be available for a wide variety of types of care. “Child care is the care of a child, no matter who does it,” says Mitchell. “Rebates that are child-based, not centre-based, provide families with flexibility to choose the kind of care that works for them.” However, Mitchell worries that some families that need help might still fall through the cracks. “If parents can’t afford to pay for child care at all, a tax rebate won’t help,” says Mitchell. “However, the promised system of advanced child care payments for low income families – which is still years away – might help.” The new rebates also don’t cover all types of child care. “If parents choose not to use a paid child care provider, the rebate doesn’t recognize the value of their choice,” says Mitchell. Cardus has recommended that provinces introducing child care tax rebates broaden the definition of what constitutes child care to include all forms of care, including parental, family, home-based, nannies, or independent care. Access the full list of provincial recommendations in A Positive Vision for Child Care online. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 4, 2019 As Americans tire of toxic political rhetoric and a decades long culture war, have state and national leaders tapped into education’s full potential? A new paper from think tank Cardus suggests leaders need to take a broader view of schooling in order to take full advantage of what education can offer. “Non-government, and especially religious, schools are often considered damaging to social cohesion,” write authors Marisa Casagrande and Ray Pennings in Religious Schools: Seedbeds of Civic Virtue in the Culture War? “This report challenges that assumption. Relying on outcome-based data from several surveys of adults who graduated from religious schools … we argue that the value of religious schools for creating civic virtue has been underappreciated.” The paper references the Cardus Education Survey of 2014, a representative sample of 1,500 American high school graduates between the ages of 24 and 39. Among its findings, it shows that attending an independent or religious school is associated with a long-term positive influence on civic measures and outcomes.  Graduates of religious schools especially stand out in terms of giving and volunteering – two pro-social behaviours standing in contrast to today’s often bitter public discourse. Graduates from Protestant schools are much more likely to go on a social service trip and to donate money or goods to an important cause or organization. Catholic school grads are the most consistently positive on giving and volunteering, showing a higher likelihood of volunteering outside their congregation and donating to charity.  In other pro-social behaviours, such as political interest, trust in organizations, and an obligation to participate in civic affairs, religious independent school graduates largely match the levels of engagement of public school graduates. In brief, state and national leaders could find allies for pluralism and civility by taking a more welcoming view toward independent religious schools. “At their best, religious schools and other religious spaces can offer valuable communities of practice where particular dispositions of tolerance, humility, and patience can be formed,” write Casagrande and Pennings. Recent Barna Research data collected in partnership with Cardus show that American church leaders, parents, and schools also aren’t speaking to one another enough on these matters either. More than half of non-mainline Protestant (56%) and four in 10 Catholic clergy say they haven’t addressed the topic of school choice even once in the last year. In both cases, fewer than half of church leaders say parents even asked about it. “Church leaders, parents, and educators are missing the opportunity to bring religious schools into the conversation about building a unified, pluralistic American society,” says Pennings. “If political leaders also recognized the value of these schools, it would help tame America’s culture war.” Download Religious Schools: Seedbeds of Civic Virtue in the Culture War? from the Cardus website. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca