Second annual Public Faith Index underlines the harder side of Canadian secularism      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    December 4, 2019 OTTAWA, ON – The findings of a new Angus Reid Institute (ARI) survey, produced in partnership with Cardus, are raising questions about the future of tolerance and virtue in Canada. The 2019 Public Faith Index has found that the more religious Canadians are, the more likely they are to take a positive view of faiths different from their own. By contrast, when non-religious Canadians were asked whether various faiths were “benefitting or damaging Canada and Canadian society,” they took a dim view of every community but their own: “When it comes to faith, religion in Canada encourages tolerance of others,” said Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of Cardus. “Non-believers were generally unwelcoming of all religions, though they seem especially hostile to Islam, Catholicism, and Evangelical Christianity.” The findings come as part of the annual Public Faith Index, developed by Cardus and ARI to measure Canadian mindsets regarding religious faith in public life. The latest index confirms Canadians are almost equally divided among three groups: Public Faith Proponents, who recognize the importance of faith and religion to society, Public Faith Opponents, who are the most enthusiastic about secularism and want to reduce the role and presence of faith and religion, and the Uncertain, who take a middle position. Public Faith Opponents were much less likely to support the Charter-protected, fundamental human right of religious freedom. Only 37 percent of that group agrees religious freedom makes Canada a better country, while more than one in four of them say it makes Canada worse. By contrast, 86 percent of Public Faith Proponents favour religious freedom for all.  Regarding religious symbols or clothing in the workplace, the most secular respondents had the lowest tolerance for such expressions. Fully 56 percent of Public Faith Opponents were uncomfortable with religious symbols or clothing in the workplace, compared to just one in five Public Faith Proponents. The data also uncovered a marked contrast in attitudes regarding public virtue. Almost two-thirds of Public Faith Opponents prioritized “achieving one’s own dreams and happiness” over “being concerned about helping others” as the best way to live life. For Public Faith Proponents, however, 54 percent prioritized helping others.  So, what does faith-motivated help for others look practically and what could be lost by privatizing faith? Religious Canadians give generously. Statistics Canada states that 54% of primary donors to charity (the top 10% of all donors) attend religious services weekly, compared to just 14% of other donors and 8% of non-donors. Religious donors also give more than 3.5 times more to charity than other types of donors. Religious congregations benefit their neighbourhoods and communities. Each dollar in a religious congregation’s budget provides almost five times as much common good benefit to its surrounding community. Religious groups help those outside their faith. Culture and arts groups, recreation and sports programs, and social clubs are among the top groups losing out from church building closures. Religious communities help newcomers to Canada. Half of immigrants to Canada say they received material support from faith communities, including help finding a job or a home. “Hard secularism carries a social cost by undermining religious freedom and silencing faith – one of the prime motivators for tolerance of others, public virtue, and generosity in Canada,” said Pennings. “All religious communities have their warts, but that doesn’t change the fact that synagogues, mosques, temples, and churches are like special machines that convert Canadians’ compassion into billions of dollars of goodwill.” Full survey results are available online. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

Media coverage of political leaders’ faiths likely also affected 2019 federal election outcome      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    November 28, 2019 OTTAWA, ON – Seven in 10 Canadians say a political party leader’s personal views on abortion and same-sex marriage would have a significant impact on their vote. That finding comes in a new survey by the Angus Reid Institute, conducted in partnership with think tank Cardus, just after October’s federal election. As for promises that leaders will keep their personal views out of the political realm, 41 percent of Canadians doubt those commitments, while 27 percent simply don’t believe them. “There’s clear evidence that hot-button social issues were a factor in how Canadians voted in the 2019 federal election,” said Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of Cardus. “However, they were a bigger factor in Quebec than in other parts of the country because Bloc Quebecois voters took the hardest line on those issues.” Just 44 percent of Bloc voters considered it alright for a political leader to be privately pro-life, but not allow those views to influence policy, compared to at least half of Liberal and NDP voters who took that position. Conservative and Green voters were much warmer to the idea of being privately pro-life. The survey also found that 55 percent of Canadians say political leaders’ personal beliefs and faith should be off-limits for the media. At the same time, almost 70 percent say they were aware of media coverage of Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer being Catholic and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh being a Sikh. Awareness of media coverage of other party leaders’ faiths was much lower. Just more than half of those who saw, heard, or read about Scheer’s faith say it left them with a negative opinion of him, compared to just 24 percent who said the same of Singh. “In a pluralistic country like Canada, we need to find ways to welcome different perspectives and opinions,” said Pennings. “We also need to regain familiarity with Canada’s various faiths so that we can engage with each other genuinely and respectfully.” The full survey results are freely available online. To speak with someone from Cardus about the polling, please, contact Daniel Proussalidis at dproussalidis@cardus.ca.  -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

New report identifies key factors for why personal support workers leave jobs in long-term care homes      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 12, 2019 OTTAWA, ON – A new report by think tank Cardus has found evidence that personal support workers (PSWs) in Ontario’s long-term care homes are spending an estimated 32 minutes per shift on paperwork. That’s as much time as is allotted for getting five residents out of bed and ready for breakfast every morning. “In a job where every minute counts, increased regulation is forcing personal support workers to sacrifice care of residents in favour of filling out forms and documents,” says Brian Dijkema, co-author of People over Paperwork and Cardus Vice President of External Affairs. “Often, PSWs are spending unpaid time off-shift to finish their paperwork. This feeds into the shortage of PSWs in Ontario because folks who are over-stretched and unsatisfied leave long-term care homes for greener pastures.” People over Paperwork also finds wages for most PSWs in Ontario’s long-term care homes have not kept up with inflation. So, full-time PSWs have endured the equivalent of a six-percent pay cut since 2009. In effect, PSWs were making almost $2,800 less annually in 2018 than in 2009. “If Ontario wants to attract and maintain an effective workforce for long-term care homes, it must find ways to improve personal support workers’ job satisfaction,” says Dijkema. “It can start by focusing paperwork on necessities rather than red tape, so workers can spend more time caring for residents. To do this requires a deeper partnership among government, long-term care homes, and workers to create lasting solutions.” People over Paperwork recommends the Ontario government take four steps: Recognize that PSWs are overburdened by paperwork and face serious wage problems Support existing efforts by PSW employers and unions to solve workers’ challenges Take seriously the recommendations those involved in long-term care make Convene a long-term care action group of government, employers, and labour to find lasting solutions People over Paperwork was co-authored by Cardus researcher Johanna Wolfert and Cardus Vice President of External Affairs Brian Dijkema. The report is freely available online. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

The modern misunderstanding of human dignity devalues the inherent and equal worth of all people.         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        October 28, 2019 OTTAWA, ON – Canada needs to regain a full and robust understanding of human dignity as something that is inherent to a person’s being, cannot be taken away, and does not depend on external factors such as intellectual or physical abilities. Who are You? Reaffirming Human Dignity, a new report by the Cardus Religious Freedom Institute (CRFI), finds this understanding of human dignity has been lost in a culture focused on individual autonomy. “The dignity as autonomy position makes personal choice the highest good at the expense of other goods. In this view, nothing is inherently good. Things are only good if an individual chooses them,” write co-authors Rev. Dr. Andrew Bennett, the director of the CRFI, and Aaron Neil, a Cardus researcher, in their report. “Freedom is not simply the ability to choose. It is the ability to choose rightly.” The paper also points out a potential danger: As Canadian society moves further away from a proper understanding of human dignity, increasing violations of that dignity will take place. This will lead to an impoverished public square and diminish the fundamental freedoms that flow from human dignity, such as freedom of religion and conscience. Rev. Dr. Bennett says faith leaders need to grapple with the issue of human dignity within their congregations. “Canadians of faith are not immune to current cultural trends, including the modern misunderstanding of human dignity,” says Rev. Dr. Bennett. “That’s why it’s so important to reinforce – and in some cases re-learn – what human dignity is from a basic, theological perspective.” Who are You? Reaffirming Human Dignity comes following a CRFI symposium in Ottawa on September 26, 2019 to address questions about what human dignity is, where it comes from, and how it is put into practice. Participants included: Dr. Moira McQueen from the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute Prof. Douglas Farrow from the School of Religious Studies at McGill University Prof. Faisal Bhabha from Osgoode Law School at York University Prof. Victor Muniz-Fraticelli from the Faculty of Law at McGill University Dr. Lucas Vivas from the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians and Societies Leslie Rosenblood from the Canadian Secular Alliance Who are You? Reaffirming Human Dignity is freely available online. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

Think tank releases new report on the contribution private schools make to the public good       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE          October 9, 2019 WASHINGTON D.C. – America is ripe for a more inclusive definition of public education, a new report from public policy think tank Cardus finds. Based on a decade’s worth of research, Rethinking Public Education: Including All Schools that Contribute to the Public Good, argues that private schools contribute to public education in tangible and measurable ways. “All education is public education when it contributes to the public good,” says Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of Cardus and report co-author. “A modern, inclusive, and pluralistic public education system would take those contributions into account and include all types of school – public and private.” Rethinking Public Education: Including All Schools that Contribute to the Public Good is based on the Cardus Education Survey (CES) – one of the most significant measures of private school outcomes as compared against public school outcomes. Pennings presented the findings in Washington D.C. during an October 8 panel discussion moderated by Anne Snyder, editor-in-chief of Comment Magazine. The key findings of the latest CES include: Evangelical Protestant schools in the United States tend to produce graduates who are at least as civically engaged as their public school counterparts and are generous in charitable giving. Catholic school graduates are more likely than your average American public schooler to have a greater proportion of friends of a different race and ethnicity. Non-religious private school graduates are more likely than public schoolers to donate to charity and to volunteer in health care, arts and culture, and political and international causes. “Sixteen percent of American education is delivered through schools that are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, charter, non-religious, and homeschools,” says Pennings. “Some of the most progressive countries in the world, like Finland and the Netherlands, provide some level of public funding for such private schools. America should open up to a new way of thinking about education and school funding.” Marisa Cassagrande, a Cardus researcher, and Dr. David Sikkink, associate professor of sociology at the University of Notre Dame, co-authored Rethinking Public Education: Including All Schools that Contribute to the Public Good with Pennings. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

Grandson of Chedoke’s last private owner urges Hamilton to reach lease agreement with Cardus       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      September 25, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – Cardus’s proposal to restore and re-open Chedoke has received a new vote of confidence. David Balfour, grandson of Ethel Southam Balfour and St. Clair Balfour who lived in the house through the first half of the 20th century, says he’s “delighted” by the Cardus restoration proposal. “Cardus has created the type of plan all of us who’ve lived in or visited Chedoke have longed to see,” said Mr. Balfour. “I urge the city to move quickly on reaching an agreement with Cardus. They have a vision for restoring this beautiful home to its former glory so that this piece of Hamilton history is not lost.” Mr. Balfour’s endorsement comes a week after Hamilton city councillors voted overwhelmingly to direct city staff to negotiate a lease agreement with Cardus for Chedoke. Cardus has offered to restore and re-open the historic property at no cost to the city while using the restored building for office and retreat space. Cardus has also committed to facilitating public access to the property in keeping with the low traffic and low impact requirements of the surrounding neighbourhood.  “I deeply appreciate Mr. Balfour’s support for Cardus and our proposal to restore the home that’s so important to his family,” said Michael Van Pelt, President and CEO of Cardus. “Our proposal to help bring Hamilton’s history to life again is bringing people and communities together. It’s a concrete way to say that everyone has a place – and a space – in a city as diverse and beautiful as Hamilton.” Cardus has offered to take the full financial burden off the shoulders of taxpayers and the City of Hamilton by restoring and occupying the unused and deteriorating Chedoke. The property is currently owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, while the city manages it. The goal of the project would be to ensure a beautifully restored and meticulously maintained property for the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2039. For more details, visit OpenBalfour. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

Respected Hamilton-area employer offers to financially back Cardus’s heritage restoration plan         FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE       September 19, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – On the heels of Hamilton City Council’s decision to accept Cardus’s OpenBalfour proposal, a respected local employer has agreed to help finance the work of restoring and re-opening Balfour House. Almex Group, based in Stoney Creek, says it is joining other philanthropic partners in the OpenBalfour plan. “Hamilton City Council sees the benefit of the Cardus plan for Balfour House and so do we,” said Tim Shaw, CEO of Almex. “We’re proud to be able to contribute to the preservation of Hamilton’s heritage and history in a way that takes the burden off the backs of city taxpayers.” On September 18, Hamilton councillors voted overwhelmingly to direct city staff to negotiate a lease agreement with think tank Cardus for Balfour House. Cardus has offered to restore and re-open the historic property at no cost to the city, while using the restored building for office and retreat space. Cardus has also committed to facilitating public access to the restored property in keeping with the low traffic and low impact requirements of the surrounding neighbourhood.  “I’m so grateful for Almex Group’s willingness to participate with us in this grand project for Hamilton,” said Michael Van Pelt, President and CEO of Cardus. “It’s encouraging to see the city’s good corporate citizens join our other partners in restoring and re-opening Balfour House.” Almex Group is a Canadian corporation with eighteen strategic locations worldwide. It provides solutions for Android Tablets and instrumentation; dust suppression; the carpet and textile industry; tire repair; vulcanizers and presses for conveyor belt manufacturing and installation; and adhesives and consumables for conveyor belt splicing.  Almex joins three other local employers – Invizij Architects, Schilthuis Constrution, and lead philanthropist Budget Environmental – already cooperating with Cardus on the heritage restoration project. For more details, visit OpenBalfour. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

Cardus looks forward to negotiating a lease agreement with the City of Hamilton    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  September 18, 2019 HAMILTON, ON – Think tank Cardus is welcoming a decision by Hamilton city councillors to accept its proposal to restore and re-open the historic Balfour House, and to direct staff to negotiate a lease agreement. “I’m very grateful to Hamilton City Council for having the vision and the courage to accept a truly unique, win-win proposal for the restoration and re-opening of Balfour House,” said Cardus President and CEO Michael Van Pelt. “Hamiltonians ought to take note that council acted in the best interests of taxpayers and the city as a whole.” Balfour House gives Cardus the opportunity to give back to Hamilton, the city it calls home. The next step in the process will be to sit down with city officials to hammer out the details of a lease agreement so that restoration work can begin. “Council’s decision on Balfour House is a big step forward toward preserving and promoting Hamilton’s rich heritage,” said Van Pelt. “Allowing Cardus to cover the costs of restoring and re-opening Balfour House to serve as our head office is a major part of keeping this city’s historical and architectural legacy alive.” Cardus has offered to take the financial burden of restoration work off the shoulders of taxpayers and the City of Hamilton by restoring and occupying the unused and deteriorating Balfour House. Cardus has also committed to facilitating public access to the restored property in keeping with the low traffic and low impact requirements of the surrounding neighbourhood. The property is currently owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, while the city manages it. The goal of OpenBalfour would be to ensure a beautifully restored and meticulously maintained property for the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2039.  For more details on the propsal, visit OpenBalfour. -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.

67% of parents with kids in Ontario independent schools made major financial changes to afford tuition FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 10, 2019 OTTAWA, ON – There are more than 138,000 students in Ontario independent schools, rising 21% over the last decade. Today, the groundbreaking report Who Chooses Ontario Independent Schools and Why? is offering new insight into this phenomenon. Researchers who surveyed parents with kids in Ontario independent schools found the three top-ranked characteristics parents sought in a new school were a safe environment, a supportive and nurturing atmosphere, and an emphasis on character development. “You don’t get this kind of growth in independent schools unless parents are genuinely – and in some cases desperately – looking for solutions that meet their kids’ needs,” says report co-author and Cardus Senior Fellow Dr. Deani Van Pelt. “When parents tell us they’re looking for school safety, it’s more than just safety from bullying; it’s a sense of confidence in the curriculum and trust in teachers and staff.” Who Chooses Ontario Independent Schools and Why? also confirms previous research that found the parents who send their kids to Ontario independent schools are mainly regular folks: 75% of them attended public schools growing up, with about 6 in 10 attending only public schools 67% of them have had to make major financial adjustments to afford tuition, including adding a part-time job, taking out a loan, making other budget sacrifices, or getting help from family or friends 54% of them have to come up with $8,000 or more  annually just for tuition for their kids’ schooling “The fact that enrolment in Ontario independent schools continues to grow is notable, in part, because families that need this option have to pay every penny of it out of their own pockets,” says report co-author David Hunt. “But there are likely many more Ontario families that simply can’t afford an independent school, yet need one. It’s a matter of fairness for the provincial government to ensure that all families have equitable access to the full range of educational options in the province.” Who Chooses Ontario Independent Schools and Why? is freely available online. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca