FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 18, 2018 New poll numbers suggests Canadians who are practicing a faith are the least uptight about the subject of religion. They’re the most open toward debating it and having a good natured laugh about it.   “The more religious you are, the more prepared you are to discuss and debate faith and the more relaxed you are about religious humour,” says Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of think tank Cardus. “It seems that those who are non-religious often lack the literacy and vocabulary to talk about matters of faith, making them more likely to avoid the subject altogether.” The same polling, which Cardus collaborated with the Angus Reid Institute to produce, found that religious Canadians were willing to stick their necks out socially on matters of faith. Almost seven in 10 Canadians who have religious beliefs say they’re always or usually comfortable with expressing their personal beliefs and practices outside their own circle of friends. And 69 percent of them also say they’re comfortable expressing minority-held views on abortion or assisted death. Pennings suggests the holidays are a great time to step out of one’s comfort zone by broaching the topic of faith and religion. “Are we willing to talk about religion at the turkey table with friends and family over Christmas?” Ray asks. “If we’re a bit more easygoing about faith and belief, we can have more civil and neighbourly conversations about it – and maybe even smile about it too.” Full poll results and methodology are freely available online. To book an interview with Ray Pennings, please, contact Daniel Proussalidis. MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2018 A modern, new, evidence-based sexual education curriculum in Ontario should include accurate teaching about marriage, argues think tank Cardus in Please Say Yes? Marriage Proposes to Sex Ed - part of its submission to the provincial government’s education consultation. “This is partially what teaching on consent aims to convey: the idea that one must always think through relationship choices and ascertain with certainty the degree to which the other is interested in engaging in relationship,” wrote Andrea Mrozek, a Cardus program director. “Marriage is the highest standard for consensually entered, safe relationship.” In a separate submission, Cardus calls for improvement to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teaching in Ontario.  “The province should move toward integrating STEM learning into shop and building classes,” wrote Peter Jon Mitchell, senior researcher at Cardus. “Hands-on learning enhances understanding of concepts and principles, and improves problem-solving skills.” Cardus also advises the province to go beyond curriculum changes by providing fair and equitable education funding for all Ontarians, including those who choose independent schools for their children. “Providing Ontarians with more choice in education, including religiously oriented options, contributes to the public good,” wrote Mitchell. “The 2018 Cardus Education Survey found that graduates of religiously affiliated independent schools establish diverse social ties, engage their communities, and commit to the well-being of their neighbours.” The Cardus submissions on marriage in sex-ed and on STEM and school funding are available online. To book an interview with a Cardus spokesperson, please, contact Daniel Proussalidis. 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.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  December 7, 2018 Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of think tank Cardus, released the following statement today regarding the recently announced changes to the Canada Summer Jobs grant program for 2019: “We’re glad to see that the government realized last year’s changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program violated the fundamental human rights of freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, and freedom of speech, even though this realization comes a year late and after causing real harm to approximately 1,500 organizations and many more young people. There is still the potential for problems, however, with the new eligibility criteria. They apply an internal values test on applicants using opaque wording subject to interpretation by the government of the day behind closed doors. The proof of genuine respect for Canada’s religious pluralism will come when we see how many and which organizations whose applications the government rejected in 2018 successfully apply for the 2019 program.  The new requirements are also redundant in terms of human rights. Employers are already guided by very robust human rights codes. Asking employers to adhere to already existing codes comes across as empty virtue signalling.” MEDIA INQUIRIES  Daniel Proussalidis  Cardus - Director of Communications  613-241-4500 x508  dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 6, 2018 Brian Dijkema, Work & Economics Program Director at Cardus released the following statement today regarding the Labour Relations Act changes contained in the Restoring Ontario’s Competitiveness Act, introduced in the Ontario legislature today: “Taxpayers stand to save, on average, about $370 million when cities, school boards, and other agencies finally open up their public projects to fair, open contract bidding. Years of research have shown what Cardus has been saying for a long time: Fair and open bidding for public construction projects is good for workers, good for the industry, good for taxpayers, and good for the province. Existing labour law penalized workers for exercising their basic freedom of association. The policy changes in this new bill encourage labour diversity while maintaining the freedom of association of all workers to organize their workplaces as they see fit, without undue government interference. This is a recognition that governments and public agencies are fundamentally different from private businesses, and the law should treat them accordingly.” MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 23, 2018 Fifty-nine percent of Canadians say they believe religious freedom – a fundamental freedom the Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects – makes Canada a better country. That finding comes from a new Angus Reid Institute survey of 2,200 adults done in partnership with Cardus. The same survey finds that appreciation of religious freedom is higher among young adults, with 64 percent of those aged 18 to 34 saying it makes Canada better. Appreciation of religious freedom jumps to 72 percent among those who are university-educated. “While I wish the overall proportion of Canadians valuing religious freedom were higher, it bodes well for the future that young adults and those with university education are the most supportive of this fundamental freedom,” says Ray Pennings, Executive Vice President of Cardus. “Taken with the high proportion of immigrants who bring their faith to Canada, our country could be heading toward a more faith-friendly future.” The survey found some warning signs about hostility to faith: 32 percent of Canadians say society makes room for their personal values and faith, while 23 percent feel society shuts them out Half of Canadians are uncomfortable with religious garments and symbols in the workplace 53 percent of Canadians say reducing the presence of religion in public life is a sign of progress Other findings suggest religious faith is an important part of Canadian life today: 75 percent of Canadians like having people of diverse religious backgrounds in their community 73 percent of Canadians say the federal government respects their religious community, though feelings vary widely depending on religious background 70 percent of Canadians consider it important for government decision makers to know the basics about the world’s major religions 68 percent of Canadians want public schools to teach the basics of the world’s major religions “Religious freedom is a key part of maintaining genuine and deep pluralism where we respect and engage each other’s differences,” says Pennings. “It protects the ability of the religious and non-religious to act according to their deepest beliefs—informing our freedoms of speech, association, and assembly.” These findings are part of a larger Public Faith Index study. The full study is available online. To book an interview with Ray Pennings, please, contact Daniel Proussalidis. MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 21, 2018 John Rozema, a respected businessperson and philanthropist from Sarnia, Ontario, has passed away. While we mourn his passing, we celebrate his legacy. John co-founded a contracting company in 1963, Steeves & Rozema, which grew into one of the largest employers in Sarnia. Success in business did not diminish in any way John’s humble commitment to making local and community institutions thrive. He used his gifts in service to others to become, in every sense, a community-builder. John’s generosity has made a remarkable and positive difference, both today and for future generations of Canadians through the contributions he and his wife Lainey made to the recognition of excellence in education. The John Rozema Teaching Excellence Award serves as an ongoing investment in the life of Ontario’s Christian school community and continues to mark these schools’ contributions to the common good. Cardus offers its condolences to the entire Rozema family. We are deeply grateful for the contributions John and Lainey Rozema made to a stronger future for Canada through support for Christian education. More information on the remarkable life and legacy of John Rozema is available online. MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 13, 2018 Despite an explosion in the number of dating apps available, including the newly launched Facebook Dating service, Canadian young adults appear to be finding it more difficult than ever to find life-long love. Living La Vida Lonely, a new Cardus analysis of census data, finds the proportion of Canadians aged 20 to 34 living without a life partner has reached a 20-year high of almost six in 10. “The need for more education long after high school, student debt, unstable job markets, and sky-high housing costs could all be factors young adults putting off long-term committed relationships,” says Peter Jon Mitchell, author of Living La Vida Lonely and a senior researcher at think tank Cardus. Even among those aged 25 to 34, it is more common to be neither married nor in a common-law relationship than it is to be married. That reality may not match what young adults actually want. “According to an Angus Reid poll earlier this year, 54 percent of young adult Canadians say they would like to get married,” says Mitchell. “Still, marriage continues its long decline, outpacing even the increase in cohabitation. And that’s carried on into middle-age where marriage rates are at new lows.” The overall story for Canadians aged 20 to 34 is that as marriage declines and common-law relationships rise, young adults are still increasingly living without any partner at all. Click here to access Living La Vida Lonely online.  To book an interview with Peter Jon Mitchell, please, contact Daniel Proussalidis. MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2018 Think tank Cardus is calling for increased independent school enrollment to help spur public school improvement and accountability. The proposal is part of Better is Possible, an analysis of education research by Cardus President and CEO Michael Van Pelt. If provincial governments increased independent schools’ share of all enrollment by five to 10 percent the sector would be large enough to provide parents with a stronger alternative without system-wide disruption. That’s especially important in Alberta, where independent schools serve less than five percent of K-12 students. “A strong independent school sector in Alberta will do more to help improve the entire education system than any regulatory or curriculum change,” says Van Pelt. “If the independent sector were large enough, it would force public schools to up their game.” Van Pelt says Alberta public schools urgently need to do better. “Dismal math performance at Alberta public schools has persisted for years while government and unions have had a lock on 95 percent of schooling,” he says. “A modest shift in responsibility would help the entire system. We’ve seen internationally that education systems with stronger independent sectors have higher student achievement levels, higher parent satisfaction, and better money management.” Better is Possible outlines five possible actions for the Alberta provincial government to take: Increase financial resources to expand independent school options for special needs students Increase per-student funding for independent schools Approve independent school funding on a five-year basis to give schools financial stability Reduce the regulatory burden on independent school start-ups or expansions Offer a transportation subsidy to parents wanting to send their kids to independent schools To book an interview with Michael Van Pelt, please, contact Daniel Proussalidis. MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 25, 2018 New research confirms that Ontario’s independent schools are producing socially engaged, generous graduates with zero provincial support.  The new Cardus Education Survey 2018: Ontario Bulletin finds that the province’s independent religious schools produce the Ontario’s most civically engaged graduates. They’re the most likely grads to participate in almost every Statistics Canada category of volunteering, they’re more trusting of strangers, co-workers, and neighbours, and they’re more likely to pay attention to the news. “Many Canadians rightly worry about the loss of civility in our culture, the decline in how welcoming our country is, and a drop in charitable giving,” says Dr. Beth Green, who directs education research at think tank Cardus. “Ontario’s independent schools – especially the religious ones – help counteract these negative trends by producing graduates who are interested and involved in the world around them.” Despite these results, Ontario remains the only province from Quebec to British Columbia that offers no public funding for independent schools. “Ontario loses by marginalizing independent schools and funding government-run schools exclusively,” says Dr. Green. “It should bring independent schools in from the cold by making them more affordable for low and middle-income families whose needs aren’t met by government-run schools.” The 2018 Cardus Education Survey: Ontario Bulletin contains findings from respondents aged 24 to 39, all of whom graduated from a public, separate Catholic, independent Catholic, evangelical Protestant independent, or non-religious independent school in Ontario. Researchers control for socio-demographic factors in order to isolate the school effect on students. Other notable findings include: Non-religious independent and independent Catholic school graduates are twice as likely as public school graduates are to obtain a Master’s or an advanced specialist degree. Catholic and Protestant independent school graduates are just as likely as their public school counterparts are to have a friend who is gay or lesbian. Public school graduates are least likely to agree with the statement: most people can be trusted. Meanwhile, Cardus Executive Vice President Ray Pennings notes independent school enrollment is up. “Independent schools now teach more than six percent of all students in Ontario,” says Pennings. “Parents are increasingly seeking affordable options for their kids’ diverse educational needs.” To book an interview with Dr. Beth Green or Ray Pennings, please, contact Daniel Proussalidis. MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613-241-4500 x508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca