NEW POLL CONFIRMS FAITH’S ROLE IN BUILDING UP CANADA People with the strongest religious faith are generally happier, more generous, and more engaged in their communities FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 13, 2017 OTTAWA—Almost 150 years following Confederation, faith continues to play a significant and positive role in Canada’s civic life. Faith was a central part of the Canadian project in 1867, be it through recognition of religious freedom for Quebec’s Roman Catholics, the principles enshrined in Common Law, or by borrowing from the Book of Psalms for Canada’s official motto “From Sea to Sea.” Today, new polling by the Angus Reid Institute conducted in partnership with Faith in Canada 150 finds that 21 per cent of Canadians are religiously committed – mostly certain of what they believe and most likely to attend religious services, pray to God, and read the Bible or other sacred text regularly. Another 60% of Canadians are either privately faithful or spiritually uncertain, meaning they’re neither strong believers, nor rejecters of faith. “Just more than 80% of Canadians report that faith and spirituality play a role in their lives,” says Cardus Executive Vice-President Ray Pennings. “While government is quite properly secular in Canada, society is not.” Asked what’s most important in life, Canadians who are religiously committed were most likely to prioritize family life, honesty and concern for others. Conversely, concern for others was a lower priority for the 19% of Canadians who identify as non-believers – rejecting religious faith. Instead, they were more likely to select a comfortable life, self-reliance and good times with friends as important. “Clearly religious faith impels Canadians to be focused outward and to prioritize others before self,” says Pennings. “If increasing numbers of Canadians embrace secularism, an important part of our national character could be lost.” When it comes to community engagement and charitable giving, it’s the religiously committed who report the strongest involvement. Slightly more than half of non-believers say they are uninvolved in community groups or activities. That percentage drops to 17 per cent of the religiously committed. In fact, 41 per cent of the religiously committed have at least some involvement in their community, with another 42 per cent reporting heavy involvement. Almost a third of the religiously committed say they regularly volunteer compared with 13 per cent of non-believers. Meanwhile, only 12 per cent of non-believers say they try to donate to whatever charities they can. That jumps to 43 per cent among the religiously committed. The religiously committed are also the happiest amongst us. Fully 47 per cent of them say they’re very happy or extremely happy overall, compared with 35 per cent of non-believers. They also report the highest levels of happiness among friends and in their communities. It makes sense, then, that the religiously committed are also more likely to be “very optimistic” about the future. Despite these findings, the same polling indicates a significant disconnect between the perception and reality of faith’s role in today’s Canada. The word “religion” is more likely to be seen negatively than positively, according to this new poll. Moreover, just over half of Canadians say they disagree with the claim that religion’s overall impact on the world is positive. And about half of Canadians polled say they’re uncomfortable around those who are religiously devout. Throw in terms like born-again, theology and evangelism, and just 15 per cent of respondents associate those words with a positive meaning. “Arguably, the story of faith in Canada is not being well told,” says Pennings. “The narrative around faith is often negative. Religion is frequently presented as something that divides rather than unites people within communities.” That is part of the reason why Faith in Canada 150 exists, to showcase the role of faith in making Canada the country that it is. If this is a country of compassion, freedom, and fairness, a large measure of the credit goes to those people of faith who embrace those values. And insofar as non-believers embrace such values, perhaps unknowingly, they embrace a legacy of faith in Canada. That legacy is a story worth telling. For full poll results and methodology, please, click here. -30- About Faith in Canada 150 Faith in Canada 150 is a program of Cardus that exists to celebrate the role of faith in our life together during Canada’s anniversary celebrations in 2017. For more than 450 years, faith has shaped the human landscape of Canada. It has shaped how we live our lives, how we see our neighbours, how we fulfill our social responsibilities, and how we imagine our life together. To learn more, visit: faithincanada150.ca/about MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613.899.5174 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

NEW POLL: CANADIANS TOLERANT OF RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION Cardus comments on aspects of new Angus Reid Institute poll to be released at Ottawa multi-faith event. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 4, 2017 OTTAWA—As Canada prepares to celebrate 150 years since Confederation, a new poll finds Canadians largely accept the country’s religious diversity. The Angus Reid Institute (ARI) will present its new poll at noon today at a multi-faith luncheon at the Ottawa offices of public policy think tank Cardus. Among its key findings, the poll of more than 1,500 people suggests that Canadians express a high tolerance for religious symbols or clothing being worn in public, including turbans, hijabs, and crucifixes: At the same time, Canadians have mixed opinions of the various religions followed in Canada: Canadians also take a nuanced view on whether it would be acceptable to them if one of their children married someone from a different faith: Dr. Andrew Bennett, Chair of the Cabinet of Canadians and Canada’s former Ambassador for Religious Freedom, says the findings are understandable. “Even when Canadians don’t have the highest opinion of any particular religion – perhaps because they disagree with its tenets – we see that tolerance for religious expression through clothing or symbols is quite high in most cases,” said Bennett. “That’s a good thing. We don’t all need to agree on everything. But as we approach Canada’s 150th anniversary, it’s important to live peacefully with each other amid our differences.” Bennett adds that the poll is a further indication that Canada is not a secular society. “We live in a secular state, thankfully, but our society is religious and Canadians have little problem with letting people of faith be themselves in public,” he said. “Faith matters in Canada. It always has.” The poll results will be presented at the Spirited Citizenship Luncheon in Ottawa – part of a series of Faith in Canada 150 (FC150) multi-faith events taking place across Canada. The luncheons provide a space where Canadians can gather in true friendship while acknowledging and accepting deep differences in religious outlook. FC150 aims to bring together Canada’s various religious communities for a common celebration of faith in public life while marking the 150th anniversary of Confederation. 2017 Poll Methodology The Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey from February 16 – 22, 2017, among a representative randomized sample of 1,515 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey was self-commissioned and paid for by ARI. Full poll results are available here. -30- About Faith in Canada 150 Faith in Canada 150 is a program of Cardus that exists to celebrate the role of faith in our life together during Canada’s anniversary celebrations in 2017. For more than 450 years, faith has shaped the human landscape of Canada. It has shaped how we live our lives, how we see our neighbours, how we fulfill our social responsibilities, and how we imagine our life together. To learn more, visit: faithincanada150.ca/about MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613.899.5174 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

BUDGET 2017 AND “CHILD CARE” FUNDING $7 billion allotted to daycare spaces is not about the care of Canada’s children or helping parents. March 22, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OTTAWA – Today’s federal budget earmarks $7 billion for daycare spaces in the government’s 10-year social infrastructure fund. Of that total, “a portion” is expressly for Indigenous daycare. The government is allocating $7 billion to child care over the next ten years starting in 2018-19. Next steps include the creation of a framework. But does that match what parents themselves have said they want or need? “When subsidies go to child care spaces or centres, rather than directly to parents, these act as a form of soft coercion,” said Andrea Mrozek, program director for Cardus Family. “Rather than expanding options that increase the good for particular families, the government paints families into a corner by favouring one particular option.” After the 2015 federal election, the Liberals followed through on their election promise of money for parents when they created the Canada Child Benefit, a $22 billion dollar commitment to Canadian families below particular income thresholds. So why $7 billion for a child care framework the Liberals did not campaign on and Canadians did not ask for? A report published by the Advisory Council on Economic Growth on February 6, 2017, explains. It identifies four target demographic groups for increased labour force participation. Two of the four target demographics are Indigenous Peoples and mothers of young children. Today’s budget reflects the priority of increasing labour force participation in these demographics in order to increase the GDP. As stated in Budget 2017, the government’s aim is “greater career flexibility for parents of young children.” In short, this “child care measure” is about getting parents of young children—the time when children need their parents most—into the paid labour force. So what have parents said they want? When surveyed, seven in ten Canadian parents of children under six say having one parent at home to care for their child is the best option when contrasted with a competent caregiver. As for child care funding preferences, even in Quebec, where the beleaguered provincially-funded daycare system remains in place, 65% of Quebeckers believe child care funding should go directly to parents. Across Canada, an average of six in ten Canadians believe child care funding should go directly to parents. This funding puts parents, who have their children’s best interests at heart, in the driver’s seat. And what does the social research tell us is best for children? The Canadian desire to choose a parent or family member over institutional daycare for children under age six reflects best practices for children. Dr. Gordon Neufeld, pre-eminent Vancouver-based developmental psychologist, says this about the first six years of life for children: “By the fifth year of life, if everything is continuous and safe, then emotional intimacy begins…The first issue is always to establish strong, deep emotional connections with those who are raising you. And that should be our emphasis in society. If we did this, we would send our children to school late, not early.” The $7 billion announced today is money Canadian parents, who choose not to use institutional daycare, will never see. This attempt to coax the mothers of young children into the labour force also helps us to understand why one in two Canadian women feel that motherhood is not valued enough. “Many Canadian parents of young children deliberately make tough choices so as to ensure that a parent can be home with young children,” said Mrozek. “This child care funding is an attempt to increase labour force participation. Canadian parents need to be aware of that.” -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613.241.4500 x.508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

Radio host Tasha Kheiriddin will moderate March 8th women’s panel in Ottawa to celebrate women and discuss poll findings. March 7, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OTTAWA – The idea of having the same number of men and women sitting in the federal cabinet or Parliament isn’t an automatic winner with Canadian women, according to a new poll for public policy think tank Cardus. A plurality of women (45%) said having that form of simple gender parity in politics did not matter to them, while 40% of women said it did. That compares with almost seven in 10 men who said it didn’t matter and only 23% who said it did. Overall, 57% of Canadians tell Angus Reid Forum that having the same number of men and women sitting in the federal cabinet or Parliament did not matter to them. Andrea Mrozek, program director for Cardus Family, says she sees a need for new thinking on women’s equality. “I think this is one indicator that many people – including many women – feel simple numerical equality in Parliament or federal cabinet isn’t a magic bullet,” said Mrozek. Dr. Beth Green, program director for Cardus Education, says the poll’s findings are thought provoking. “I’m keen to hear from our panel on Wednesday about what they think about gender parity, and how it fits in with broader efforts to value and honour women’s contributions to public life,” said Dr. Green. Dr. Green and Andrea Mrozek will co-host an International Women’s Day event taking place at the Ottawa offices of Cardus on the evening of March 8, 2017. Tasha Kheiriddin, a Toronto radio host named one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women in 2016 by the Women’s Executive Network, will serve as moderator for a panel of four women from diverse backgrounds who will discuss the poll’s findings and other issues regarding women’s flourishing in Canada. The poll asked several additional questions, finding that that Canadians don’t fit easily into clear ideological categories on women’s issues: Feminist Diversity Canadians told the pollster that feminism needed to be open to a diversity of views – even on controversial issues. When asked whether one could “be a feminist and pro-life” 57% of women said yes. That contrasts with 47% of men who agreed. “Clearly there is no cardboard cut-out position on women’s issues,” said Mrozek. “International Women’s Day is the perfect time to underline that Canadian women, in particular, believe mainstream feminism is a big enough tent to include those who are pro-life.” Women’s Advancement Do Canadians believe women are held back because they are women? 44% of Canadians answered that question with a yes. On this question, however, there was a clearer divide between the sexes with 57% of women agreeing that women are held back, while only 31% of men said the same. Motherhood Men and women are also divided on the question of whether mothers and motherhood are valued highly enough in Canada today. When asked, 52% of women said motherhood was not valued highly enough, while only 39% of men said the same. “It’s troubling that a majority of women feel that they are held back because they are women and that motherhood is not valued highly enough in Canada,” said Dr. Green. “I think it’s worth exploring whether valuing motherhood more highly could lead to women feeling less marginalized.” Sisterhood Clear majorities of both men and women agree that there isn’t one person or organization that can credibly claim to represent Canadian women. Sixty percent of Canadian women and 61% of Canadian men said no one person or organization could speak on Canadian women’s behalf. Complete poll results are available for download here. Poll Methodology From February 24th to February 26th 2017 an online survey was conducted among 1,025 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error, which measures sampling variability, is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to education, age, gender and region (and in Quebec, language) Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus – Director of Communications 613.241.4500 x.508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

ONTARIO CAN DO MORE TO HELP FOLKS TRAPPED BY PAYDAY LOANS Cardus Work & Economics Program Director Brian Dijkema offers research-backed testimony on payday loan reforms to committee at Ontario legislature February 27, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HAMILTON – The Ontario government’s Putting Consumers First Act (Bill 59) takes some positive steps on payday loans, but also leaves out several important measures that could help consumers. While it is good to see that Bill 59 tries to reduce repeat borrowing from payday lenders and ease repayment of loans with usurious interest rates, the bill is too focused on regulation. Brian Dijkema, Work & Economics Program Director at public policy think tank Cardus, told a legislative committee that consumers attracted to payday loans need alternative options. The Cardus report Banking on the Margins acknowledges that there will always be demand for short-term loans from consumers who cannot access credit. However, two practical measures can help: Governments, community foundations, and religious groups could help decrease the risk for financial institutions to make small-dollar loans available by offering funds to backstop loan losses or by providing market-based incentives for new alternatives. By empowering borrowers to achieve financial stability and avoid the potential harms of payday-loan use, enabling small-dollar loans could reduce or eliminate the harmful ripple effects of payday-loan dependency. Governments – especially at the provincial and municipal level – can promote payday loan alternatives that already exist. By leveraging their significant communications reach, governments can help raise consumer awareness of lending alternatives run by credit unions, banks, or other institutions. “There is little the government can do on its own to meet demand for small-dollar, short-term loans for real needs,” Dijkema told the Standing Committee on Social Policy. “That’s why we’ve recommended that governments partner with credit unions and others to provide better, cheaper alternatives to payday loans for consumers facing a credit crunch.” -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Brian Dijkema Cardus – Work & Economics Program Director 905-730-7321 bdijkema@cardus.ca

THE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL ADVANTAGE: CREATING GENEROUS CITIZENS Catholic and Evangelical high schools in the United States produce graduates who tend to volunteer and donate more to charity as adults. February 16, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OTTAWA – Religiously based U.S. high schools are proving to be especially good at turning out graduates who become civic-minded adults, finds a new study funded by Cardus an independent, North American think tank. Catholic school graduates are over 50 per cent more likely than public school graduates to volunteer for organizations that fight poverty, according to data in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics – the world’s longest active panel study of households and family. The same data show graduates of Evangelical Protestant and other non-Catholic religious schools are about 40 per cent more likely to volunteer in general as adults than their public school counterparts are. “Graduates of Catholic high schools seem to reflect the approach of Catholic social teaching, which emphasizes the importance of relieving poverty, among other priorities, like providing health care and education,” said Dr. Beth Green, Program Director for Cardus Education. “And it’s not surprising to see these results among evangelical graduates whose religious culture values putting others before self and sacrificing for the common good.” The study also found a difference in charitable giving. Even after accounting for differences in socio-economic status, American graduates of Catholic, Evangelical, and other non-Catholic religious schools are more likely than public school graduates to make charitable donations. In terms of the amounts donated, graduates of Evangelical Protestant and other non-Catholic religious schools annually give on average $1,273 more than public school graduates do to charitable causes. Sociologists Dr. David Sikkink and Dr. Jonathan Schwarz authored the study, The Lasting Impact of High School on Giving and Volunteering in the U.S., as part of their work at the Cardus Religious Schools Initiative at the University of Notre Dame. -30- About the Cardus Religious Schools Initiative The Cardus Religious Schools Initiative (CRSI) seeks to generate new theoretical and empirical tools for understanding religious schools. CRSI conducts research which aims to appreciate the uniqueness of religious schools' mission and organization, to reveal the extent that religious schools improve outcomes for students, families, churches, and communities, and to show the links between school mission and organization and student and family outcomes. MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613.241.4500 x.508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

FORCED GENDER PARITY ON CORPORATE BOARDS MISGUIDED Government intervention on corporate board composition has failed in other jurisdictions. February 14, 2017 OTTAWA – MPs studying Bill C-25 need to give some sober second thought to whether this legislation will actually achieve its goals. The bill would force corporations to state publicly how many women sit on their boards and occupy senior management positions. It would also compel companies to share their diversity policies with shareholders. Furthermore, the federal government has left open the option of mandating gender quotas on corporate boards if it is not satisfied with progress in getting women into senior positions. What evidence is there that such policies benefit women or corporations? A book about the Nordic experience released in May 2016 punctures those hopes and should be cause for reconsidering Canada’s path. The Nordic Gender Equality Paradox by Nima Sanandaji assesses gender-equality programs and plans in Iceland, Finland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Sanandaji found little to no benefit from those programs. In Norway’s case, for example, the government imposed quotas in 2003 requiring 40 per cent of board members of public companies to be women. This became mandatory for all companies in 2006. Of 500 companies affected, about 100 made "difficult but legal" changes in corporate structure to circumvent the new legislation. Moreover, share prices dropped 3.5 per cent after the quota legislation was announced. Quotas had little to no effect on women's pay, or women choosing to enter the business world. Why would investors expect gender quotes to decrease the value of firms? Fortunately, the conclusion of scholars is that this is not because women can't manage business well, but because, thanks to the pressure of the quotas, younger and therefore less experienced women needed to be quickly promoted. Authors of one study conclude, "The quota led to younger and less experienced boards, increases in leverage and acquisitions, and deterioration in operating performance." “When women reach the top and are on boards because they excel, it does indeed improve performance. This is not due to gender or diversity, but rather, excellence,” says Andrea Mrozek, Program Director for Cardus Family. “If quotas or other policies force hiring women on a short timeframe, and as a result, the wrong women are chosen, there is reason to be concerned that the push for gender parity will develop a bad reputation.” At the end of the day, MPs need to ask whether the laudable goal of getting more women on corporate boards is served by the bill before them. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613.241.4500 x.508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY BRINGS ON CARDUS SENIOR FELLOW FOR WORK ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM RESEARCH PROJECT Dr. Andrew Bennett adds international dimension to his work on Canadian religious freedom issues February 9, 2017 OTTAWA – Cardus is pleased to announce that Dr. Andrew Bennett is expanding his work on religious freedom issues to the international realm. While he will retain his responsibilities as a Cardus Senior Fellow, Program Director for Cardus Law, and Chair of the Cabinet of Canadians, Dr. Bennett has also taken up an additional role as Senior Research Fellow at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. As a Senior Research Fellow, Dr. Bennett will contribute to the research activities of the Berkley Center’s Religious Freedom Research Project, author commentaries on international religious freedom, and participate in the Project’s outreach activities. “My religious freedom work at Cardus will continue to be focused on what is happening in Canada,” said Dr. Bennett. “But this new position gives me the opportunity to fulfill my long-held desire to support religious freedom internationally and to build on my experience gained when I served as Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom.” Cardus firmly believes Dr. Bennett’s work with Georgetown University will serve as a complement to our own work in Canada. -30- MEDIA INQUIRIES Daniel Proussalidis Cardus - Director of Communications 613.241.4500 x 508 dproussalidis@cardus.ca