REAL Women of Canada, together with the Catholic Civil Rights League, the Christian Legal Fellowship, Focus on the Family, The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and the Home Schooling Legal Defence Association of Canada formed an organization of lawyers called Faith and Family Alliance (FFA). (See REALity, January/February 2003, “Faith and Freedom Alliance Formed in Canada.”) The purpose of the organization is to promote and defend the Christian faith in our justice system, especially in the areas of freedom of religion, conscience and opinion, the sanctity of life and promotion of the natural family. The FFA was incorporated in 2003 and was finally granted charitable tax-exempt status in April 2007.
This undertaking is a great relief to REAL Women, which has been involved in over 20 court cases over the years. These court interventions have been a heavy financial burden on us, since we do not have tax-exempt status. Consequently, we are grateful for the formation of FFA.
One of FFA activities is to host the Christian Legal Intervention Academy (CLIA), which trains lawyers and legal students in regard to arguing the pro-life, pro-family perspective before Human Rights Tribunals, as well as in the courts. FFA, through CLIA has already organized three previous training sessions – held in Montreal (2001), Ottawa (2004) and Calgary (2006).
FFA is now organizing another training session to take place in New Westminster, British Columbia, from September 26 – 28, 2009. At this training academy, some of the nation’s top legal experts will teach about Canadian constitutional matters, religious freedom and various Charter issues. FFA will pay the travel and accommodation costs for lawyers who attend the training program on the provision that they will provide 300 hours of pro bono (free) legal services in the areas of pro-life, pro-family and faith litigation over a three year period. This pro bono work will be provided to churches, public policy organizations and not for profit organizations that are active in the areas of sanctity of life, promotion of the natural family, and religious freedom.
FFA is a very crucial undertaking at a very critical time in our history. Please pray for its success.
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