The Winnipeg Free Press has been all over government funding requests by an evangelical para-church organization called Youth for Christ.
The Christian organization, which offers 15 programs in various Winnipeg locations right now, plans to build a 50,000-square foot facility called “Youth Centre of Excellence,” which would include a skate park, fitness centre, dance studio, climbing wall and multi-sport gym, as well as a classroom and job training centre.
Winnipeg’s downtown development agency has decided to kick in a 2.6 million dollar loan for the proposed 9.3 million dollar centre. The federal government is willing to cough up a few million for the religious group. Youth for Christ has raised 3. 1 million and plans to move it’s headquarters into the new facility. Construction is scheduled to begin in April. The Winnipeg funding will go to a council vote this week.
The province has declined to provide funding. MP Pat Martin, (Winnipeg Centre) says the city’s potential loan to the religious group is ”taxpayer-funded proselytization.”
“I have no objection to faith-based organizations providing services. Sally Ann (the Salvation Army) and others have been doing a great job for years. But these people are evangelical fundamentalists,” Martin said. “Offering much-needed sports opportunities is just their way of luring in young prospects.”
Martin said he personally opposes federal funding for the project and hopes the Conservative government does as well. “Would the federal government be so willing to give them $3 million if they were called Youth for Allah?”
Martin has been taking heat from Winnipeg mayor Sam Katz who says he doesn’t believe Youth for Christ is out to convert young people to Christianity.
That’s not what Youth for Christ says. It’s mission:
“To impact every young person in Canada with the person, work and teachings of Jesus Christ and discipling them into the Church.”
The strategy:
Expanding chapter ministries: “YFC will boldly move into areas where we do not now exist, both geographically and culturally. The aboriginal youth community is a prime area for development.”
Youth for Christ was started in the USA in 1940. In 1944 Charles Templeton and Torrey Johnson started the group in Canada. Billy Graham was the first international YFC evangelist. Youth for Christ Canada has 31 chapters and a 24 million dollar budget.
The Winnipeg funding dispute escalated even further when Public Safety Minister Vic Toews jumped into the fray to criticize critics, especially Martin.
“It appears to me Pat Martin doesn’t have a problem with allowing gangs to recruit in his riding, but when it comes to Youth For Christ offering programs, he suddenly has a problem with it.”
The CBC reports a Canadian Youth for Christ director is a Toews campaign contributor.
The federal government has said it will contribute 3 million dollars if Winnipeg approves the loan.
Winnipeg City councillors say they were given a one page handout on the proposal.
Gerbasi and fellow Coun. Dan Vandal have also expressed concern about the lack of information being provided on the project, which they believe is getting rushed through council.
“This money is all going into capital to build this massive new facility that has not been scrutinized,” Gerbasi said.
“There was a one page piece of paper with a motion on it that was walked onto an agenda [Wednesday] and the decision has to be made next week by council with virtually no information provide to members of council who have to make this decision.
“That’s not a way to run a city.”
Kemlin Nembhard executive director of the Daniel McIntyre-St. Matthews Community Association, is also angry about the deal being given Youth for Christ.
She runs youth programs in the community on a shoestring budget and was stunned when she heard the news.
“Given that we’re constantly told that the city has no money, [that] they’re constantly amalgamating and closing centers, and then they all of a sudden turn around and find $2.6 million to give to a group to run programming that won’t be available to a broad range of youth?”
As well as the 15 year municipal loan, Winnipeg city council is being asked to donate the land.
The PR from the YFC Youth Centre of Excellence states it’s goal as plainly as it’s mission:
“A Centre For Youth Excellence envisions services that promote sport and recreation, character development, community health services for all youth (especially for low-income and high-risk youth) and spiritual formation opportunities from a Christian world view.”
Winnipeg city council will vote February 24th.
Why can’t Winnipeg churches float the loan?
2008 Youth for Christ Canada Annual Report (.pdf)
Youth for Christ Canada
Update: After 6 hours of debate Winnipeg City Council approved 2.6 million dollars for Youth for Christ and gave them the land.
Who is blogging?
Hincey’s Store: Playing Political Football in Canada
The Future American: This is what a faith-based initiative looks like
Molly’s Blog: Millions for Christ
Of Gods & Other Monsters: I don’t want to fund a god’s plan, do you?
Slurpees and Murder: Blood Diamond Lanes is such a great title; or, apparently Pat Martin may not be the Antichrist
Endless Spin Cycle:: Dear Winnipeg, This Is What Awaits You
Jay Currie: Upon this Rock
Startled Disbelief: Cash for Christ
Get Religion: Youth for Allah?
Information Radio (CBC Manitoba) Feb. 19, 2010 “Doug Koop – editorial director of Christian Weekly” http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/mbinforadio_20100219_27804.mp3 It’s called Youth for Christ but can it both answer a higher calling and deliver social services worthy of taxpayer support? Doug Koop, a Christian journalist speaks up for faith-based social services speaks about the proposed $11 million youth centre at the corner of Higgins and Main. http://www.cbc.ca/podcasting Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:00:00 GMT It’s called Youth for Christ but can it both answer a higher calling and deliver social services worthy of taxpayer support?
Hi Bene Diction (funny!).
While we don’t agree on this topic, I’d like to thank you for sending a little traffic my way.
I appreciate that you are showing both sides of the fence here.
In response to you question, ‘why can’t Winnipeg churches float the loan?’ – why should a Christian faith-based organization be denied public funding when other faith-based organizations are receiving public funding? If you agree to fund some, you should fund all – conversely, if you deny a Christian organization, you should deny all organizations – Muslim, First Nations Spriritual Centres… Just my POV on this.
Have a great afternoon!
Mike
Hi Mike:
Thanks for writing about the YFC centre and funding, I apologize for not getting to the comments sooner.
Hey, no problem. I was starting to wonder if you didn’t like my comment though!
Well, the decision is made. Where can I apply to opt out of the program with my tax dollars which I know can be put to much better use elsewhere? I am completely opposed to public funding of religion and/or religious programs and with these folks being “christian”, is their god not supposed to be their source? Since when am I responsible for funding “his” plan? I thought this was supposed to be taken care of on a cross some 2000 years ago. No wonder crucifixions took place. If there are any modern day ones, perhaps we could start with Mr. Toews and his disciples on Winnipeg City Council!
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2010/02/24/mb-youth-christ-recreation-centre-winnipeg.html
[...] Previous post: Youth for Christ Winnipeg: proselytizing and political patronage [...]
A few miles south of Winnipeg, the right to practice religion, or no religion at all, is among the most fundamental of the freedoms guaranteed by the American Bill of Rights, and The American Civil Liberties Union works hard to keep government completely out of all religion. While we lack a constitution enabling ordinary citizens to take the government to task on these issues, we do not lack the ability to vote those who supported this motion completely out of city council. My only hope is that there are a sufficient number of people of insight and historical understanding in Winnipeg to realize how wrong this is on so many different levels, and respond in kind come civic election day.
I am so furious about this. My councillor, Harry Lazarenko, voted for this proposal and I will remember this come election time.
Has anyone mentioned that Vic Toews, who rightiously beats the supposed christian “family values” drum when he’s on the campaign trail, had so much christian love for his neighbour that planted a bun in her oven… while he was married to someone else… with children…
It appears that the government has already been working on this segment from their 2010 speech from the throne:
“Just as we know that parents are in the best position to make decisions for their families, the best solutions to the diverse challenges confronting Canada’s communities are often found locally. Every day, the power of innovation is seen at work in communities across this country, as citizens, businesses and charitable groups join forces to tackle local problems.
Too often, however, grassroots efforts are hobbled by red tape. Too often, local solutions are denied access to government assistance because they do not fit the bureaucratic definition of the problem. Too often, the efforts of communities falter not on account of a lack of effort or heart, but because of a lack of expertise to turn good ideas into reality.
- Our Government will take steps to support communities in their efforts to tackle local challenges.
- It will look to innovative charities and forward-thinking private-sector companies to partner on new approaches to many social challenges.”
The full speech can be found here: http://www.speech.gc.ca
I heard this news being debated in Toronto CFRB 1010 John Oakley; Publicly funding religious groups ventures for the sake of providing services open to the public, is a great idea; Prosyltization should be kept Optional in such facilities. It shows true democratic ideals of compromise and tolerance if religious groups are allowed to participate in urban development and social activism without hard-nosed secularists telling them not to proselytze. Secularists should have no right to tell Christians, Muslims not to express their faith, in doing so, they express their intolerance and their hypocritical nature of imposing their own social standards on these religious groups just as they accuse these religious groups of doing the same thing they are now doing
For Aldrich:
John Oakley no longer works at CFRB. He is now at radio 640 Toronto.
Perhaps you are thinking of John Moore OR John Oakley was a guest on a CFRB program and was being interviewed by one of CFRB’s own announcers.
Can you clarify the proper name and station?
Sorry bout that, I think it was 640 Toronto. Anyway I’ve heard it being tackled by him and two panelist a man and a woman; I think both the man and woman were taking an opposite view against John Moore, I don’t think Moore’s a christian, I’m assuming that He just wants to serve as a foil to keep the discussion going with his callers and they were lots
How do organizations like YFC make inroads into political offices to obtain such influence? Hmm, now let me see…
http://mayorsbreakfast.ca/
Also who is in the background as in Glen Laubenstein, City of Winnipeg CAO.
YFC Brandon got what they wanted.
Now YFC Winnipeg.
This is politics, who you know, who you are networking with, who pushes the paper.
The questions haven’t changed, the process being shoved at taxpayers needs to be openly discussed.
To BENE D
What kind of questions?
What would you ask Aldrich?
The first bunch of questions go to people in the local area.
Then provincial and national.
Questions such which religious groups are staffed, trained and prepared to borrow or accept taxpayer money for their projects?
What short term and long term impacts do parachurch groups have in a neighbourhood?
Why did Winnipeg/feds and YFC move now? What was the problem with YFC finding it’s own funding?
Is this going to be policy on social funding whether Canadians want it or not?
http://www.cardus.ca/organization/news/43/
Are religious charities with open religious agendas able operate without their hand out five years from now?
How safe are the kids who will be using that centre? Was that looked at?
The reaction against the process was an honest one, not all of it was agenda driven.
I’m not hearing local churches and parachurch groups speaking out in favour.
Is bigger always better?
Is is always location, location, location?
What does city council and the feds handing out the money need to be listening to?
Questions are easy Aldrich, the Winnipege YFC centre been long on public trumpeting and posturing and short on facts.
What would you ask?
What would you ask Aldrich?
The first bunch of questions go to people in the local area.
Then provincial and national.
Questions such which religious groups are staffed, trained and prepared to borrow or accept taxpayer money for their projects?
What short term and long term impacts do parachurch groups have in a neighbourhood?
Why did Winnipeg/feds and YFC move now? What was the problem with YFC finding it’s own funding?
Is this going to be policy on social funding whether Canadians want it or not?
http://www.cardus.ca/organization/news/43/
Are religious charities with open religious agendas able operate without their hand out five years from now?
How safe are the kids who will be using that centre? Was that looked at?
The reaction against the process was an honest one, not all of it was agenda driven.
I’m not hearing local churches and parachurch groups speaking out in favour.
Is bigger always better?
Is is always location, location, location?
What does city council and the feds handing out the money need to be listening to?
Questions are easy Aldrich, the Winnipeg YFC centre been long on public trumpeting and posturing and short on facts.
What would you ask?
Why was there complaint on the issue of proselytization? when YFC director John Courtney stated that youths who use the center are not forced to convert, not to mention that they can take in youths irregardless of their ethnicity and/or religious beliefs
Why was Youth For Christ singled out for contempt for its mission statement? when its done what other organizations and interest groups have done to apply for public funding in proper form on an equal basis
On a larger note, why wasn’t there an expressed tolerance for what the YFC stands for? Just because it stands in opposition to some of Canada’s civic virtues like tolerance of homosexuality, does not necessarily equate the group with terrorists
For the YFC Rec center itself, relevant questions about what is their policy regarding youth evangelization, process, schedule? and the substance of their parental waiver form needs to be put out in front of public scrutiny
To be fair, they need to be transparent on their use of public funds and their programs since they’re using public money
The Center For Inquiry has written an open letter to John Courtney, Director of Youth For Christ and they are encouraging others to issue similar letters to the media and those involved in the decision process of the YFC Youth Center in Winnipeg.
http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/entry/winnipeg_federal_government_to_fund_5.5_million_into_youth_for_christ_centr/