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Canadian Psephos: Can the NDP Win Without the GTA?

Aug

13

2015

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is why risk it? A recent article pointed out, maybe correctly or wrongly, that Thomas Mulcair is deciding to form a government without being competitive in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), that belt of support surrounding the City of Toronto that in the last election broke for ...

Canadian Psephos: Predicting the Unpredictable

Aug

3

2015

With the first full day of official campaigning underway, where is the state of the race? Luckily we know, since it seems that everyone and their mothers have set up election projections or predictions in time for this campaign. Even I have maintained a rolling average offline, currently showing a tight three-way race (though with ...

Canadian Psephos: Editable Map of #elxn42 boundaries

Aug

2

2015

Looking for a map of Canada’s new 338 constituencies that you can colour code on your own? Are you a visual learner and like to see how support looks on a geographic projection? Do you like pretty colours? Look no further! Below is a map that anyone can use for their own purposes. I drew ...

Canadian Psephos: #Elxn42 is Called – and a New Site

Aug

2

2015

On October 19th, Canadians will decide who gets the govern this country for the 42nd time. An election has been called after Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited Governor General David Johnston this morning, asked for Parliament to be dissolved and the writs to be drawn up, and started the longest election campaign in Canadian history ...

Maple-Flavoured Politics: The Silliest Anti-Abortion Argument

May

14

2015

Of all the anti-abortion arguments that get thrown about, I think I saw the silliest one today. (Disclosure: I’m pro-choice.) It didn’t come from an anti-abortion activist, but rather from a pro-choice person who was relating an argument that was directed at her some years ago. It came in the form of a string of ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Charisma magazine and the dog that did nothing in the night

Dec

30

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission An article from Charisma magazine this morning reminds me of Sherlock Holmes. Jennifer LeClaire, the magazine’s Senior News Editor, posted an article on the magazine’s website, which gives a rundown on several “prophetic words” of 2014. It is “Did 2014’s Prophetic Words Ring True?” which you ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: The Crossroads Communications network renames and rebrands itself

Dec

22

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. An interesting story in the National Post a couple of days ago. Reporter Claire Brownell reports on changes to Christian broadcasting in Canada. The sermon on the monitor: The new wave of evangelists who’ve turned preaching into a multimedia endeavour She concentrates of Oakville, Ont. bible teacher ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Todd Bentley’s new wife is pregnant

Dec

22

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission It should be noted for the record that Jessa Bentley, the second wife of Todd Bentley, is well along with being pregnant. It was confirmed by an e-mail to his supporters a few weeks ago, complete with photo of a very pregnant Jessa.<br/></br> A few days ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Marci McDonald, “friend” of Faytene?!?

Nov

10

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission Did you know that reporter and author Marci McDonald was at one time part of “The hand of Hell”? Or that at one time, she was a “friend” of Canadian evangelist and activist Faytene Grasseschi (nee Kryskow), who was a portrayed as a poster child for ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Harper signed trade agreements with China, while Canadian Christians rot in prison

Nov

9

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission Can’t say that Stephen Harper doesn’t know the value of a dollar. Over the past few days he has been In China, finalizing trade agreements with the government of China worth $2.5 billion. As he did, Canadians Kevin Garratt and Julia Dawn Garratt are still in Chinese ...

Maple-Flavoured Politics: Questions of Harassment

Nov

7

2014

Two Liberal MPs were recently suspended from caucus for what statements from the Liberal Party of Canada and Justin Trudeau called “personal misconduct.” Media reports went further, describing it has harassment of MPs in another party. Some media reports were even more specific, calling it sexual harassment. This incident raised questions in my mind. When ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Rewriting history for the past five years, and counting

Nov

6

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Winston Churchill once said, or wrote: “History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.” Or rewrite it, in the case of Faytene Grasseschi, perhaps? The Canadian born evangelist and activist was at Toronto City Church in late September to speak. One evening, ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: They could use that old barn out back

Nov

4

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission There will be at least one sequel to the new Left Behind with Nicolas Cage, says filmmaker Paul Lalonde. In a statement released on the Left Behind fan page on Facebook… …Lalonde announced that he feels compelled to keep the series going: “… I woke up ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: An apology on behalf of “social media” Christians to Nicolas Cage

Nov

2

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Ted Baehr’s Movieguide has felt burdened to apologize to Bicolas Cage about the occasionally visceral reaction to the new Left Behind film. The open letter… Open Letter to Nicolas Cage: Critical Christians Left Behind Love for Others …argues that Christians on the Internet discussed the film ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: The Ottawa/Parliament Hill shootings

Oct

23

2014

Bene Diction Blogs On: “No airline attendant would wear a blouse two sizes two small.”–On the new Left Behind film

Oct

16

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission Quite the crash and burn, for the new Left Behind film starring Nicolas Cage, as it were. According to the movie grosses site, Indiewire, as I write, Left Behind has dropped to number 10 on their list of movie grosses, earning just under $ 3 million ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: God TV founder resigns because of adultery – for now

Oct

2

2014

God TV: GOD TV Co-founder Rory Alec steps aside GOD TV Co-founder Rory Alec has today announced he is leaving the Network, standing aside as Chairman and CEO with immediate effect. This follows what he terms ‘a moral failure’ concerning his marriage. GOD TV Co-founder and Director of Television, Wendy Alec will continue to lead ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Yellow light for Todd

Sep

23

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. Todd Bentley evidently sees his recent trip to British Columbia as a success, as he’s planning more. From Sept. 25-28 he’ll be back at Windword church in Langley Township, B.C.. This is where Brent Borthwick is pastor, and Bentley’s starter wife and kids fellowship. {Borthwick has ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Cracked on faith healers

Sep

17

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Right Reserved. Used by Permission The humour website Cracked is exposing faith healers. A Robert Evans, who says he is a retired faith healer, explains how he did it, or rather faked it, in this blog post here. Would be interesting to know if his back story stands up. To Google!

Bene Diction Blogs On: Berated for not being able to predict Mark Driscoll’s and Todd Bentley’s futures

Sep

2

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission Blogger Jeffrey Yoder is even harder than I can be in the case of Todd Bentley, if that were possible. But I think it a bit much to expect people to predict the future. In his new post What Todd Bentley & Mark Driscoll Have in ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Scriptures for ’71

Aug

28

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used By Permission. Do you recall my post on the “Good News for British Columbia” booklet? Well, I have a small update. When I was out on errands this afternoon, I found another copy of the booklet. As you may recall, this was a “Good News Bible” Gospel of ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: MK Safety Net Canada

Aug

10

2014

Christian Week highlights the entry of MK Safety Net into Canada, and the tremendous pro-active work they do ’immersed in the struggles and pain experienced by survivors.’ “When MKs start talking about their abuse and they are told, ‘Get over it. Stop being bitter. Forgive.’ I think the Church believes God is sovereign, but when ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Crossroads Television System (CTS) re-branding

Aug

10

2014

It appears that Crossroads Television System (CTS) is re-branding itself, CTS will become YES TV this fall. Yestv.com was registered by Crossroads Christian Communications Inc. out of Burlington in 1998, and was updated last month according to WHOIS. While still categorized as a religious broadcaster, Crossroads continues to branch out in it’s programing according to it’s sales ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Good News for British Columbia, indeed.

Jul

30

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission. In the run-up to the B.C. Day long weekend, a bit of obscure history related to sharing the Gospel in the province. Back in 1971, local Christians wanted to do something unique to celebrate the 100th anniversary of B.C. becoming part of Canada. This now rare ...

Bene Diction Blogs On: Two of the most scary video soundbites that I have recently heard

Jul

11

2014

By Rick Hiebert. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission It takes some doing for Todd Bentley or a friend/supporter of his to leave me a bit gobsmacked by something they say. Let’s turn a last time to Todd Bentley’s appearance on the History TV Canada program Miracles Decoded June 1, 2 and 4 A couple ...