Havelock Fellowship Baptist

Leading up to our celebration of Canada Day 2017, we have looked at several examples of our Christian national heritage and the founding of our Country.  In this final post in our “ Christ In Canada 150 ” series, we will consider our Constitution. The “Dominion of Canada” was originally created in 1867 by an act of the British Parliament, and the Queen’s Assent, as a union of the Province of Canada (Ontario / Quebec), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia.  This is known as the British North American Act, or BNA. It was not until 1982, under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, that the Constitution was patriated; i.e. transferred under the authority of the Canadian Parliament.  In that Act, Part 1 is known as the “Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms” and it begins with the following preamble: “Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of  God and the rule of law:” In the opening sentence of our Constitution, our Parliament and al...

As we look at some of the examples of Christian heritage in the history of Canada, we should also expect to find such Faith proclaimed in our music and literature.  In this third post in our “ Christ In Canada 150 ” series, we will consider our national anthem, “O Canada”. “O Canada” was originally written in 1880 for the St. Jean de Baptiste day ceremony.  The music was composed by Calixa Lavallee and the words, in French, by poet and judge Sir Adolphe Basile Routhier. Routhier’s original version, translated into English, contains the following stanza: Sacred love of the throne and the altar,   Fill our hearts with your immortal breath!   Among the foreign races,   Our guide is the law:   Let us know how to be a people of brothers,   Under the yoke of faith.   And repeat, like our fathers,   The battle cry: "For Christ and King!"   The battle cry: "For Christ and King!" There were several different versions creat...

Christ In Canada 150     [PDF]   

As we approach Canada Day 2017, we continue to reflect on our National Heritage and the founding of our Country.  In this second post in our “ Christ In Canada 150 ” series, we will consider some of the emblems of our Nation.  In particular, we will look at our official name, motto, and coat of arms.  The name of Canada is officially the “ Dominion of Canada ”.  This was proposed by Sir Samuel Leonard Tilley, Premiere of New Brunswick, at the 1866 conference in London.  Delegates from the province of Canada (now Ontario and Quebec), New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia had gathered with officials of the British government in order to draft the British North America (BNA) Act. Tilley had been reading his Bible, as was his custom, and was impressed with a verse from Psalm 72.  When the question arose as to what name our country should be given, he proposed a “Dominion” because he was convinced our country should be a nation under GOD. Psalms 72:8 KJ...