Kathy Vandergrift

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Articles

Ethical quagmires

Jan 13, 2025 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

For those who haven’t signed up for Dry January, the local pub could be considered a supervised consumption site. Customers consume addictive, unhealthy substances to feel better in the short term. Trained staff, rules of operation, bouncers and laws provide guard-rails to prevent or control excess.
When did "seeking justice" become optional?

Dec 9, 2024 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

Mary’s Song is ideal for Advent liturgies. I have promoted its use in worship committees for years, from Edmonton to Ottawa. It focuses on themes of the great reversal, or the upside-down kingdom. These themes are rich in Biblical stories and symbolism, but they create some discomfort in the pews. Mary’s talk about taking down the rich and powerful makes donations to the Foodbank feel like cheap grace.
Election witness

Oct 9, 2024 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

Election talk will permeate the air this Fall. British Columbia will vote on October 19, New Brunswick on October 21 and Saskatchewan on October 28. The US votes on November 4. It feels like the next federal election has already begun; there is growing speculation about an early election in Ontario. Each election is cast as a defining moment for that jurisdiction. Each one has been affected by culture war polarization over hot button issues, such as trans-youth in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.
The right to play

Aug 21, 2024 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

Did you know that children have a right to play? Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes “the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.”Play gets its own article because research has shown that it is essential to develop the full potential of all children, the central focus of the Convention.
Citizens, not political 'consumers'

Jul 10, 2024 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

When I agreed to participate in a Vote 16 Summit on Parliament Hill, I expected to hear all the reasons for and against allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in municipal, provincial and/or federal elections. And I did hear that. Much stronger, however, were concerns about the state of democracy in Canada. Concern came from voices across the political spectrum and from leaders on a wide range of issues. It was not about foreign interference – Canadian interference and apathy need our attention.
Address underlying issues

Jul 1, 2024 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

During a march to advocate for plastic waste reduction, I met a woman from Indonesia who wore a costume made of plastic waste from Canada that she found in a river near her home in Indonesia. She was in Ottawa to work for a new global plastics treaty. Her presence highlighted that something has gone terribly wrong in the way we use plastics and dramatic change is needed.
How deep is the rural-urban divide?

May 13, 2024 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

I grew up as a farm kid who helped milk cows and feed chickens before catching the bus to school. It was on the farm that I learned many of the core values that still drive my work in the city, such as no waste, work hard, care for creation. In my parenting years I often wished for the integration of job and family that characterized rural life as I knew it – perhaps I wouldn’t wish for that today.
Rules for digital highways

Apr 29, 2024 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

Remember when enthusiastic talk about the internet promised an Information Superhighway? The mood at the introduction of the Online Harms Bill last week felt more like a multi-vehicle crash site. Cyber-bullying, revenge porn, inciting violence and suicide, radicalization and terrorism, disinformation and hate-motivated crimes: these are a few of the online harms that injure real people.
Ambiguity is beautiful

Mar 18, 2024 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

“It all depends,” we say when we take context into consideration as we assess a situation. Reality rarely offers black-and-white certainty. While we learn to live with ambiguity in our daily lives, there is a growing demand for black-and-white answers on public ethical issues. There is tension between these two approaches to living a good life – and having a good death.
Spiritual wellness for teens

Feb 16, 2024 | christiancourier.ca | Kathy Vandergrift

The mental and spiritual health of young people ranks high on many lists of priorities for 2024. For good reasons. Higher levels of anxiety are linked to fears for their future because of climate change and global conflicts. Millennials (1981-1996) and Gen Z (1997-2012) are also the first generations who do not expect to have a higher standard of living than their parents. Developing resilience – the ability to cope with adversity – has become a high priority in child development.