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                                                  Jan 16-22

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"The General Council of the United Church of Canada believes that equal marriage is a step on the path to justice, peace and the common good," says Right Rev. Dr. Peter Short, the church's Moderator.   He also said in a statement Jan. 21 that  for him, "Christian faith, tradition and values contribute to our hope for that day when earth once more is fair and all her children one, including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered people - all her children." Copies of the statement were sent to all members of Parliament.

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(As above)

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Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic of Toronto is urging Prime Minister Paul Martin to use caution in dealing with legislation to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. "Tampering with marriage and the family poses significant social risks," he said in a letter to Martin Jan. 20. Ambrozic also called for an "open and public debate" to look at the implications of such legislation.

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Conservative MP Jason Kenney is believed to be the first Western politician to visit the home of Zhao Ziyang, the former Chinese leader who died Jan. 17 at the age of 85. Kenney, one of several politicians who accompanied Prime Minister Paul Martin to China Jan. 20,  said he wanted to pay his respects to Zhao personally. The former Chinese leader had been under house arrest for the last 15 years for his opposition to the military crackdown on students in Tiananmen Square.

File photo	Cabinet minister Lucienne Robillard  was sworn in Jan. 17 as federal human resources minister, replacing Joe Volpe. He took over as Immigration Minister following the resignation of Judy Sgro to fight allegations of ministerial wrongdoing. Robillard, who is also intergovernmental affairs minister, praised Sgro and said she made the right decision.
	Extremely cold weather of late has kept all but a few hardy souls from skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, billed as the world's largest skating rink.

	(As above)
	Actress Mary Walsh, seen here interviewing former Deputy Prime Minister Herb Grey on Parliament Hill as a character the CBC TV program "This Hour Has 22 Minutes," is making more waves with her latest program, "Hatching, Matching and Dispatching." Several viewers are outraged by the program and complained to CBC that she is perpetuating the stereotype of Newfoundlanders as lazy, uneducated and alcoholics. A CBC official described  the program as " a great success" and noted that the point of the show is "its black humor"
	Actress Mary Walsh, seen here on Parliament Hill as a character the CBC TV program "This Hour Has 22 Minutes," is making more waves with her latest program, "Hatching, Matching and Dispatching." Several viewers are outraged by the program and complained to CBC that she is perpetuating the stereotype of Newfoundlanders as lazy, uneducated and alcoholics. A CBC official described  the program as " a great success" and noted that the point of the show is "its black humor"

	Members of Parliament return to work in the House of Commons Jan. 31 following a six-week break. Senators return a day later.
	Steven Staples (left) and Tony Clarke of the Polaris Institute question the suitability of former New Brunswick Premier Frank McKenna as Canada's new Ambassador to the U.S. They pointed to McKenna's membership on the board of The Carlyle Group, whose investors included family members of Osama bin Laden. McKenna, whose appointment takes effect March 1, acknowledged that he was on the company's Canadian advisory board but said  the board has been inactive for some time.
	Tenzin Dargyal, national coordinator of the Canada Tibet Committee, hopes that Prime Minister Paul Martin will raise the issue of Tibet when he visits China on his current nine-day Asian tour. Dargyal and Alexe Neve, head of Amnesty International in Canada told reporters that trade should not trump human rights. "We cannot leave human rights simply to the whim of market forces,'' Neve said.
	Xun Li, president of the Falun Dafa Association of Canada, and Michael Zeng appeal to Prime Minister Paul Martin to pressure the Chinese government to release all Falun Gong practioners imprisoned in China. Zeng's mother was sentenced to eight years for practicing Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned in China.