UNews - Angus Reid

Canadian Catholicism showing signs of resilience and growth

caroline.zentner — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 18:02:50 +0000

Over the past several decades, people have claimed that Catholicism is on the decline in Canada, along with religion more generally. But new research carried out by well-known sociologists and pollsters Dr. Reginald Bibby, who holds the Board of Governors Research Chair in the Department of Sociology at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, and Angus Reid refute such ideas.

Drawing on national and global data, they maintain that Catholicism in Canada is experiencing new growth and vitality, stimulated by people arriving from around the world in unprecedented numbers. Catholics now number 13 million and comprise some 40 per cent of all Canadians.

What’s more, for all the talk about secularization and the decline in the importance of faith, Catholics across the country – including Quebec – do not merely continue to see themselves as Catholic. Bibby and Reid have found that a large majority say their faith is important to them, embrace belief in God, guardian angels and life-after-death, and pray privately. They do not attend as often as their parents and grandparents but they are just as likely to proclaim that they are Catholic and they aren’t going anywhere.

Bibby and Reid remind readers that almost 500,000 Catholics arrived in Canada from other places in the first decade of the 21st century – numbers that will remain high as Catholicism experiences unprecedented global growth.

Some 80 per cent of Canadians raised in Catholic homes continue to say they are Catholic, with the figure reaching 90 per cent in Quebec. More than 80 per cent believe in God and pray privately, and some 70 per cent say they have been protected by a guardian angel. About one in four claim they experience God every week.

Some 40 per cent of Canada’s Catholics say they receive strength from their faith, with the figure rising to 80 per cent among active attendees. Catholic immigrants tend to be among the most highly committed, but also are among the most morally conservative.

Catholics are just as likely as other Canadians to value compassion and forgiveness, and try to balance the Ten Commandments and personal opinion – often to the chagrin of Church leaders.

“Catholics are highly divided in their views of sexual and family issues,” says Bibby. “Catholics in Quebec tend to be far more accepting of diverse behaviour and lifestyles than Catholics living in other parts of Canada.”

Bibby and Reid’s overall findings point to a bright future for Catholicism in Canada; there will be no lack of Catholics. The primary question is how the Church will respond to the opportunities and challenges it faces.

Looking back at an amazing year at the U of L

trevor.kenney — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 17:16:55 +0000

It has been an incredibly busy year for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge on a number of fronts. From groundbreaking research activities to hosting national events to serving as a shelter for the province’s greatest storm, the U of L has been front and centre.

As we wrap up 2013, we’ve compiled a sampling of some of the major activities that took place in and around the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ this past calendar year. This is by no means a comprehensive list, nor is it a ranking, rather it is simply a snapshot of the many ways in which the U of L impacts the world we know.

The Destination Project promises to shape the future of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for the next 50 years.

Government of Alberta dedicates $200 million to the Destination Project

In December, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ announced a $200-million investment from the Government of Alberta to the Destination Project. What promises to be a transformative project that will shape the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s future for the next 50 years, it will involve the construction of new science facilities, a new energy plant and the revitalization of the original ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall.

“I cannot overstate how momentous this day is to the future of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and southern Alberta as a whole,” said ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge President Dr. Mike Mahon. “This is the most significant development of our Lethbridge campus since ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall was completed in 1972.

“The Destination Project will contribute to Alberta’s ability to recruit the best and brightest scientific talent to our province, but it is more than a teaching and research space. Rather, it is a place for community engagement and outreach; a research incubator; a place where undergraduate and graduate research opportunities develop; where knowledge transfer and commercialization happen; a place where the next generation of researchers, scientists and scholars credit for the start of their science careers.”

Rowing for research

In January, a seemingly impossible journey began off the coast of Dakar, Senegal and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge was well represented.

Adam Kreek, a Canadian Olympic rower, set off on a trek with three other distance rowers, Markus Pukonen, Pat Fleming and Jordan Hanssen, as they attempted to row unassisted for more than 3,700 nautical miles to Miami, Florida.

Along the way, researchers from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, led by the late Dr. Rick Mrazek of the Faculty of Education, tracked their progress and collected data for a number of studies.

Followed by students in community classrooms, the trek received a massive amount of media interest. Unfortunately, the mission came to a dramatic conclusion in early April when the crew’s 29-foot boat was capsized by a massive wave off the coast of Puerto Rico. The crew members all survived the ordeal and the boat was eventually recovered.

We love our Canadian football

Dr. Reg Bibby (sociology) has always had an interest in Canadiana, and much of his research work involves tracking trends related to Canadian popular culture.

In advance of the November Grey Cup game, Bibby worked with Angus Reid Global to test Canadians on their sporting tastes. His findings, particularly in relation to the growth of football popularity, were featured in media across the nation.

Bibby specifically looked at not only whether Canadians loved football, but also drew a picture of our taste for both Canadian and American football and whether the National Football League could ever be welcomed in Canada. His conclusion was that the NFL could make a go, but only if the Canadian Football League would also remain strong, was a topic of interest throughout the country.

Herschel goes silent

Dr. David Naylor is at the forefront of the science of space imaging.

A pioneering space imaging mission that sent a scientific instrument co-developed by ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher Dr. David Naylor on a 1.5 million kilometer trip to deep space came to its conclusion in March when the Herschel Space Observatory finally went dark.

Naylor and his team of researchers led Canada’s contribution to the Herschel project on behalf of the Canadian Space Agency. Their instrument, called the Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE), was one of three devices attached to Herschel. It was designed to pick up heat and chemical signals not visible by optical telescopes, and turn the data collected into amazing images and information used to learn more about the life and death of stars and galaxies.

Naylor and his cohorts are now busy in the five-year post operation phase of the project, where the data obtained is used to develop improved calibration algorithms to allow the most information to be extracted from the images.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ welcomes High River evacuees

When floodwaters began to rise in Central and southern Alberta in late June, nobody could have predicted the devastation that would eventually occur.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, although a long way from the flood zone, became a very important location to a number of flood victims as the summer wore on. With much of their town under water, High River residents were forced into a number of makeshift shelters as they waited for the floodwaters to subside. The U of L stepped up and made available its residence buildings throughout the month of July. Over the course of the month, anywhere from 200 to 400 evacuees called the U of L their temporary home, many of which were families with small children.

While at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, evacuees had access to all the U of L amenities, including the Max Bell Regional Aquatic Centre, the fitness centre, cafeteria and so on. Many children took part in summer camps and for a brief window of time, some normalcy and routine was returned to their lives.

Survival of the fabulous: Vasey research on the Nature of Things

Dr. Paul Vasey's research has been featured by a number of media sources.

Psychology professor Dr. Paul Vasey was all over the newswire in November when his research on the Samoan fa’afafine went mainstream with a spot on David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things.

Vasey’s research into the ‘third gender’ biological males who live as women, was a key ingredient of the program and brought to light the evolutionary debate about why homosexuality survives despite it being a trait that seems to prevent reproduction.

Alumnus takes a stand against bullying

Manwar Khan, a 37-year-old IT professional, saw his life change in an instant when he witnessed a brutal beating on an Edmonton LRT train. Powerless to stop the attack, he struggled coming to terms with the victim’s eventual death and decided to take action.

In April, Khan staged the first of three anti-bullying rallies he would hold across the province. His first, in Edmonton, attracted city officials, concerned citizens and multiple media outlets.

“I want to encourage people to stand up against bullying, not just stand by,” said Khan.

With support from the U of L, the proud alumnus would go on to host rallies in both Calgary and Lethbridge, furthering the community-minded attributes he acquired during his time as a ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge student.

Protocol handbook a guide for FNMI inclusion

What began as an exercise in process turned into a major leap forward for the First Nations, Métis and Inuit community at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.

The creation of the FNMI Protocol Handbook has initiated a unique way of sharing knowledge between the FNMI community and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and ensured that the significance of FNMI traditional activities will endure at the U of L.

The subject of a CBC television and radio feature story, the handbook received a great deal of media attention when it was released.

Dr. Leroy Little Bear (BASc (BA) ’72, DASc ’04), professor of Native American Studies and the FNMI Advisor to the President, says the handbook is more than a simple document, rather it is a living text that will continue to evolve as does the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and its relationship with the FNMI community.

“I was recently telling my class that one of the most profound ways that humans learn is through exchange with other humans and exchanges of ideas and experiences,” says Little Bear. “Not much learning occurs in a vacuum. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has developed and continues to foster these relationships, and I am very pleased to have had a role in developing this resource, which provides a foundation for ongoing exchange that we hope enriches the educational experience at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge.”

Nurturing the next generation of scientists

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ hosted one of the largest events it has ever staged in May when it opened its doors to more than 1,100 students, chaperones, judges and sponsors at the 2013 Canada-Wide Science Fair.

The venue was perfect for the fledgling scientists as they had the opportunity to take part in Discovery Day, a chance to learn about the exciting multidisciplinary research activities that take place on a daily basis at the u of L.

The amazing event went off without a hitch and close to $1 million in cash, prizes and scholarships were handed out to the best student presentations.

All the while, the southern Alberta community was treated to some incredible science from the next generation of researchers.

Rankings tell us what we already know

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has never been about defining itself through external ranking devices but when the rankings consistently show the institution as one of the country’s best, it’s hard not to take it as a feather in the cap.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ continues to pride itself in providing the best educational atmosphere for its students.

This past year, the U of L maintained top-three national rankings in both Maclean’s and Research Infosource. But rather than the ranking, it was the way in which the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ achieved its lofty status that pleased President Mike Mahon.

“We’re very pleased that the ranking indicators reflect many of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s fundamental priorities, notably our philosophy of creating a supportive atmosphere for our students in a setting that fosters academic excellence and engaging research opportunities,” said Mahon. “All of this would not be possible without the contributions of our faculty and staff who have embraced the U of L’s vision and made the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ a destination of choice for our students.”

At the end of the day, it is all about creating opportunities for success for our students and the U of L will continue with that as its guiding principle for years to come.

Bibby survey shows football thriving in Canada

trevor.kenney — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 23:04:05 +0000

A new national survey has found fan interest in pro football to be remarkably robust as the 101st Grey Cup game approaches this Sunday in Regina.

While hockey continues to be followed by a nation-leading 46% of Canadians, 33% now say that they are close followers of the CFL and/or the NFL – well above the 20% who indicate they follow Major League Baseball. Just under 10% of Canadians report that they closely follow either the NBA or Major League Soccer.

The on-line survey of 1,505 Canadians was carried out in early November by sociologist Dr. Reginald Bibby of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and pollster Angus Reid Global, as part of their joint research on The Future of Life in Canada.

What will surprise many people is the finding that 26% of people across the country say that they follow the CFL, compared to 21% for the NFL. Of these fans, 14% follow both leagues, while 12% follow only the CFL and 7% have eyes for only the NFL.

Combined with Bibby’s earlier Project Canada national surveys, the latest poll shows that, since 2005 and the end of hockey lockout, interest in the NHL has jumped from 30% to 46%. In the past decade or so, both the CFL and NFL have seen their fan bases increase by about 10 percentage points. Key factors influencing the growing interest in all three leagues would seem to include accelerated coverage, led by television, print media, and Internet-related platforms. The CFL’s resilience is particularly remarkable and unexpected, given the massive media exposure and corporate support that the NFL receives on both sides of the border.

Major League Baseball had a following of some 25-30% of Canadians when the Blue Jays were winning World Series in 1992 and 1993. The fan base dropped to below 15% by 2005 but, fuelled perhaps by expanded coverage and new hope for the Jays in recent years, now stands at 20%.

The NBA had a following of 4% of the population in 1990. With the arrival of the Raptors and Grizzlies in 1995, that figure increased slightly to 6% and then nudged up to 8% by 2000 – the same year Vancouver lost its team to Memphis. Today the NBA’s national fan base remains at 8%.

Major League Soccer, in Toronto since 2007 and now in Vancouver (2011) and Montreal (2012), is followed closely by 9% of Canadians – about the same percentage of fans as the NBA.

Regionally, west of Ontario and in Quebec, interest in the CFL is second only to hockey. In Ontario and in Toronto specifically, hockey reigns and interest in Major League Baseball is
considerably higher than in the rest of the country and there is slightly more interest in the NFL than the CFL. That said, combined interest in pro football is slightly higher than baseball – even in Toronto (35% versus 32%). In Toronto and the rest of Ontario, NBA fans number under 15%, with the figure under 10% for Major League Soccer. In the Atlantic region, hockey is no. 1 with baseball and football close to even but a distant no. 2.

These survey findings offer a reading on the interest in professional sport in Canada that help to clarify reality.

Contrary to rumour, not everyone is a wild-eyed hockey fan. Nonetheless, close to 1 in 2 Canadians are closely following the National Hockey League.

Enthusiasm about the Canadian Football League is not limited only to Grey Cup week; some 1 in 4 people across the country follow the league closely all season long.

The massive media exposure and corporate support of the National Football League has contributed to growth in interest in the NFL. But, as something of a cultural miracle, the CFL nonetheless has a greater national following. Ironically, the intense marketing of American football may be helping to “sell” football, Canadian-style.

Major League Baseball, as with the NFL, has a fan base that consists of about 1 in 5 Canadians. To a large extent, the popularity of MLB will undoubtedly rise and fall with the success of the Blue Jays. But its following of some 30% in the early 1990s will be difficult to match, given the increasingly crowded sports marketplace and the growth of fan interest in both the NHL and pro football. Losing all our Triple-A clubs, along with the Expos, hasn’t helped.

UNews - Angus Reid

Canadian Catholicism showing signs of resilience and growth

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Looking back at an amazing year at the U of L

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Bibby survey shows football thriving in Canada

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