Baha’i delegates from across Canada gathered in Toronto for the Canadian Baha’i National Convention, April 24 to 26, and elected the governing council of their community, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Canada.
Those elected were Karen McKye from Toronto, Todd Smith from Guelph, Ontario, Borna Noureddin from Vancouver, Judy Filson and Enayat Rawhani from Toronto, Gordon Naylor from Stratford, Ontario, Elizabeth Wright from Quebec City, Susanne Tamas from Almonte, Ontario, and Deloria Bighorn from the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island.
Delegates at the convention discussed Baha’i activities including locally implemented Baha’i programs that are part of a worldwide Baha’i effort to address the moral and spiritual needs of children, youth, and adults. There was agreement that the Baha’i community, currently expanding in numbers throughout the world, is seeing encouraging signs of success in its systematic efforts over several years to put in place community programs that are helping individuals learn how to better serve the well-being of humanity at a time of enormous economic and social challenges.
Those attending the Baha’i Convention were acutely aware of the threat to the lives of Baha’i leaders in Iran who remain in prison solely because of their faith. The persecution of the Baha’is of Iran has intensified over the past three years leading to calls by the U.N. General Assembly, the EU, and governments around the world that Iran cease its persecution of Baha’is, release the Baha’i prisoners and put an end to a wide range of other human rights violations which the government of Iran pursues. On March 30th Canada’s House of Commons passed a unanimous, all-party motion condemning the human rights abuses in Iran and demanding the immediate release of the Baha’i prisoners.