January:  A documentary on Jewish circumcision called “Cutting with Tradition” was aired on January 7th by Vision TV, Canada’s multi-faith, non-profit religious broadcasting network. Produced by former Montrealer Keren Markuze, the documentary tracks two Los Angeles couples as they agonize over the “circumcision decision.” The feature was followed by a discussion in the studio with Rabbinic Candidate Eva Goldfinger of Toronto’s Oraynu Congregation for Humanistic Judaism and Dr. Arif Bhimji of the Association for Genital Integrity.

Claudette Jobin, head of the League of Quebec Women, praised French president Jacques Chirac for his country’s move to prohibit overt religious symbols, such as Islamic headscarves, in public schools. Mme Jobin called for a ban on male circumcision in the name of equality. [Read more...]

February:  The coroner’s report on the death of a Penticton infant following a routine circumcision triggered renewed calls to ban the procedure in British Columbia. [Read more...]

Ottawa writer Thom Barker condemned circumcision on “Commentary,” a feature heard weekday mornings on CBC Radio One. [Listen...]

April:  Routine infant circumcision was de-insured in the Northwest Territories, leaving only Manitoba still paying for the procedure under public health insurance.

Journalist and social commentator Nicolas Langelier analyzed the ethics of circumcision in Montreal’s La Presse, one of Canada’s largest daily newspapers. [Full text...]

June:  A policy aimed at discouraging infant male circumcision was released by the B.C. College of Physicians & Surgeons, the medical licensing authority in British Columbia. The policy calls newborn circumcision “a non-therapeutic and medically unnecessary intervention,” noting that parents may not have the legal authority to consent to it. [Read more...]

In a nationally televised interview, a College representative described infant male circumcision as a “potential human rights violation.” [Video... fast-forward to 5:20]

A similar position was taken in 2002 by the regulatory body in the province of Saskatchewan. In a strongly worded memo to physicians, the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Saskatchewan characterized routine infant circumcision as “imprudent if not improper.” [More...]

July:  “eye” magazine, Toronto’s alternative weekly of arts and social commentary, denounced circumcision in a passionate editorial. [Full text]

October:  A Montreal mother’s appeal for an end to circumcision was chosen as “Letter of the Week” by La Presse. [Full text]

November:  The Canadian Paediatric Society launched a new Web page entitled Circumcision: Information for parents. The Association for Genital Integrity submitted its comments to the Society.

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