One of Canada’s sorriest shames is not only dragging on, it’s making lawyers rich.

For over 100 years First Nation children were sent to residential schools that were run by churches and supported by the federal government. The best of intentions have continued to have very mixed results.
The official language of reconciliation is pretty, isn’t it?
There are currently 12 thousand claims that have to be sorted through.
360 million dollars have been ’set aside’ by the feds to address victimization.

Thing is, 200 million is already spent and 1/3 of that has gone to lawyers and their staff. Quite the gig if you can get it.

Uganda
Refugee: to take refuge
1. One who flees to a shelter, or place of safety.

2. Especially, one who, in times of persecution or political
commotion, flees to a foreign power or country for safety;
as, the French refugees who left France after the
revocation of the edict of Nantes.

The Lord’s Resistance Army hacked, torched, shot, bombed and massacred 192 people in Northern Sudan yesterday.
Refugees. They’ve been attacked for nearly 18 years.
The life expectancy in Uganda is 49 years.
The average yearly income is 260US.

Marketing According to Mel
Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of Christ won’t be showing in my neck of the woods anytime soon. There isn’t enough local interest for the multi-plex in the region to bring it in. Not to worry.
The 25 million dollar project has been carefully marketed,well before the final cut; from controversy, to Hollywood reaction. Pre-screenings, limited critic viewing, a primetime interview with a passionate Mel and the properly timed release of an interview with the actor who takes the main role.
Oh right, the rating, forgot that.
Not to mention the press coverage on the emotional response of US selected viewers.
I’ve no doubt it will clear 100 million US in no time.

It got me thinking about show business.
Do you know the most watched film of all time?

It was made in 1978 with 6 million dollars.
1.6 billion people have seen it.
That is 1/4 of the world’s population.
It has been translated into 440 languages.
It has cost 154 million to promote it the past 26 years.
Compare that to the top grossing movies in the world wide box office.

It is the same story of the same man, told from the gospel of Luke. No pyotechnics or special effects. No stars. Shot in Isreal, there is no fancy camera work, lavish wardrobes, special soundtrack, or excessive violence.
It was never meant to be entertainment, although Warner Brothers handled the US distribution in 1980.
It’s been a labour of love, but not of Hollywood or a star producer.
It’s a simple straightforward telling of the life of Jesus Christ called the Jesus Film Project.