Front of Maxwell campus.

Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, 5 July 2008 (CBNS) — Maxwell International School’s emphasis on holistic education and the transformative power of the arts have been a presence in Cowichan Valley for 20 years. With the school’s closing at the end of June, many in the Valley expressed praise for its long record of achievement and contribution to the area.

A local newspaper, the Cowichan Pictorial, wrote in a 29 June article, “Cowichan Valley as a whole, is really going to miss it.”

The Ontario Legislature building, where new prayers will now be said. [Photo by wyliepoon]

Toronto, Ontario, 19 June 2008 (CBNS) — In a move towards greater religious inclusivity, Ontario legislators voted late last week to supplement the daily recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in the Ontario Legislature with prayers from several other major religious traditions, including a Baha’i prayer.

Ten days after leaders of the Baha’i community in Iran were arrested because of their religious beliefs, Baha'i delegates from across Canada gathered in Toronto for the Canadian Baha'i Convention, May 23 to 25, and elected the governing council of their community, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Canada.

Those elected were Karen McKye, Judy Filson, Borna Noureddin, Fariborz Sahba, Mark Wedge, Gordon Naylor, Enayat Rawhani, Susie Tamas, and Todd Smith.

Mark Keedwell at the South Keys Chapters in Ottawa with the first copies of "Baha'u'llah" for sale. (Nov. 2007)

Vancouver, British Columbia, 1 May 2008 (CBNS) – Responding to increasing interest in books about spiritual issues, Chapters bookstores in Ottawa and Vancouver have been stocking Canadian author Shahrokh Monjazeb’s new book on the Prophet-Founder of the Baha'i Faith, “Baha’u’llah.” Eight Chapters stores in these two cities now have copies of the book, with a number of additional stores expected to add it to their shelves soon.

SHAWNIGAN LAKE - The Maxwell International Bahai School in Shawnigan Lake plans to close its doors because of declining enrollment. The school, which has been running for 20 years, has seen its number drop from a high of about 230 students to about 125.