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Search for location "Toronto"

  1. from the Chronology
  2. from the Chronology Canada
  3. from the Main Catalogue
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from the Chronology

date event locations tags see also
1941 20 Jun The passing of Howard Colby Ives (b. 11 Oct 1867, Brooklyn, New York, d. Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA). He was buried in Pinecrest Memorial Park and Garden Mausoleum, Alexander, Saline County, Arkansas. [BW9p608-613; Find a grave]
  • He and his wife Mabel spent nearly the last twenty years of his life as itinerant teachers. (Often teamed up with the Obers and the McKays) For example they came to Toronto in November of 1938 and stayed for about 10 months. During that time Mabel gave more than 150 lectures in Toronto and about 70 in Hamilton, Toronto's expansion goal. Howard, who was had had heart problems and who was rapidly losing for sight and hearing at the time, complemented her abilities by doing personal deepening with receptive souls. [TMLF62-67, SEBW139-154]

    Some of his works were:

    • The Ocean of His Utterances Unpublished study course in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh using the books of Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l‑Baha, and Shoghi Effendi, compiled and with commentary by Ives. Not yet formatted.
    • Portals to Freedom (1937) A collection of anecdotes and history of Abdu'l-Baha's travels to the United States, as told by one observer. [Collins7.1313 to 7.1320]
    • The Song Celestial (1938) A mystical book about Mr. Ives' search for God, in which a seeker asks God various questions, and God responds. [Collins7.1321-1322]
  • Also see Mother's Stories: Recollections of Abdu'l-Baha by Muriel Ives Barrow Newhall (Daughter of Howard and Mabel Ives)
    		• Little Rock; AR; Brooklyn; NY; Toronto Howard Colby Ives; In Memoriam; Mabel Rice-Wray Ives
    1962. 10 May The passing of F. St. George Spendlove (b. 23 April, 1897 in Montreal) in Toronto. [BW13p895-899]
  • He was part of the community of early believers in Montreal where he learned about the Faith after returning from the war in Europe.
  • He was a curator of the Canadian Collection at the Royal Ontario Museum. The Face of Early Canada, published in 1958, was illustrated with pieces from this collection. A second book, Collectors’ Luck, followed in 1960. [BW13p895–899]
  • See Bahá'ís of Canada.
    		•  Toronto; Montreal; Canada George Spendlove; In Memoriam
    1967. 24 - 26 Mar The Arctic Policy Conference was held in Toronto. Present were 16 attendees, Hand of the Cause John Robarts, representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Auxiliary Board, the National Pioneer Committee and individuals involved in the teaching work in the Arctic. It was decided to establish Bahá'í houses in Frobisher Bay in the District of Franklin, Baker Lake in the District of Keewatin and Yellowknife in the District of Mackenzie. [SDSC278]
  • Photo of Bahá'í House in Baker Lake.
    		•  Toronto; Frobisher Bay; Baker Lake; Yellowknife; Canada John Robarts; Bahai centres
    1967 29 Oct The launch of the Centenary of Bahá'u'lláh's proclamation to the kings and the rulers in Toronto.

    A 30-minute memorial service for Catherine Huxtable was added to the program that included an eulogy by Michael Rochester. [LNW176-179]

    		 Toronto; Canada Tablets to Kings and rulers; Centenaries; Catherine Huxtable
    1976 (In the year) Elizabeth Martin with Chris Lyons made a film called Retrospective, a memoir of Hand of the Cause John Robarts. It included his reminiscences of the Guardian and of the early days of the Faith in Canada. [HNWE36] Toronto; Canada Film; Elizabeth Martin; Chris Lyons; John Robarts; Hands of the Cause
    1980 (In the year) The film Jubilee, commissioned by the Universal House of Justice and made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the dedication of the cornerstone for the House of Worship in Samoa.
  • She also made a second version of this film entitled Blessed Is the Spot which focused more directly on the dedication ceremonies.
  • The film The Bahá'ís was an introductory film on the development activities of the Bahá'í communities around the world was edited by Elizabeth Martin. [HNWE45]
    		•  Toronto; Canada Documentaries; Elizabeth Martin; Mashriqul-Adhkar (House of Worship); Mashriqul-Adhkar, Apia; Foundation stones and groundbreaking
    1983 (In the year) The film Heritage of the Martyrs, made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the fate of the Bahá'ís in Iran. [HNWE45] Toronto; Canada Film; Elizabeth Martin; Heritage of the Martyrs; Elizabeth Martin
    1990 22 Feb Jalál Kházeh, (b. 24 February, 1897, Tihran) Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Toronto. He was buried in York Cemetery in Toronto. [BINS219:90]

    Note: VV123 says it was 20 February.

  • He was appointed a Hand of the Cause of God on the 6th of December, 1953 after the passing of Hand of the Cause of God Siegfried Schopflocher. [MoCxxiv]
  • See LoF164-167 for a short biography.
  • Find a grave.
    		• Toronto; Canada Jalal Khazeh; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments
    2003 May The announcement by the Universal House of Justice of the appointment of Siamak Hariri of Toronto, Canada, as architect of the Bahá'í Temple to be built near Santiago in Chile. [BWNS223]
  • See Ted Talk by Siamak Hariri entitled How do you build a sacred space?
    		• Santiago; Chile; Toronto Siamak Hariri; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Santiago; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Design; Mashriqul-Adhkar (House of Worship); Architecture; Architects; BWNS
    2007. 1 Jun The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Jameson (Jamie) Bond (b. 6 November, 1917 Toronto, ON) in Duncan, BC. [SDSC262, 387-388, 406]
  • For a biography see Sole Desire Service Cause An Odyssey of Bahá'í Service: Gale and Jameson Bond by Don Brown published by George Ronald.
    		•  Toronto; Duncan; BC Jameson Bond; In Memoriam; Knights of Bahaullah; Births and deaths
    2009 10 – 11 Jan Regional Conferences were held in Toronto, Canada and Guadalajara, Mexico. [BWNS687] Toronto; Canada; Guadalajara; Mexico Conferences, Regional; BWNS
    2018 1 - 7 Nov More than 7,500 people attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This forum began in 1893 at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago as an effort to promote an emerging international movement devoted to promoting dialogue among religions. Since that time, it has been held in Cape Town (1999), Barcelona (2004), Melbourne (2009) and Salt Lake City (2015). [Website] Bahá'í presenters were:
    • Bani Dugal: “The Equality of Women and Men: Divine Imperative for an Age of Transition.”
    • Hugh Locke: “Half the Sky, Half the Land: The Role of Women Farmers in Transforming Agriculture,”
    • Payam Akhavan: “Equality and Justice, Global Perspectives” and “Countering War, Hate, and Violence Assembly.”
    • Emily Wright: “Making Interreligious Chaplaincy Education Meaningfully Inclusive” and “A New Cup of Grace—A Ukulele Opera
    • Hooshmand Badee: “Interfaith Peacemaking Perspectives from Across the World.”
    • Nader Saiedi: Presenting the new documentary film The Gate: Dawn of the Bahá’í Faith.
    • Paul Hanley: “Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, the First Global Environmentalist.”
    • JoAnn Borovicka: “Amazing Faiths! An Interactive Workshop on Interfaith Dialogue.”
    • Robert Atkinson: “New Thoughts in Interfaith Spirituality.”
    • Robert Stockman: “The Characteristics of Bahá’í Interfaith Dialogue.”
    • Candace Hill: “From Shiraz to Chicago: Bahá’í Women of the East and the West”
    • Edward Price: “The Divine Curriculum: Understanding the Báb, Divine Educator for the Modern Era.”
    • Sovaida Maani Ewing: “Achieving World Peace: Bahá’í and Catholic Teachings.”
    • Jean Muza: “Bahá’í Civic Engagement: How to Maneuver in America’s Divisive Political Landscape.”
    • Robert Atkinson: “The Golden Rule as the Basis for a Global Justice System: An Interfaith Perspective with a Call to Action.”
    • Edward Price: “The Divine Curriculum Concept as a Framework for Interfaith Inclusion and Love.” [CBN-Preparation; CBN-Inclusion; CBN-Films]

      During the conference the Hindu Swami Agnivesh said that instead of spending trillions of dollars on the war system, the peoples of the world need to unite and create a world parliament based on an Earth Constitution. He said that “without a world government, we cannot solve our major world problems.” [History News Network 13 Feb 2022]

    		Toronto; Canada Parliament of the Worlds Religions
    2020. 28 Sep The passing of former Universal House of Justice member James Douglas Martin (b. 24 February 1927 in Chatham, Ontario) in Toronto. [CBNS]

    See Memorial for Douglas Martin -Online Commemoration.

    He was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada from 1960 to 1985 and served the last twenty years as the general secretary. In 1985. He was appointed director-general of the Bahá'í International Community's Office of Public Information at the World Centre. He served in that capacity until 1993 when he was elected to the Universal House of Justice. He retired from the House of Justice in 2005 due to considerations of age and related needs of the Faith. [BWNS1455]

  • In 1984 he co-authored the introductory text,The Bahai Faith: The Emerging Global Religion with his friend William S Hatcher.
  • His essay, The Missionary as Historian: William Miller and the Bahá'í Faith was a review of William McElwee Miller’s book The Bahá'í Faith: Its History and Teachings.
  • His series of talks entitled Historical Consciousness and the Divine Plan was packaged as a compact disc and has been made available on Bahá'í Library.
  • His paper Persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran 1844-1984 published in Bahá'í Studies in 1984 is available in PDF.
  • His article Humanity's Coming Encounter with Baha'u'llah was published in American Bahá'í in 1992.
  • In 1998 his article Bahá'í Faith was published in Canadian Encyclopedia.
  • The Mission of the Bab: Retrospective 1844-1944 as published in Bahá'í World. [BW23p193] iiiii
    		• Toronto; Canada; Chatham; Ontario Douglas Martin; In Memoriam; Universal House of Justice, Members of
    2022. 22 Sep The screening of the documentary film ‘Others’ in Their Own Land at the Toronto Bahá'í Centre. The film was directed by Farid Haerinejad, an Iranian-Canadian journalist and film-maker living in Germany. He had made several films about minorities in Iran, prior to making this film he had heard about the Bahá’í faith but did not know much about the Bahá’ís in Iran. He wanted to make sure that such a story was told truthfully and passionately and was glad that he could receive first-hand information from his Bahá’í friends.

    The film focuses on the period following the Islamic Revolution and traces the impact of the persecution of the Bahá’ís on several individuals and families. It contrasts the personal lives of Bahá’ís with the public statements of Iranian officials, highlighting the stigmatization and oppression of the Bahá’í minority in Iran.

  • The film is available on YouTube. [CBNS 22Sep2022; BIC News 31 Oct 2022]
    		•  Toronto; Canada Farid Haerinejad; film; documentary film; ‘Others’ in Their Own Land
    2023 Ridván The release of the Ridván Message. by the Universal House of Justice.

    They called for the establishment of a local Mashriqu’l-Adhkár in Kanchanpur, Nepal, and in Mwinilunga, Zambia. A national House of Worship is to be raised up in Toronto, Canada, in the vicinity of the long-established National Bahá'í Centre. [BWNS 1669]

    		BWC; Toronto; Canada; Kanchanpur; Nepal; Mwinilunga; Zambia Universal House of Justice, Letters and messages; Mashriqu’l-Adhkar; Mashriqul-Adhkar, local; Mashriqul-Adhkar, National; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Toronto; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Nepal; Mashriqul-Adhkar, Zambia

    from the Chronology Canada

    date event locations tags see also
    1908 (In the year) There were 16 Bahá'ís in Montreal.
  • Percy Woodcock resided briefly in and occasionally visited Brockville, ON
  • Dr James Oakshette resided in Toronto [BFA2p157.
    		•  Montreal, QC; Brockville, ON; Toronto, ON Percy Woodcock; James Oakshette
    1912 Jan Letter from May Maxwell to Star of the West... A few weeks later another talk given by a Montreal Bahai, on the significance of Abdul-Baha's visit to the occident, which was shortly followed by an address by Mr. Honore Jaxon, of Chicago, who presented the Bahai Message from the standpoint of the working class movement. Mr. Jaxon had just returned from England where he had been doing a work of seed-sowing and preparation among the organized labor people and socialists, and in his very broad and comprehensive talk in Montreal he showed the vital connection between these world-wide movements and the Teachings of Baha'o'llah. Mr. Jaxon spoke to several bodies and societies in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Quebec in such a spirit as to arouse interest and establish ties of good-will and fellowship, which will no doubt be the means of opening wide many doors for the reception of Abdul-Baha and the all-embracing Truth. [SoW Vol 3 No 1 March 21, 1912] Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; Toronto, ON; Quebec, QC Honore Jaxon; May Maxwell
    1920 (Summer) The arrival of well-known Bahá'í scholar and travel teacher Jináb-i-Fádil accompanied by Ahmad Sohrab. They travelled with Marion Jack and Martha Root and visited Saint John, NB, Montreal, QC, Gagetown, PE, Woodstock, NB, Brockville, ON, Toronto, ON, Vancouver, BC and Victoria, BC. [SoW20Aug1920, OBCC193] Saint John, NB; Montreal, QC; Gagetown, PE; Woodstock, NB; Brockville, ON; Toronto, ON; Vancouver, BC; Victoria, BC Jinab-i-Fadil; Marion Jack; Martha Root; Ahmad Sohrab
    1921. (In the year) Helen F Grand became a member of the Bahá'í community in Toronto. [FF123]
  • See How I Became a Bahá'í in SoW Vol 15 No 12 March 1925 p363-364.
  • See Helen Frances Grand (1865-1944): Traces of a Bahá'í Life, a short biographical essay.by Marlene Macke.
    		•  Toronto, ON Helen Grand
    1923 15 Oct - 4 Nov The second visit of Jináb-i-Fádil to Montreal and Toronto accompanied by Dr Zia Bagadi. [OBCC76] Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON Jinab-i-Fadil; Zia Bagadi
    1926 26 Sep An article by Queen Marie of Romania appeared in the Toronto Daily Star. Its syndication carried it to newspapers around the world. [HEC76] Toronto, ON Queen Marie of Romania; Toronto Daily Star
    1926 26 - 27 Sep The visit of Queen Marie of Romania to Toronto. She stated her allegiance to the Bahá'í Faith publicly in an interview given to the Toronto Daily Star (pub. 28 October, 1926). [OBCC104] Toronto, ON Queen Marie of Romania; Toronto Daily Star
    1937 (In the year) John and Audrey Robarts became Bahá’ís in Toronto. [OBCC151] Toronto, ON John Robarts; Audrey Robarts; Knights of Bahaullah; Hands of the Cause
    1938 Ridván The third, fourth and fifth local assemblies formed in Moncton, NB, Lambert, QC and Toronto, ON. The Moncton Assembly did not reform in 1940 nor in 1941. The Lambert Assembly did not re-form in 1941 and 1944. [OBCC177] Moncton, NB; Lambert, QC; Toronto, ON Local Spiritual Assembly, formation
    1939 May With the assistance of Mabel Ives who extended her travel teaching plans in Toronto, a Bahá'í booth was set up at the Canadian National Exhibition. Over 15,000 pieces of literature were distributed. [OBCC179, 307]
  • The Canadian National Exhibition, "the Ex", is a Canadian institution first held in 1879. [Wikipedia]
    		•  Toronto, ON Mabel Rice-Wray Ives; Canadian National Exhibition
    1939. 25 Jun What has been termed the "first international Bahá'í picnic embracing Canada and the United States" was held at Queenstown Heights at the invitation of the Toronto Assembly. It was the brainchild of Howard Ives who was living in Toronto at the time. He and Mabel had "grand-children" on both sides of the border.
  • Willard McKay chaired the event with talks provided by Doris McKay, John Stearns, Mrs. Pettibone, Elizabeth Brooks, Mrs, Marguerite Firoozi. Lulu Barr, Mrs. Enos Barton, Mr, and Mrs. John Robarts and, of course, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ives.
  • It was attended by 74 persons, 4 of which applied for enrollment in the Faith that day. It was an occasion for Bahá'í youth on both sides of the border to meet each other.
  • Plans were made to widen the New York-Pennsylvania Bahá'í speaker circuit to include Canada and the first youth conference was planned for Jamestown, NY. [FMH277; BN No 128 August 1939 p7; OBCC179]
  • Bahá'ís will note the significant fact that a decisive battle was fought on this site during the Revolutionary War. General Isaac Brock was killed but thanks to a regiment of "coloured" soldiers and Native allies, the Canadian forces were able to dispel the invading forces and take almost 1,000 prisoners.
    		• Queenstown, ON; Toronto, ON; Jamestown, NY International Bahai Picnic; Howard Ives; Mabel Rice-Wray Ives; Doris McKay; Willard McKay; John Stearns; Mrs. Pettibone; Elizabeth Brooks; Mrs, Marguerite Firoozi.; Lulu Barr; Mrs. Enos Barton; John Robarts; Audrey Robarts; Lloyd Gardner
    1939 27 Aug Gerrard Sluter-Schlutius— German-born, former U-boat captain, enrolled in November of 1932 and was a member of the Montreal Bahá’í youth group. He moved to Toronto in March 1935 and to Guatemala in 1939 as the second overseas pioneer. [OBCC97, 104-105]
  • He also pioneered to Honduras and later to Colombia. In the middle of 1940's Gerrard Sluter was removed from the rolls by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States and Shoghi Effendi later declared him a Covenant-breaker for his persistent political involvement. Later Sluter appealed to the judicial courts of Colombia to demand the cancellation of the legal status of the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bogota. He failed in all his lawsuits against the Assembly. [BNVol2p315]
    		•  Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON; Guatemala; Honduras; Bogota, Columbia Gerrard Sluter-Schlutius; Covenant-breakers
    1939. before Sept Rowland Estall combined his business travel with teaching visits to Calgary and Regina as well as Vancouver and West Vancouver. He had earlier laid the foundation of his business in visits to Toronto and Montreal, in both of which cities he lectured, as well as in St. Lambert. He also made excellent contacts with two University professors who, with a few others, have started an important social and religious reform movement in Canada and have published a popular textbook of the movement. During July Mr. Estall taught regularly in Winnipeg a study group of six to eight inquirers, following an outline of seventeen lessons which he developed on the World Order, using as a basis of each discussion a different free literature pamphlet which was distributed. The first result of his Winnipeg work was the registration of Miss Lillian Tomlinson. Dr. Mariette Bolton also visited and spoke in Winnipeg to the Quota Club. [Bahai News No 131 November 1939 p4] Calgary,AB; Regina,SK; Vancouver,BC; West Vancouver,BC; Toronto,ON; Montreal,QC; St Lambert,QC
    1941. 20 Jun The passing of Howard Colby Ives (b. 11 Oct 1867, Brooklyn, New York, d. Pulaski County, Arkansas, USA). He was buried in Pinecrest Memorial Park and Garden Mausoleum, Alexander, Saline County, Arkansas. [BW9p608-613; Find a grave]
  • He and his wife Mabel spent nearly the last twenty years of his life as itinerant teachers. (Often teamed up with the Obers and the McKays) For example they came to Toronto in November of 1938 and stayed for about 10 months. During that time Mabel gave more than 150 lectures in Toronto and about 70 in Hamilton, Toronto's expansion goal. Howard, who was had had heart problems and who was rapidly losing for sight and hearing at the time, complemented her abilities by doing personal deepening with receptive souls. [TMLF62-67, SEBW139-154]

    Some of his works were:

    • The Ocean of His Utterances Unpublished study course in the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh using the books of Bahá'u'lláh, Abdu'l‑Baha, and Shoghi Effendi, compiled and with commentary by Ives. Not yet formatted.
    • Portals to Freedom (1937) A collection of anecdotes and history of Abdu'l-Baha's travels to the United States, as told by one observer. [BEL7.1313 to 7.1320]
    • The Song Celestial (1938) A mystical book about Mr. Ives' search for God, in which a seeker asks God various questions, and God responds. [BEL7.1321-1322]
  • Also see Mother's Stories: Recollections of Abdu'l-Baha by Muriel Ives Barrow Newhall (Daughter of Howard and Mabel Ives)
    		•  Toronto; Hamilton Howard Colby Ives; In Memoriam; Travel Teachers; Mabel Rice-Wray Ives
    1942 (Early in the year) Lucille C. Gisome, a civil servant, enrolled in the Faith, probably through her friendship with Winnifred Harvey. She was an African Canadian. She was a delegate to the 1942 National Convention. [OBCC186]
  • From 1939 to 1940 she worked for the Dominion Bureau of Statistics and subsequently for the Department of Munitions and Supply until 1941 when she left for Toronto. Subject to racism in Canada she settled in Czechslovakia in the late 1940's after living in England and Germany. [OBCC152, 224]
  • For a phote see OBCC144.
    		•  Ottawa, ON; Toronto, ON Lucille Gisome; National Convention; Winnifred Harvey
    1943. 18 Jun The passing of Mabel Rice-Wray Ives (Rizwanea) (b. in St. Louis, MI in 1878) in Oklahoma, OK. She was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery. [BW9p616]

    She first heard of the Faith at the age of 21 in 1899 under miraculous circumstances. [Mabel Ives & The Mysterious Trolley Car Ride]

    In 1903 she married Theron Canfield Rice-Wray and they lived in California from 1909 to 1914 where her marriage ended and she returned to the East. In 1919 she met Howard Colby Ives and they married in 1920. They teamed with another couple, Grace and Harlan Ober as well as Doris and Willard McKay in both business and the teaching work, moving from one virgin territory to another.

    See the story of how Mabel resolved the situation when she could no longer tolerate the itinerate lifestyle in the story When Mable Ives Could Endure No More, She Prayed .

    In 1937, the suggestion was made that Moncton, New Brunswick would be a fertile ground for the Cause. The Ives went. During the first six weeks of her stay, Mrs. Ives gave public lectures, radio addresses and formed a study class. She introduced the Faith to St. John, N.B., Halifax, N.S. and Charlottetown, P. E. I. Her untiring efforts, led to Moncton, NB forming the first Spiritual Assembly in the Canadian Maritimes, April 21st, 1937.

    In spite of Howard's failing health, they travelled to Toronto in November of 1938 for ten months to assist in the formation of Toronto’s first Spiritual Assembly. Rizwanea served on that new Spiritual Assembly until she left Canada. She gave more than 150 lectures in Toronto and 70 in Hamilton, Ontario, Toronto’s expansion goal. Howard, although experiencing heart problems and rapidly losing both his sight and hearing complemented her abilities by doing personal deepening with receptive souls downstairs, while she would be presenting the Teachings upstairs.

    See the tribute paid to her in the Canadian Bahá'í News No 202 November 1966 p4.

    		Moncton, NB; Halifax, NS; Charlottetown, PE; Toronto, ON; Hamilton, ON Mabel Rice-Wray Ives; In Memoriam
    1950. 29 - 30 Apr The third National Convention was held in Toronto at 22 College Street with 19 delegates and a total of 125 in attendance. Those elected to the National Assembly were: Rowland Estall, (vice-chair) John Robarts, (chair), Emeric Sala, Ross Woodman; Laura Davis, (secretary), Winnifred Harvey, Freddie Schopflocher, (treasurer) Mae McKenna and Rosemary Sala. [CBN No 13 May 1950 p2-3]
  • The budget for the year 107 B. E. was $19,000. [CBN No 14 July 1950 p2]
  • All 19 delegates were present. [CBN 13 May 1950 p3]
    		• Toronto, ON National Convention; NSA; Rowland Estall; John Robarts; Emeric Sala; Ross Woodman; Laura Davis; Winnifred Harvey; Freddie Schopflocher; Mae McKenna; Rosemary Sala; National Spiritual Assembly, election of
    1950. 22 Oct The National Spiritual Assembly met with interested Bahá'ís in the Toronto area to report the slow progress of the Five Year Plan and to solicit ideas and take action to remedy the situation. One of the results of the meeting was the appointment of a Pioneer Training Committee to better prepare volunteers for service. [CBN No 16 November 1950 p3] Toronto, ON; Pioneer; Training, pioneer; Pioneer Training Committee
    1951 (In the year) Ontario's first all-Bahá'í funerals were held for Mrs E J Gill of Toronto and Arthur Lehman of Hamilton. [CBN No 22 October 1951 p4] Toronto, ON; Hamilton, ON E J Gill; Arthur Lehman
    1952 Aug The National Spiritual Assembly was actively searching for a property in Toronto to be used as a National Hazíratu’l-Quds. They had $17,000 which included $6,000 that had been a special contribution from the Guardian and other National Spiritual Assemblies. [CBN No 34 October 1952 p2] Toronto, ON; Hazira; Haziratul-Quds
    1952. 25 Sep The National Spiritual Assembly made a deposit payment of $5,0000 on the purchase of a property at 188 St George Street West in Toronto to become the site of the Haziratu'l-Quds. The full purchase price was $49,500 and they were obliged to by $20,000 by the end of November with the balance mortgaged at 5 1/2% interest for 10 years. [CBN No 34 October, 1952 p2; CBN No 36 December, 1952 p2]
  • For a description see CBN No 38 February 1953 p4.
  • See [MtC198-199] for a photo.
    		• Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds; Hazira
    1952 Dec The National Spiritual Assembly announced that the Hazíratu'l-Quds had been purchased at 188 St George Street in Toronto. [UC36; CBNNo 36 December 1952 p2] Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds
    1953. 29 - 30 Apr The sixth National Convention took place in the Unitarian Church of Forest Hill Village and was attended by sixteen delegates as well as over 100 visitors. Elected were: John Robarts, (chairman), Lloyd Gardner, (treasurer), Rowland Estall, (vice chair), Laura Davis, (secretary), Winnifred Harvey, Emeric Sala, Rosemary Sala, Albert Rakovsky and Audrey Westhaeser. [CBN No 41 June, 1953 p2]
  • This convention marked the end of the Five Year Plan that had been given to Canada in 1948 upon the formation of the National Spiritual Assembly.
    		• Toronto, ON National Spiritual Assembly; National Convention; John Robarts; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Laura Davis; Winnifred Harvey; Emeric Sala; Rosemary Sala; Albert Rakovsky; Audrey Westheuser; National Spiritual Assembly, election of
    1953. (Ater the Chicago Conference) Dr. Stanley Bolton and Mariette Germaine Roy Bolton of Australia visited Canada after the Chicago Conference. Dr. Bolton was the chairman of the National Spiritual Assembly of Australia and he and Mrs. Bolton were both natives of Canada. They visited Toronto and Winnipeg. While in Toronto they addressed two meetings in the Centre and showed pictures of the Australian Summer School, Bolton Place, which was donated to the Faith by the Boltons. [CBN No 42 July 1953 p3-4] Winnipeg, MB; Toronto, ON Stanley Bolton
    1953. 28 Jun The Hazira Committee reported that the cost of modification of the building at 188 St. George Street to permit public use under Toronto bylaws was exceedingly high. The Guardian was asked for a decision on the advisability of disposing of it for a less costly centre. [CBN No43 August 1953 p3] Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds
    1953 Aug Douglas Martin became a Bahá'í. [UC43] Toronto, ON Douglas Martin
    1953. 26 - 27 Sep In Toronto over 70 Bahá'ís from 15 localities registered for the conference. A wall-size map of the province, with the assemblies and goals marked, provided visual aid in grasping the scope of the task facing the Bahá'ís of Ontario. [CBN No 46 November 1953 p5] Toronto, ON; Teaching Conference
    1953 Oct The National Spiritual Assembly announced that the property that had been purchased the previous year at 188 St George Street West in Toronto had been sold. It proved to be impractical to alter the building to suit the needs.
  • A search for a suitable piece of land for the Haziratu'l-Quds and the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár was undertaken. [CBN No 45 October 1953 p3]
    		•  Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds; Mashriqu’l-Adhkar
    1953 Oct John Robarts (1901 – 1991) and Audrey Robarts, who had become Bahá’ís in 1937 in Toronto, pioneered to Bechuanaland (Botswana) with their children, Patrick and Tina. Aldham pioneered to West Africa. [Bahá’í Community of Canada. “John Robarts.” Baha’i Historical Figures; CBN No 47 December, 1953 p1]
  • John was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly from 1948–53.
  • In 1953 they became Knights of Bahá’u’lláh when they pioneered to Bechuanaland sailing from Saint John on the 6th of January. [CBN No 50 March 1954 p2]
  • from John and Audrey Robarts. "They are now comfortably settled at Mafeking, where they were fortunate enough to buy an attractive bungalow with electrical equipment and furniture a few days after their arrival. Housing is very scarce in Mafeking and people who have been living in hotels for months looking for accommodation eye them with envy. The house is situated in an orchard with 12 varieties of fruit, and overlooks a golf course on one side and a fine school playground on the other. John had a choice of positions offered him in the insurance field, Nina has an excellent school and Patrick is in Johannesburg at university." [CBN No52 May 1954 p2]
  • In 1957 John Robarts was appointed a Hand of the Cause of God. [14 May 1954. Messages to Canada]
    		•  Toronto, ON John Robarts; Audrey Robarts; Knights of Bahaullah; Tina Robarts; Patrick Robarts; Aldham Robarts
    1954 Jan The Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee called for suggestions and preliminary designs for the Canadian Haziratu1-Quds to be built on the site for the Mother Temple of Canada. [CBN No 48 January 1954 p4] Toronto, ON Hazira; Haziratul-Quds
    1954 Jan It was announced that Angus Cowan had been chosen in a by-election to replace John Robarts on the National Spiritual Assembly. [CBN No 49 January 1954 p3] Toronto, ON Angus Cowan; John Robarts; National Spiritual Assembly, By-election; National Spiritual Assembly, election of
    1954 (Early in the year) A by-election was held to replace National Spiritual Assembly members John Robarts, Rosemary Sala and Emeric Sala who had planned on leaving Canada for the Comoro Islands. The new members selected were: Angus Cowan, Peggy Ross and Alan Raynor. Rowland Estall was elected a chairman of the Assembly and Winnifred Harvey was elected to serve as vice-chair. [CBN No 50 March 1954 p2] Toronto, ON National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Angus Cowan; Peggy Ross; Alan Raynor; Rowland Estall; Winnifred Harvey; National Spiritual Assembly, By-election
    1954. 6 Feb A detailed report on Hazira and Temple properties was presented at the National Spiritual Assembly meeting. A letter from the Guardian requesting purchase by the end of March if possible was discussed. On February 13, three properties were visited and further discussion took place. Suggestions for the Hazira building were examined. It was arranged to send the Guardian immediately a detailed report on progress to date with information on properties believed suitable and on tentative Hazira plans. The Hazira and Temple Committee were asked to prepare additional information on the proposed building and on properties available. [CBN No 50 Mar 1954 p3] Toronto, ON; Hazira
    1954. 10 Apr The National Spiritual Assembly made a careful study of the Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee and new directives to the committee were formulated. [kCBN No 53 Jun 1954 p3] Toronto, ON; Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee
    1954. 24 Jul At the meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly some proposed Temple sites were viewed but no final decision reached. The Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee was commended on its work. [CBN No 56 Sep 1954 p2] Toronto, ON; Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee
    1954. 11 Sep A detailed report on the findings of the Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee was sent to the Guardian with a request for further guidance on purchase of a site. [CBN No58 Nov 1954 p3] Toronto, ON; Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee
    1954. 11 Dec The National Assembly received a message from the Guardian specifying that the Hazira and Temple property should be about 9 miles from the heart of Toronto. The issue was carefully discussed at the Assembly meeting and revised specifications were given the committee who were asked to make every effort to secure a suitable property at an early date. [CBN No61 Feb 1955 p1] Toronto, ON Hazira and Temple Properties Committee
    1955. 1 - 2 Jan At Skyloft Lodge north of Toronto 29 Bahá'ís and 30 non-Bahá'ís attended a conference arranged by the Ontario Youth Committee. Canadian communities represented were Toronto, Thoro1d, Kingston, Forest Hill, Pickering, Hamilton, Stratford and Oshawa. Friends were also welcomed from Hamburg and Niagara Falls, N.Y., from Connecticut and from Pittsburg, Pa. The speakers were Miss Nancy Campbell, Hamilton, who spoke on "Living the Bahá'í Life'', which gave much food for thought. Douglas Martin and Elizabeth Manser, each conducted a session. [CBN No61 Feb 1955 p1] Toronto, ON; Ontario Winter School
    1955. 8 Jan At its meeting in Toronto National Spiritual Assembly members examined several proposed Hazira and Temple properties and advised the committee to arrange for the purchase of a property as soon as possible on the basis of the specifications sent the Guardian in December and approved by him. [CBN No62 Mar 1955 p3] Toronto, ON; Hazira and Temple Properties Committee
    1955. 29 Apr - 1 May The National Convention was held in Toronto with the meetings and the Public Congress held in the King Edward Hotel. Elected were: Lloyd Gardner (chair), Allan Raynor (vice-chair), Audrey Westheuser (secretary), Peggy Ross (treasurer), Rowland Estall, Angus Cowan, Winnifred Harvey, Donald MacLaren, Albert Rakovsky. [CBN No 65 June 1955 p4]
  • List of delegates. [CBN No 62 March, 1955 p1]
  • On May 1st the friends shared in a Memorial Service for Marion Jack. The delegates and other believers gathered in Victoria Hall in Westmount for a brief commemoration and prayers in advance of the main Memorial Service at the Temple. [CBN No 62 March, 1955 from the 4-page insert]
  • The Guardian's message to the National Convention dated 17 April 1954 was distributed as an insert to CBN No 54 Jun 1954. The message list recent accomplishments.
  • See the National Convention report, the Guardian's supplementary message to the Convention and a letter, Progress at the World Centre from the International Bahá'ií Council. [CBN No65 Jun 1955 p4]
    		• Toronto, ON National Convention; NSA; Lloyd Gardner; Allan Raynor; Audrey Westheuser; Peggy Ross; Rowland Estall; Angus Cowan; Winnifred Harvey; Donald MacLaren; Albert Rakovsky; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Statistics
    1955. 30 Apr During the lunch break at the National Convention on Saturday several members of the Assembly visited a property in the St. Clair Avenue district and announced that they had made arrangements to sign an offer to purchase, for the purpose of a Haziratu'l-Quds, provided zoning regulations were met. The chairman of the Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee, Mr. Allan Raynor, also announced that negotiations were pending with regard to a 7 acre piece of property within 9 miles of the heart of Toronto as a Temple site. It is situated on Highway 401. [CBN N065 Jun 1955 p5] Toronto, ON Hazira and Temple Grounds Committee; Allan Raynor
    1955. 14 May At its meeting of May 15-15 the National Spiritual Assembly viewed Several possible Hazira properties and it was decided to make an offer on one df them. An option has also been taken on a proposed Temple site. A maintenance committee for the future Hazira was appointed. [CBN No66 Jul 1955 p2] Toronto, ON; Hazira and Temple Properties Committee
    1955. 17 Jun At its meeting of the 17th of June the National Spiritual Assembly made final arrangements to permit purchase of the Hazira property at 539 Mount Pleasant Road, Toronto, and further reports were heard on the proposed Temple property. [CBN No 68 Sep 1955 p6] Toronto, ON Hazira and Temple Properties Committe; Haziratul-Quds
    1955. c. Jul The National Spiritual Assembly received a reply from R. Rabanni on behalf of Shoghi Effendi regarding the purchase of a site(s) for the Temple and the Haziratu'l-Quds:

      "He considers the revised criteria you sent him for the Temple and Haziratu'l-Quds, as outlined in your letter of December 15th, satisfactory.
      He is extremely anxious to have these properties purchased, either together in one-place, or if this is not feasible, then in two separate places, as he has already informed you. Eight of the eleven Temple sites have been purchased, and many of them in very difficult places; and he feels very strongly that it is a great pity that Canada should be behind-hand in this matter, in view of the fact that she is one of the oldest Bahá'í Communities in the world. No doubt the problem is more difficult for you to solve, owing to the special conditions in Toronto and vicinity; but we know that all problems are solvable for the Bahá'ís, with the power of God to help them; and he is eagerly awaiting news of your success."
    [CBN No68 Sep 1955 p2]

    He further clarified that while the Maxwell House was indeed a National Endowment it should not be considered as having fulfilled this objective of the Plan and a second one should be obtained. [MC2p222; CBN No 73 Feb 1956 p2]

    		Toronto, ON Hazira and Temple Properties Committee; Haziratu’l-Quds
    1955. 26 Aug At its meeting of the 26th of August the National Spiritual Assembly arranged to apply to the Province for licence in mortmain to hold in perpetuity the Hazira property. Further directions were given the Hazira management committee regarding its upkeep and use. Since it is now unlikely that the selected Temple site will he available, a Temple Grounds committee was set up to continue the search for a suitable property. [CBN No69 Oct 1955 p3] Toronto, ON; Hazira and Temple Properties Committee
    1955. Sep It was reported in the Canadian Bahá'í News that the National Spiritual Assembly was encouraged to 'speed up' finding a new Hazíratu'l-Quds as their present site at 539 Mount Pleasant Road was proving not to be suitable for their needs. [UC55]

    See Shoghi Effendi's cable of 1 May 1955 and his letter to the National Spiritual Assembly dated 16 July 1955. [MtC220, 222]

    		 Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds
    1955. 1 Oct At the meeting of the National Spiritual Assembly they spent a half day viewing possible Temple sites. It was agreed to make an offer on one site provided that further investigation indicated that it met requirements. Renovations required on the Hazira were discussed; three members were added to the Committee. [CBN No70 No 1955 p2] Toronto, ON Hazira and Temple Properties Committee
    1955. 25 Nov Plans for structural changes in the Hazira were approved in principle, and tax exemption, insurance and legal matters dealt with. The Temple Grounds Committee report was considered, and a property purchase approved, replacing previous proposals that could not be implemented. [CBN No 73 Feb 1956 p2] Toronto, ON; Hazira and Temple Properties Committee
    1956. 7 Jan A full report on progress on incorporations and Hazira and Temple Grounds was sent the Guardian at his request. [CBN No74 Mar 1956 p2] Toronto, ON Hazira and Temple Properties Committee
    1956. 7 Jan The National Spiritual Assembly made arrangements for the erection of a memorial stone on the grave of Marion Jack. [CBN N74 Mar 1956 p2] Toronto, ON Marion Jack; In Memoriam
    1956. 25 Feb Because of the cost of adapting the Mount Pleasant property for Hazira use, the replacement of this property by the premises of the Free Magyar Reformed Church on Huron Street was authorized provided satisfactory financial arrangements can be made. The Temple Grounds Committee reported that no action could yet be taken on their option to purchase land in the Toronto area. Toronto, ON Hazira and Temple Properties Committee; Haziratu’l-Quds
    1956. 27 - 29 Apr The 9th National Convention was held in the King Edward Hotel and was attended by over 100 delegates and friends. Those elected were: Audrey Westheuser, (sec'y) Peggy Ross, (treasurer) Winnifred Harvey, Lloyd Gardner, (chair) Don MacLaren, Angus Cowan, Rowland Estall, Allan Raynor, (vice) and Hart Bowsfield.
  • It was announced that Canada's National Endowment had been secured, a beautiful piece of property on the Niagara River in the shadow of Queenston Heights. It had been donated by one of the friends.
  • The Public Congress was held in the Royal Ontario Museum Theatre on the evening of Saturday the 28th of April. Over 300 attended. [CBN No 77 June 1956 p2]
  • It was learned that Canada's National Endowment had been secured, a beautiful piece of property on the Niagara River in the shadow of Queenston Heights, which had been donated by one of the friends. [CBN No 77 June 1956 p2]
    		•  Toronto, ON National Convention; NSA; Audrey Westheuser; Peggy Ross; Winnifred Harvey; Lloyd Gardner; Don MacLaren; Angus Cowan; Rowland Estall; Allan Raynor; Hart Bowsfield; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; National Endowment
    1956. 10 May The property at 274 Huron Street was acquired for a Haziratu'l-Quds at a cost of $48,000. When this goal was given to Canada in 1953 the Guardian contributed £2,000 towards this undertaking and donations were made by the National Spiritual Assemblies of the British Isles and of Germany. Further donation came from Canadian believers and from the estate of Hand of the Cause Fred Schopflocher. [CBN No 77 June, 1956 p4-5; CBN No 78 July, 1956 p1]
  • See [MtC198-199] for a photo.
    		•  Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds
    1956. 30 Sep The dedication of the new Haziratu'l-Quds of the Bahá'ís of Canada at 274 Huron Street in Toronto. ABM Roland Estall read an address on behalf of Hand of the Cause Horace Holley who was unable to attend due to weather conditions. [CBN No 82 November, 1956 p1-4]

    The purchase was made possible because of the generosity of the Canadian believers as well as an "exceedingly generous bequest made to the Canadian Bahá'í Community, on his death, by Fred Schopflocher". [CBNNo 77 June 1956 p4]

  • The Haziratu'lQuds was to serve as the administrative headquarters of the National Spiritual Assembly, its secretariat, for Assembly meetings, the preservation of its records, for public meetings , a Bahá'í library, an Archives, for committee meetings and Bahá'í Conferences. Its influence would enhance the prestige and consolidate the authority of the National Assembly in the Bahá'í community, confer dignity and prestige upon the Faith in the eyes of the public and be the seat of one of the electoral bodies that would elect the Universal House of Justice. [CBN No 82 November, 1956 p 3]
    		• Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds
    1957 (In the year) The first Temple site was purchased in 1957 in North York, and replaced by the site in Markham Township in 1969. [MtC281] Toronto, ON Temple site
    1957. 22 - 24 Feb At its February meeting the National Spiritual Assembly formed a Hazira Location Committee consisting of George Spendlove, George Smith, Alice Hall and Marjory Merrick. They were instructed to look for a property primarily for the National Headquarters use and to meet the requirement for a provisional Hazira set down by the Guardian. [CBN No 87 April, 1957 p1] Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds
    1957. 26 - 29 Apr The National Convention was held at the new Haziratu'l-Quds at 274 Huron Street. It was attended by about 100 visitors as well as seventeen delegates who voted in person and two who voted by mail. Those elected were: Hart Bowsfield, Peggy Ross, Winnifred Harvey, Audrey Westheuser, Allan Raynor, Lloyd Gardner, Rowland Estall, Fred Graham, and Harold Moscrop.
  • The Public Congress was held in the Royal Ontario Museum Theatre. About 300 persons attended. [CBN No 89 June, 1957 p3-4]
  • Photo.
  • There were 17 Local Spiritual Assemblies in Canada at this point, a drop from 19 two years earlier. [Bloodworth, Grains of Wheat p20]
    		•  Toronto, ON National Convention; Hart Bowsfield; Peggy Ross; Winnifred Harvey; Audrey Westheuser; Allan Raynor; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Fred Graham; Harold Moscrop; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Haziratu’l-Quds
    1957 May The site of the National Hazírratu'l-Quds at 274 Huron Street was expropriated by the University of Toronto. The property was included in the 26 acres taken over in December for the expansion of the campus. The University advised that they will not require the property for some time and that we may rent the building , possibly for several years. [UC66; CBN No 87 April 1957 p3; CBN No 91 Aug 1957 p8; MtC262]
  • An Hazira Location Committee was set up consisting of George Spendlove, George Smith, Alice Hall and Marjory Merrick. [CBN No 87 April 1957 p1]
    		• Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds; National Centre; 274 Huron Street; 15 Lola Road; George Spendlove; George Smith; Alice Hall; Marjory Merrick
    1957 Jul Hand of the Cause Dhikru'llah Khádem met with the National Spiritual Assembly. He had come from Central America and was visiting in the United States and Canada before returning to Haifa. He, his wife, and their daughter spent ten days in Canada and visited the friends in Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and London. [UC68-69] Hamilton, ON; Toronto, ON; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; London, ON Hands of the Cause; Dhikrullah Khadem
    1957 Jul Hand of the Cause Dhikru'llah Khádem met with the National Spiritual Assembly. He had come from Central America and was visiting in the United States and Canada before returning to Haifa. He, his wife, and their daughter spent ten days in Canada and visited the friends in Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and London. [UC68-69, 70; MtC269] Hamilton, ON; Toronto, ON; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; London, ON Hands of the Cause, Activities; Dhikrullah Khadem
    1957 (Summer) The Hazira committee continued to have difficulties in finding a suitable property. Zoning regulations precluded the purchase of many sites that were otherwise suitable. Negotiation were underway on one property. One property in north Toronto that might be suitable for the Temple ground was under investigation. [CBN No 91 August 1957 p1] Toronto, ON; Nazira and Temple Grounds committee
    1957. Aug In response to a recommendation made at the National Convention, the functions and the staffing of the national committees were published in the August issue of the Canadian Bahá'í News. [CBN #91 August 1957 p6-8]

    The October issue included a graphic that illustrated the reporting structure of the national committees. [CBN No 93 October 1957 p7]

    		 Toronto, ON National Spiritual Assembly
    1957 Oct Acting on a recommendation from the National Convention, the National Spiritual Assembly published an organogram which showed three "departments", Teaching, Properties and Service with sub-committees reporting to them. [CBN No 93 Oct 1957 p7] Toronto, ON National Spiritual Assembly
    1957. 1 Oct A site at 15 Lola Road in Toronto was acquired and occupied on the 1st of October. It served as the National Hazíratu'l-Quds from October 1957 until 1969. [MtC281; CBN No 93 Oct 1957 p2]

    See [MtC198-199] for a photo.

    		 Toronton,ON Haziratu'l-Quds
    1957. 2 Nov Hand of the Cause Paul Haney visited the Toronto-Hamilton area and spoke at conferences in both cities and at a fireside in Hamilton. [CBN No 95 Dec 1957 p3] Toronto, ON; Hamilton, ON Hands of the Cause; Paul Haney
    1958. 6 Feb Hand of the Cause John Robarts arrived in Canada to begin his extensive tour of Canada. He had been sent to Canada by the Hands in the Holy Land because the Guardian had been concerned about the slow progress in the objectives of the 10-year plan in Canada The first stop was in Moncton where a three-day conference was held with Mr. Robarts. [CBN No 98 March, 1958 p2]
  • He had made a stop in Iceland en route to Gander where he met with Bruce Matthew and Bill Howell. [CBN No 99 April 1958 p7]
  • He shared with the friends his pioneering experience in Africa, the meeting of the Hands in London and in the Holy Land after the passing of the Guardian as well of the dedication of the Temple in Kampala that he attended just prior to his departure for Canada.
  • Mr. Robarts focused on the revitalization of the believers and constantly emphasized the power of prayer in beseeching assistance in winning the goals with special emphasis on the Prayer for Canada, the Tablet of Ahmad and the Long Obligatory Prayer. [CBN No 126 July 1960 p4]
  • He spent several weeks visiting communities in Quebec and Ontario, Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Ottawa and others. [CBN No99 April, 1958 p7]
  • In Saskatoon he performed the marriage of Ericka Janzen and Tom Gossen. [CBN No 100 May, 1958 p3]
    		•  Moncton, NB; Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON; Hamilton, ON; London, ON; Ottawa, ON John Robarts; Ericka Janzen; Tom Gossen
    1958 Apr The Canadian Bahá'í News reported that as of this date 10 Local Assemblies had been incorporated in Canada. They were: Edmonton, Hamilton, Montreal, Ottawa, Scarborough, Toronto, North York Vancouver Vernon, and Winnipeg. [CBN No 99 April 1958 p3] Edmonton, AB; Hamilton, ON; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; Scarborough, ON; Toronto, ON; North York, ON; Vancouver, BC; Vernon, BC; Winnipeg, MB Local Spiritual Assembly, incorporation
    1958. 29 Apr - 1 May The National Convention was held at the Westbury Hotel, 475 Yonge Street in Toronto. Those elected to the National Assembly were: Hart Bowesfield, Peggy Ross, (sec'y), Winnifred Harvey, Audrey Westheuser, Allan Raynor, Lloyd Gardner, Rowland Estall, Fred Graham, and Harold Moscrop (tres). [CBN No 99 115 April, 1958 p1; CBN No 101 June 1958 p3]
  • See [CBN No 101 June 1958, Special Insert] for the Message from the Hands of the Faith in the Holy Land to the National Convention.
    		• Toronto, ON National Convention; Hart Bowesfield; Peggy Ross; Winnifred Harvey; Audrey Westheuser; Allan Raynor; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Fred Graham; Harold Moscrop; National Spiritual Assembly, election of
    1959. 24 - 26 Apr The National Convention was held at the Westbury Hotel in Toronto. Those elected were: Lloyd Gardner, Rowland Estall, Hart Bowsfield, Winnifred Harvey, Audrey Westheuser, Harold Moscrop, (tres.) Peggy Ross, (sec'y) and Allan Raynor.
  • For a list of delegates to the 12th National Convention see [CBN No 110 March 1959 p2].
  • For the message from the Hands to the Convention see [CBN No 113 June 1959 p1-6].
    		• Toronto, ON National Spiritual Assembly, election of; National Convention; Lloyd Gardner; Rowland Estall; Hart Bowsfield; Winnifred Harvey; Audrey Westheuser; Harold Moscrop; Peggy Ross; Allan Raynor
    1960. 29 Apr - 1 May The 13th National Convention was held at the Westbury Hotel in Toronto. It was attended by Hand of the Cause Amatu'l-Bahá Ruhíyyih Khánum and Hand of the Cause John Robarts. The 19 delegates selected the following for service on the National Assembly for the year 117: Peggy Ross, (sec'y) Rowland Estall, (chair) Winnifred Harvey, Hartwell Bowsfield, Harold Moscrop, Lloyd Gardner, (vice-chair) Audrey Westheuser, (treas.) Douglas Martin, and Fred Graham. [CBN No 125 June 1960 p1]
  • For the Message from the Hands of the Faith in the Holy Land see [CBN No 125 June 1960 p10].
  • For the message from the Hands of the Faith in the Western Hemisphere to the Annual Convention see [CBN No 125 June 1960 p7].
    		•  Toronto, ON National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Peggy Ross; Rowland Estall; Winnifred Harvey; Hartwell Bowsfield; Harold Moscrop; Lloyd Gardner; Audrey Westheuser; Douglas Martin; Fred Graham
    1961. 28 - 30 Apr The fourteenth National Convention was held at the Westbury Hotel in Toronto. Those elected were: Angus Cowan, Rowland Estall, (chair) Glen Eyford, Lloyd Gardner, (vice-chair) Fred Graham, Douglas Martin, Harold Moscrop, (tres.) Peggy Ross, and Audrey Westheuser (sec'y). [CBN No 137 June 1961 p10]
  • See [CBN No 136 136 May 1961 p1] for the Message from the Hands in the Holy Land.
  • See [CBN No 140 September 1961 p1] for photo.
    		•  Toronto, ON National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Angus Cowan; Rowland Estall; Glen Eyford; Lloyd Gardner; Fred Graham; Douglas Martin; Harold Moscrop; Peggy Ross; Audrey Westheuser
    1962. 10 May The passing of F. St. George Spendlove (b. 23 April 1897 in Montreal) [BW13p895-899; Bahá'ís of Canada]
  • He was part of the community of early believers in Montreal where he learned about the Faith after returning from the war in Europe.
  • He was a curator of the Canadian Collection at the Royal Ontario Museum. The Face of Early Canada, published in 1958, was illustrated with pieces from this collection. A second book, Collectors’ Luck, followed in 1960. [BW13p895–899]
  • See Bahá'ís of Canada.
    		•  Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON George Spendlove; In Memoriam
    1965. 25 Feb Because of the cost of adapting the Mount Pleasant property for Hazira use, the replacement of this property by the premises of the Free Magyar Reformed Church on Huron Street was authorized provided satisfactory financial arrangements can be made. The Temple Grounds Committee reported that no action could yet be taken on their option to purchase land in the Toronto area. Toronto, ON Hazira and Temple Properties Committee; Haziratu’l-Quds
    1967. 24 - 26 Mar The Arctic Policy Conference was held in Toronto. Present were 16 attendees, Hand of the Cause John Robarts, representatives of the National Spiritual Assembly, the Auxiliary Board, the National Pioneer Committee and individuals involved in the teaching work in the Arctic. It was decided to establish Bahá'í houses in Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit) in the District of Franklin, Baker Lake in the District of Keewatin and Yellowknife in the District of Mackenzie. [SDSC278]
  • Photo of Bahá'í House in Baker Lake.
    		•  Toronto, ON; Frobisher Bay, NU; Baker Lake, NU; Yellowknife, NT; Iqaluit, NU Arctic Policy Conference; Bahai House; Hands of the Cause, Activities; John Robarts
    1967. 29 Oct The launch of the Centenary of Bahá'u'lláh's proclamation to the kings and the rulers in Toronto. A 30-minute memorial service for Catherine Huxtable was added to the program that included an eulogy by Michael Rochester. [LNW176-179] Toronto, ON Catherine Huxtable; Michael Rochester; Proclamation
    1969 Feb The National Spiritual Assembly announced that a favourable offer was received for its Cummer-Bayview Temple property and their offer for a property for the Temple and the Hazírratu'l-Quds in Markham Township had both been concluded on the 15th of October, 1968. The new property was "just over 16 1/2 acres, beautifully contoured and wooded with large open areas, including and exceptionally fine house surrounded by landscaped grounds." [CBN No 224 November, 1968 p1; CBN No 26 January, 1969, p7-8]
  • See [MtC198-199] for a photo of the property at Cummer Avenue and Bayview Avenue.
  • The move was made from 15 Lola Road to the Willowdale location in January-February of 1969. The new address was Box 519, Willowdale 441, Ontario.
  • See [MtC198-199] for a photo.
    		• Willowdale, ON; Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds; National Centre; 15 Lola Road
    1972 Jan Jalál was founded by three members of the Mozart Group, Larry Brown, Rodney Konopaki, and Garry Brown, and then joined by keyboardist Jack Lenz in July of the same year. After having toured across Canada for nine months and the group eventually settled in Toronto. [Facebook posting THE SPARK: 1967 - 1973 9 FEBRUARY 2020] Saskatoon, SK; Toronto, ON Jalal; Mozart Group; Larry Brown; Rodney Konopaki; Garry Brown; Jack Lenz
    1970. 12 Jan An animated presentation entitled "The Community of Baha'u'llah" made its initial presentation at the Art Centre in Ottawa. They had just come from their trial run in St. Lambert, Quebec and had a plan to visit Oshawa, Hamilton, Guelph, North Bay, Fort William (Thunder Bay), Winnipeg, Brandon, Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Kelowna, Vancouver, Nanaimo and Victoria before doing their final presentation in Toronto just before the National Convention.
  • The hosts for the presentation were: Al Houdek, Gerry Bourassa; Leslie Houdek, Sandra Kostaschuk, Garry Berteig; Larry Brown, and Valerie Berteig with Dick Stanton as the Tour Manager.
  • Travelling exhibit was intended as a vehicle to introduce the Message of Baha'u'llah. They utilized film, sound and slides, as well as traditional art forms. The plan was to have the local communities integrate interested person into the community after the team had made the initial contact. The eight member team made the three month trip in two vehicles, an Econoline van and a station wagon. [CBN No 236 January-February 1970 BE 126 p1]
  • The tour continued into the Maritimes for several more months with some changes in the team to include Gale Bundy, Fred Ward, and Bob Kingdon. The tour ended at Rochdale College in Toronto. [email exchange with Garry Berteig 4 January 2020] iiiii
    		• St Lambert, QC; Ottawa, ON; Oshawa, ON; Hamilton, ON; Guelph, ON; North Bay, ON; Fort William, ON; Thunder Bay, ON; Winnipeg, MB; Brandon, MB; Regina, SK; Saskatoon, SK; Edmonton, AB; Lethbridge, AB; Kelowna, BC; Vancouver, BC; Nanaimo, BC; Victoria, BC; Toronto, ON Proclamation; The Community of Bahaullah; Al Houdek; Gerry Bourrassa; Leslie Houdek; Sandra Kostaschuk; Gary Berteig; Garry Brown; Valerie Berteig; Dick Stanton; Fred Ward; Gale Bundy; Bob Kingdon
    1970. 30 Apr - 3 May The National Convention was held in Glendon College at York University in Toronto. Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Glen Eyford, Rowland Estall, Don Glen, Tom Anaquod, Michael Rochester, Husayn Banani, Angus Cowan, Douglas Martin, and Ed Muttart. [UC175] Toronto,ON National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Glen Eyford; Rowland Estall; Don Glen; Tom Anaquod; Michael Rochester; Husayn Banani; Angus Cowan; Douglas Martin; Ed Muttart
    1970 Oct After a stopover in Toronto Mr. Olinga visited the community of St. James-Assiniboia. [CBN244Nov1970p1] Toronto, ON; St. James-Assiniboia, MB Hands of the Cause; Enoch Olinga
    1975 (In the year) The release of the film entitled Invitation produced under the auspices of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada by Elizabeth Martin, with the help of Chris Lyons. It was a memoir of Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum incorporating footage from Khánum's Andean trip along with memories of her childhood years in Montreal. [HNWE36]
  • The National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada invited Hand of the Cause Amatu’l-Bahá to the re-opening of the Bahá’í Shrine in Montreal following the completion of renovations to the historic Bahá’í site. This film documents inspired talks she gave from August 30th to September 7th, including the on given in the Church of the Messiah, where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had given an address in 1912. She shares reminiscences related to her childhood home which was later designated by Shoghi Effendi as a Shrine.
  • The film was originally shot in 16mm and was digitally remastered in 2003.
    		•  Toronto, ON film; Invitation; Elizabeth Martin; Chris Lyons; Amatul-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum
    1957 Jul Hand of the Cause Dhikru'llah Khádem met with the National Spiritual Assembly. He had come from Central America and was visiting in the United States and Canada before returning to Haifa. He, his wife, and their daughter spent ten days in Canada and visited the friends in Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and London. [UC68] Hamilton, ON; Toronto, ON; Montreal, QC; Ottawa, ON; London, ON Hands of the Cause, Activities; Dhikrullah Khadem
    1975. 7 Sep The official opening of the National Centre at 7200 Leslie Street in Thornhill Ontario. [from an invitation to the event] Toronto, ON Haziratul-Quds
    1976 (In the year) Elizabeth Martin with Chris Lyons made a film called Retrospective, a memoir of Hand of the Cause John Robarts. It included his reminiscences of the Guardian and of the early days of the Faith in Canada. [HNWE36] Toronto, ON Films; Retrospective; Elizabeth Martin; Chris Lyons; Hands of the Cause; John Robarts
    1978 Ridván The 50 minute film Retrospective was made in tribute to Hand of the Cause John Robarts and the occasion of his fortieth anniversary as a member of the Bahá'í community. It was commissioned by the National Spiritual Assembly and made by CINÉ BAHÁ'Í. [CBN No 313 Mar/Apr 1978 p3] Toronto, ON film; Retrospective; John Robarts
    1979. 25 Sep The passing of Allan Raynor (b. 31 August, 1910 in Toronto)
  • His first acquaintance with Baha'is was in 1934 at a gathering organized by W. J. Christie of Parry Sound in northern Ontario. It was there that he met Lloyd Gardner.
  • He went on pilgrimage in 1956. After the passing of the Guardian he travelled across Canada sharing his experiences with Shoghi Effendi.
  • Mr. Raynor will be remembered for his work in educating the Canadian Bahá'í community in the knowledge of the Covenant. When the assaults on the Covenant came Canadian Bahá'ís were not swayed.
  • His study of Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah was legendary. His personal copy could not be called a "book" but rather it was a loose collection of pages.
  • In 1978-1979 he was appointmented as Assistant to Auxiliary Board Member for Protection, Carol Bowie.
  • So moving and eloquent was he at the hour of his death that Canada's national newspaper printed a major article on his life.
  • A tribute to Allan was made by Roger White in his poem entitled 'In Recognition' which was published in his book, The Witness of Pebbles. The poem was inspired during Allan's 1977 pilgrimage. Another writer, Nathan Rutsein paid homage by including a chapter called 'The Example of Allan Raynor' in his book, Spirit in Action: Teaching the Bahá'í Faith. [BW18p696-698]
    		• Toronto, ON Allan Raynor; In Memoriam; Assistant
    1979. 28 - 30 Dec In June of this year the executive office of the Canadian Association for Studies on the Bahá'í Faith moved to Ottawa. After consultation on the message to Canada from the Universal House of Justice which stated to ‘‘... further develop the Canadian Association for Studies on the Bahá'í Faith’’, the executive committee decided to lower membership rates to encourage wider membership. It was also decided to renew memberships each Naw-Ruz.

    Four regional conferences were held in this, the 4th year of the Association for Bahá'í Studies, in Halifax, Toronto, Saskatoon and Vancouver, all on the same dates. [BC Vol 2 No 3 July/August 1979 p9]

    		 Halifax, NS; Toronto, ON; Saskatoon, SK; Vancouver, BC Bahai Studies, Associations for
    1980 (In the year) The film Jubilee, commissioned by the Universal House of Justice and made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the dedication of the cornerstone for the House of Worship in Samoa.
  • She also made a second version was made of this film entitled Blessed Is the Spot which focused more directly on the dedication ceremonies.
  • The film The Bahá'ís was an introductory film on the development activities of the Bahá'í communities around the world was edited by Elizabeth Martin. [HNWE45]
    		•  Toronto, ON film; Jubilee; Elizabeth Martin; Blessed Is the Spot; The Bahais
    1983 (In the year) film Heritage of the Martyrs, made by Elizabeth Martin, documented the fate of the Bahá'ís in Iran. [HNWE45] Toronto, ON Film; Elizabeth Martin; Heritage of the Martyrs; Elizabeth Martin
    1990. 22 Feb Jalál Kházeh, (b. 24 February, 1897, Tihran) Hand of the Cause of God, passed away in Toronto. He was buried in York Cemetery in Toronto. [BINS219:90]

    Note: VV123 says it was 20 February.

  • He was appointed a Hand of the Cause of God on the 6th of December, 1953 after the passing of Hand of the Cause of God Siegfried Schopflocher. [MoCxxiv]
  • See LoF164-167 for a short biography.
  • Find a grave.
    		•  Toronto, ON Jalal Khazeh; Hands of the Cause; Hands of the Cause, Births and deaths; Births and deaths; In Memoriam; Hands of the Cause, Appointments
    1992. 11 Nov The passing of Doris McKay (b. Doris Henrietta Hill 29 September, 1894) in Charlottetown.
  • She married Willard Judd McKay 30 June 1923. In 1925 she and Willard attended a fireside given by Howard and Mabel Ives. In 1929 she made her fist travel teaching trip to New York, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Baltimore, Boston, Portsmouth and to Montreal. She was a frequent lecturer at Green Acre. In 1939 she returned to Canada to staff the Bahá'í booth at the Canadian National Exhibition and to visit communities in Hamilton, Montreal and Moncton where she took up residence in 1942. In the fall of 1943 they moved to Prince Edward Island to help win a goal of the Seven Year Plan by establishing a local spiritual assembly in Charlottetown.
  • In 1928 while still a resident in the US and a member of the Outline Bureau of the National Teaching Committee she developed "36 Lessons", some of the first deepening materials and study outlines for the American believers. She was a contributor to the Star of the West and later The Bahá'í World.
  • Her autobiography Fire in Many Hearts, written with Paul Vreeland, was published in 1991 by Nine Pines Publishing and was republished by George Ronald under a new title Fires in Many Hearts - Memoirs of an early American believer. [BWIM30-32]
    		•  Charlottetown, PE; Montreal, QC; Moncton, NB; Hamilton, ON; Toronto, ON In Memoriam; Doris McKay; Fire in Many Hearts
    2000. 24 Jan The passing of Margaret (Peggy) MacGregor Ross (b. 9 January 1909 in Dundee, Scotland). She served on several spiritual assemblies and was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly in 1953 and was a member for fourteen years. She was appointed an Auxiliary Board member in 1957 and served in that capacity until 1986. For several years in the 1970s she and John (Pops) served as custodians for the Fort Qu'Appelle Bahá'í Institute. She was widowed in 1973. They had three children.

    Her greatest love was teaching the Native people of Canada and Greenland. She travelled to Australia, Europe, Southeast Asia and attended the dedication of the Houses of Worship in the the United States, Samoa and in India. [BW28p309]

    		 Toronto, ON In Memoriam; Peggy Ross; Auxiliary Board Members; National Spiritual Assembly
    2002. 25 - 29 Apr The 53rd National Convention was held at the Toronto Bahá'í Centre. Those elected were: Judy Filson, (Secretary) Karen McKye, (Chairman and Assistant Secretary), Susan Lyons, (Assistant Secretary), Margot Leonard, Enayat Rawhani, Susanne Tamas, (Vice-Chairman), Mark Wedge, Gordon Naylor, Husayn Banani, (Treasurer). [BC Vol 15 No 2 June 2002 p12] Toronto, ON National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Judy Filson; Karen McKye; Susan Lyons; Margot Leonard; Enayat Rawhani; Susanne Tamas; Mark Wedge; Gordon Naylor; Husayn Banani
    2002 May After ten years of operation in the Ottawa area, Unity Arts moved to Toronto. The new address was: Unity Arts Inc. - Nine Pines Publishing, 10 - 945 Middlefield Rd., Toronto, ON, M 1 V 5E1. The primary reason for the relocation was the need to expand and be situated nearer the Bahá'í National Centre in Thornhill. Although Unity Arts was privately owned and operated, it acted on behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly as the national distributor of Bahá'í literature in Canada for the previous few years.
  • During the two previous years, Nines Pines Publishing, the publishing imprint of Unity Arts, collaborated on a number of joint publishing projects with Bahá'í Canada Publications, notably A Tribute to Amatu'l-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum and Century of Light. [BC Vol 15 No 2 June 2002 p25]
    		•  Ottawa, ON; Toronto, ON Unity Arts; Nine Pine Publishing
    2004 Ridván The National Convention was held at the Toronto Bahá'í Centre. Those elected were: Husayn Banani, Enayat Rawhani, Donald Rogers, Mark Wedge, Fariborz Sahba, Judy Filson, Susanne Tamas, Karen McKye, and Gordon Naylor. [CBN Vol17 no2 Jun 2004 p5] Toronto, ON National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Husayn Banani; Enayat Rawhani; Donald Rogers; Mark Wedge; Fariborz Sahba; Judy Filson; Susanne Tamas; Karen McKye; Gordon Naylor
    2007. 1 Jun The passing of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Jameson (Jamie) Bond (b. 6 November, 1917 Toronto, ON) in Duncan, BC. [SDSC262, 387-388, 406]
  • For a biography see Sole Desire Service Cause An Odyssey of Bahá'í Service: Gale and Jameson Bond by Don Brown published by George Ronald.
    		•  Toronto, ON; Duncan, BC Jameson Bond; In Memoriam; Knights of Bahaullah
    2009 10 – 11 Jan The Universal House of Justice called for 41 Regional Conferences to be held over a four month period to mark the mid-point of the Five Year Plan. A Regional Conference was held in Toronto. [BWNS687] Toronto, ON Conferences, Regional; Five Year Plan (2006-2011)
    2014. 24 Apr The members elected to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly were Karen McKye, Mehran Anvari, Deloria Bighorn, Enayat Rawhani, Susanne Tamás, Hoda Farahmandpour, Judy Filson, Ciprian Jauca and Élizabeth Wright. The National Assembly’s Chair Ms. Bighorn; Vice-Chair, Ms. Wright; Secretary, Ms. McKye; and Treasurer, Dr. Anvari. [Message]
  • Message to the delegates from the National Spiritual Assembly.
  • Message from the Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh to the National Convention delivered by Donna Seyed Mahmoud.
  • The 157 delegates to Canada’s 66th National Convention met at the Toronto Bahá’í Centre. See report and photo.
    		• Toronto, ON National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Karen McKye; Mehran Anvari; Deloria Bighorn; Enayat Rawhani; Susanne Tamas; Hoda Farahmandpour; Judy Filson; Ciprian Jauca; Elizabeth Wright; Donna Seyed Mahmoud
    2015 27 Jan The National Spiritual Assembly of Canada announced the names of the Members of the Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh for Canada and Saint Pierre and Miquelon. The members were: Mr. Bruce Moore, Mrs. Donna Seyed Mahmoud, Mrs. Nasrin Neyestani and Dr. Abdu’l-Missagh Ghadirian.
  • In December of the same year they announced the new term of service for the Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh in Canada and added an additional member with the appointment of Dr. Faran Vafaie as Deputy Trustee member of the Board of Trustees. [BCNS31Dec2017]
    		•  Toronto, ON Huququllah; Board of Trustees; Bruce Moore, Donna Seyed Mahmoud, Nasrin Neyestani; Abdul-Missagh Ghadirian
    2015 20 Feb The National Spiritual Assembly of Canada announced the names of the five members appointed by the International Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh to serve on the Board of Trustees for Canada and Saint Pierre and Miquelon, with a three-year term of service, commencing 1 December 2014.
  • Those appointed were: Dr. Abdu’l-Missagh Ghadirian, Mr. Bruce William Moore, Ms. Nasrin Neyestani, Mrs. Donna Ann Marie Seyed Mahmoud, Mrs. Shabnam Tashakour.
  • In its letter to the National Spiritual Assembly announcing these appointments, the International Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh shared the following regarding their service:
  • The primary function of a Board of Trustees is to educate the friends on the spiritual significance of the mighty law of Huqúqu’lláh, enabling them to better appreciate that obedience to this law is “bound to attract divine confirmations, heavenly blessings and incalculable favours, and to promote the manifold interests of the International Bahá'í Community. [CBNS20150220]
    		•  Toronto, ON Huququllah; Board of Trustee; Abdul-Missagh Ghadirian; Bruce William Moore; Nasrin Neyestani; Donna Ann Marie Seyed Mahmoud; Shabnam Tashakour
    2015. 24 - 27 Apr The 67th annual National Convention was held in Toronto. Those elected to the National Spiritual Assembly were: Karen McKye (secretary), Mehran Anvari (treasurer), Deloria Bighorn (chair), Enayat Rawhani, Susanne Tamas, Hoda Farahmandpour, Judy Filson, Ciprian Jauca and Élizabeth Wright (vice chair). [Bahá'í Canada 1 May 2015] Toronto,ON National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of
    2017 30 Apr In his address to the Canadian National Convention on behalf of the Board of Trustees of Huqúqu’lláh for Canada, Dr A-M Ghadirian stated that there were 1,115 Representatives and Deputy Trustees worldwide in 31 National and Regional Boards of Trustees. Toronto, ON Huququllah; Huququllah, Trustees of; Statistics; Abdul-Missagh Ghadirian
    2018. 26 May The following individuals were elected by the delegates at the 70th National Convention held at the Toronto Bahá'í Centre to serve as members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year: Deloria Bighorn, Karen McKye, Mehran Anvari, Ciprian Jauca, Élizabeth Wright, Gerald Filson, Hoda Farahmandpour, Judy Filson and Enayat Rawhani. The officers chosen were: Chairman — Deloria Bighorn; Vice-chairman — Ciprian Jauca; Treasurer — Mehran Anvari; Secretary — Karen McKye. [Message of the National Spritual Assemlby 30 May, 2018]
  • A by-election was held to fill a vacancy on the National Spiritual Assembly when Enayat Rowhani resigned after nearly four decades of service. Mr. Zelalem Bimrew Kasse was the newly-elected member. [Bahá'í Canada 30 May 2018; Bahá'í Canada 29 August 2018; Bahá'í Canada 20 July 2018]
    		•  Toronto, ON Deloria Bighorn; Karen McKye; Mehran Anvari; Ciprian Jauca; Elizabeth Wright; Gerald Filson; Hoda Farahmandpour; Judy Filson; Enayat Rawhani; National Spiritual Assembly, election of
    2018. 15 Aug Mr. Enayat Rawhani asked to be permitted to relinquish his membership on the National Assembly. He had sought and received guidance from the Universal House of Justice, consequently a bi-election was held to fill the vacancy and Mr. Zelalem Bimrew Kasse was elected. [Message from the National Spiritual Assembly dated the 16th of August, 2018] Toronto, ON National Spiritual Assembly, By-election; Zelalem Bimrew Kasse; Enayat Rawhani
    2018 1 - 7 Nov More than 7,500 people attended the Parliament of the World’s Religions held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This forum began in 1893 at the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago as an effort to promote an emerging international movement devoted to promoting dialogue among religions. Since that time, it has been held in Cape Town (1999), Barcelona (2004), Melbourne (2009) and Salt Lake City (2015). [Website] Bahá'í presenters were:
    • Bani Dugal: “The Equality of Women and Men: Divine Imperative for an Age of Transition.”
    • Hugh Locke: “Half the Sky, Half the Land: The Role of Women Farmers in Transforming Agriculture,”
        Hugh Locke is president and co-founder of the Smallholder Farmers Alliance (SFA), a non-profit working with small-scale family farmers to help feed and reforest a renewed Haiti. He is author of The Haiti Experiment, and writes and lectures extensively on smallholder farming and sustainable development. Earlier in his career Hugh was director of the Office of Public Information at the Baha’i International Community in New York and served as a member of the program committee for the 1992 Baha’i World Congress. He was mentored by forester and environmentalist Richard St. Barbe Baker (1889 – 1982), established the Baker archives at the University of Saskatchewan, and continues to serve as literary trustee.
    • Payam Akhavan: “Equality and Justice, Global Perspectives” and “Countering War, Hate, and Violence Assembly.”
    • Emily Wright: “Making Interreligious Chaplaincy Education Meaningfully Inclusive” and “A New Cup of Grace—A Ukulele Opera
    • Hooshmand Badee: “Interfaith Peacemaking Perspectives from Across the World.”
    • Nader Saiedi: Presenting the new documentary film The Gate: Dawn of the Bahá’í Faith.
    • Paul Hanley: “Man of the Trees: Richard St. Barbe Baker, the First Global Environmentalist.”
    • JoAnn Borovicka: “Amazing Faiths! An Interactive Workshop on Interfaith Dialogue.”
    • Robert Atkinson: “New Thoughts in Interfaith Spirituality.”
    • Robert Stockman: “The Characteristics of Bahá’í Interfaith Dialogue.” Candace Hill: “From Shiraz to Chicago: Bahá’í Women of the East and the West”
    • Edward Price: “The Divine Curriculum: Understanding the Báb, Divine Educator for the Modern Era.”
    • Sovaida Maani Ewing: “Achieving World Peace: Bahá’í and Catholic Teachings.”
    • Jean Muza: “Bahá’í Civic Engagement: How to Maneuver in America’s Divisive Political Landscape.”
    • Robert Atkinson: “The Golden Rule as the Basis for a Global Justice System: An Interfaith Perspective with a Call to Action.”
    • Edward Price: “The Divine Curriculum Concept as a Framework for Interfaith Inclusion and Love.” [CBN-Preparation; CBN-Inclusion; CBN-Films]

      The Hindu Swami Agnivesh said that instead of spending trillions of dollars on the war system, the peoples of the world need to unite and create a world parliament based on an Earth Constitution. He said that “without a world government, we cannot solve our major world problems.” [Black News 6Feb2022]

    		 Toronto, ON World Parliament of Religions
    2019. 6 Mar The Bahá'í Community of Canada’s Office of Public Affairs, together with the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs sponsored a seminar on religion and migration, which explored the various ways in which religious groups, immigration, and public opinion are interconnected. The seminar examined how religion shapes migration and vice versa: How have faith groups influenced immigration patterns and policy? How is immigration changing religion in a secular Canadian society? And what do Indigenous experiences of displacement tell us about popular narratives of welcome? The seminar was part of the University of Toronto Global Migration Lab’s series of seminars on Global Migration Challenges, organized in partnership with Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada. [Canadian Bahá’í News Service] Toronto, ON Migration; Seminar
    2019. 28 Apr The following individuals were elected by the delegates at the 71st National Convention to serve as members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year: Deloria Bighorn (chair), Karen McKye (secretary), Mehran Anvari (treasurer), Hoda Farahmandpour, Ciprian Jauca (vice chair), Élizabeth Wright, Zelalem Bimrew Kasse, Gerald Filson, and Judy Filson. [from a letter from the National Spiritual Assembly dated 1 May 2019 to all Local Spiritual Assemblies, Regional Bahá’í Councils and Registered Groups]
  • Letter from the delegates to the Uiversal House of Justice and photo. [Bahá'í Canada 03 May 2019]
    		•  Toronto, ON National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Deloria Bighorn; Karen McKye; Mehran Anvari; Hoda Farahmandpour; Ciprian Jauca; Elizabeth Wright; Zelalem Bimrew Kasse; Gerald Filson; Judy Filson
    2020. 28 Apr The National Assembly announced the results of the election of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada. Because the Convention had to be cancelled owing to public health guidelines related to the COVID-19 health crisis, delegates mailed in their ballots or made arrangements to phone them in. The election had 100% participation. [Letter from the NSA to all LSAs dated 28 April 2020]
  • Those selected to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly were: Mehran Anvari, (treasurer), Deloria Bighorn, (chair), Zelalem Bimrew Kasse, Hoda Farahmandpour, Gerald Filson, Judy Filson, Ciprian Jauca, (vice chair), Karen McKye, (secretary) and Elizabeth Wright. [Letter from the NSA to all LSA dated 7 May 2020; BC vol 33 No 2 May 2020 p7]
    		• Toronto, ON National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Mehran Anvari; Deloria Bighorn; Zelalem Bimrew Kasse; Hoda Farahmandpour; Gerald Filson; Judy Filson; Ciprian Jauca; Karen McKye; Elizabeth Wright
    2020. 28 Sep The passing of former Universal House of Justice member James Douglas Martin (b. 24 February 1927 in Chatham, Ontario) in Toronto. [CBNS]

    He was a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Canada from 1960 to 1985 and served the last twenty years as the general secretary. In 1985. He was appointed director-general of the Bahá'í International Community's Office of Public Information at the World Centre. He served in that capacity until 1993 when he was elected to the Universal House of Justice. He retired from the House of Justice in 2005 due to considerations of age and related needs of the Faith. [BWNS1455]

  • In 1984 he co-authored the introductory text,The Bahai Faith: The Emerging Global Religion with his friend William S Hatcher.
  • His essay, The Missionary as Historian: William Miller and the Bahá'í Faith was a review of William McElwee Miller’s book The Bahá'í Faith: Its History and Teachings.
  • His series of talks entitled Historical Consciousness and the Divine Plan was packaged as a compact disc and has been made available on Bahá'í Library.
  • His paper Persecution of the Bahá'ís of Iran 1844-1984 published in Bahá'í Studies in 1984 is available in PDF.
  • His article Humanity's Coming Encounter with Baha'u'llah was published in American Bahá'í in 1992.
  • In 1998 his article Bahá'í Faith was published in Canadian Encyclopedia.
  • The Mission of the Bab: Retrospective 1844-1944 as published in Bahá'í World. [BW23p193]
  • Bahá'í Canada 30 Sepember2020. iiiii
    		• Toronto; Canada; Chatham; Ontario Douglas Martin; In Memoriam; Universal House of Justice, Members of
    2020. 30 Jan The Office of Public Affairs launched a new website.

  • The mandate of the Office of Public Affairs was to represent the Canadian Bahá'í community at a national level by participating in conferences and other public events, liaising with the press, engaging with provincial and federal governments, and maintaining a national presence of the Bahá'í Faith on the web. Offices were established in Toronto and Ottawa and they worked with collaborators and local representatives across the country to contribute to projects and processes that relate to Bahá'í principles and values. [Bahá'í Canada 30 January 2020]
    		• Toronto, ON Office of Public Affairs
    2022 Ridván The National Spiritual Assembly announced that two localities, Toronto and Ottawa, would be the first in Canada to elect their Local Spiritual Assemblies using a two-stage process as described by the Universal House of Justice in their Message of 30 December 2021. These two Clusters were the first in Canada to reach the goal of having 1,000 core activities. [Bahá'í Canada 30 June2022] Toronto, ON; Ottawa, ON Local Spiritual Assembly, election; Two-stage election; Elections
    2022. 29 Apr-2 May The annual Bahá’í National Convention was held at the Toronto Bahá'í Centre. This was the first time the gathering could be held since 2019, owing to the conditions of the pandemic.
    The following individuals were elected by the 171 delegates at the National Convention to serve as members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year: Mehran Anvari, Deloria Bighorn, Zelalem Bimrew Kasse, Hoda Farahmandpour, Gerald Filson, Judy Filson, Ciprian Jauca, Karen McKye and Élizabeth Wright. [CBNS 30 May 2022]    		 Toronto, ON National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of; Mehran Anvari; Deloria Bighorn; Zelalem Bimrew Kasse; Hoda Farahmandpour; Gerald Filson; Judy Filson; Ciprian Jauca; Karen McKye; Elizabeth Wright
    2022. 1 May The National Spiritual Assembly announced the results of the election: The following individuals were elected by the delegates at the National Convention to serve as members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year: Mehran Anvari, Deloria Bighorn, Zelalem Bimrew Kasse, Hoda Farahmandpour, Gerald Filson, Judy Filson, Ciprian Jauca, Karen McKye and Élizabeth Wright.

    In addition, the National Assembly is pleased to convey the results of the election of its officers: Chair – Deloria Bighorn; Vice-chair – Ciprian Jauca; Treasurer – Mehran Anvari; Secretary – Karen McKye. [Bahá'í Canada 3 May 2022

    		Toronto,ON National Spiritual Assembly, election of; National Convention
    2023. 19 - 22 May The following individuals were elected by the delegates at the 73rd National Convention to serve as members of the National Spiritual Assembly for the coming year: Mehran Anvari, Alex Arjomand, Jordan Bighorn, Zelalem Bimrew Kasse, Hoda Farahmandpour, Gerald Filson, Judy Filson, Ciprian Jauca and Karen McKye. [letter from the National Spiritual Assembly S128070 23 May 2023] iiiii

    Longtime members Elizabeth Wright and Deloria Bighorn retired from service on the National Assembly. Deloria Bighorn was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Canada in 2009, and has served as the Chair of that institution from 2012 to 2023. [Bahá'í Canada 24 February 2023]

    		Toronto, ON National Convention; National Spiritual Assembly, election of

    from the Main Catalogue

    1. Baha'i Temple for Canada, A, by Susanna A. Khodarahmi-Bron (2003). Proposed design for a future possible temple in Markham, Ontario; characteristics of Bahá'í temples; overview of symbolism and sacred place; influences on design of Canadian culture and architecture. [about]
    2. Confessions of a Child of the Half-Light , by Jack McLean (2022). Philosophical essays; recollections of 'Abdu'l-Bahá by Laura Dreyfus Barney, Curtis Kelsey, and other Europeans; recollections of Shoghi Effendi by ten individuals; dreams and visions; eulogies of the author's parents; travel teaching across Russia. [about]
    3. Helen Frances Grand (1865-1944): Traces of a Bahá'í Life, by Marlene Macke (2020). Glimpse of one small facet of the Bahá’í Faith’s beginnings in cities like Toronto in the early decades of the 20th Century. [about]
    4. Love That Could Not Wait, A: The Remarkable Story of Knights of Baha'u'llah Catherine Heward Huxtable and Clifford Huxtable, by Jack McLean (2016). The story of the Canadian Knights of Bahá'u'lláh, Catherine Heward Huxtable and husband Cliff Huxtable, who opened the southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia to the Bahá'í Faith in October, 1959. [about]
    5. Nine Valleys - Towards Embodied Experience, The: Understanding the Confluence of Material and Spirit in the Design of a Bahá'í House of Worship, by Vedad Haghighi (2022). Detailed proposal, with extensive site photographs and illustrations, for a Mashriqu'l-Adhkar in Thorhill, Ontario (location of the Canada Bahá'í National Centre); discussion of the embodied experience of worship in a temple to promote unity. (offsite) [about]
    6. Singular Room, A: An Exploration of Bahá'í Houses of Worship, by Sama Shodjai (2023-12). Overview of the design principles followed in building the Bahá'í temples, and the intricacies and considerations involved in their design, using Canada as a case study. (Link to document, offsite). [about]
     
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