• Last week, the Federation of Calgary Communities had their email system subverted, and several hundred individuals and their organizations were targeted in a spoofing attack. By clicking on a link in a message that professed to be the CEO of that organization many individuals and their own emails were exposed: leading to an expanding group of organizations and email services being compromised. This is one form of email scam called a "phishing" scam, and relies on individuals clicking a link from an email from an apparently trustworthy source and entering their user and password information.
• Other examples that have taken place are attackers who create an email, place the name of a prominent faith leader or otherwise, with an alternative email. Bishop Larry, Rev. Ryan Andersen, Rev. Rowland, Rev. Klassen, Rev. Nancy Nourse, Bishop Greg and others have been targets of this type of malicious email attack, with the use of their names for the targeting of their congregants and network. Oftentimes this has the attacker relying on the trust in the above leader to then forward a wire transfer, bitcoin or gift card.

You've probably seen me on Zoom, at an event, over breakfast or otherwise over the past two years. I've been helping coordinate our Zoom meetings, setting them up and making sure that folks are in the right breakout room.

In fact, looking back, I was one of those folks that were pulled into the Calgary Alliance during the pandemic. Which, of course, was awkward as everyone was trying Zoom for the first time, trying to figure out webcams and navigating jumping between different back-to-back calls. So there is a great many folks that I have yet to have the pleasure to meet in person (yet).

And, as we approach this new phase of this pandemic, I wanted to reflect on this journey, with a particular spotlight on the work that we do in training and online. And when we made so many friendships and built relationships through a screen.

Everyone has their own definition of organizing. For me, organizing is the process of identifying issues, convincing people they can actually do something about it and energizing them to take action. 

We meet people face-to-face and build relationships that create the capacity in a community for leadership development, citizen-led action and strong relationships across the lines that often divide our communities.

Sometimes that’s awkward. We’re working to build enduring relationships across the diversity of our city, develop leaders who can strengthen their own communities, and create that shared, collective power to have an impact on the most pressing issues our city is facing.

The below post is an excerpt from a speech that Rabbi Mark Glickman gave when he was elected as the chair of the Calgary Interfaith Council in 2022. During his remarks, he shared a commentary on why faith leaders and those who build community must be a part of the public discourse.

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When religion functions well in a democratic society, it becomes a voice of conscience. 

As religious Calgarians, we have something to teach. We are committed, like many others, to building a just and compassionate community. And that commitment matters.

Of course, there are issues where we don't have consensus within our group… But what about questions of how we treat our needy or homeless neighbours? Or the rise of legislation around Canada that would restrict the wearing of certain religious garb? Or reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of our community?

At last week’s Strategy Team meeting the leaders were gathered over a Zoom chat to discuss the outreach we’ve done as an alliance to city councillors and the mayor’s office.

One comment, by Wapiski-Miskanahk, caused me to think.

And pushed me to share.

Some folks were surprised that someone in government didn’t know who we are as an Alliance. To be blunt, most of Calgary probably doesn’t know who we are.