After being dormant for 25 years, The Buddhist Council of Canada was revived by its current president, Professor Suwandha H. J. Sugunasiri. The organization has since been up and running, with Sugunasiri benefitting the Council with his leadership and merit. His numerous publications are quoted to have “…a soft Buddhist halo” and it is expected that the Council will continue to flourish as a beacon of Buddhist teachings in Canada.
Buddhist Council of Canada Website. From: buddhistcouncilcanada.ca
In 1980, the Buddhists of Toronto came together after an Interfaith Dialogue was announced by the World Conference on Religion for Peace. The number of Buddhist organizations was limited at that point in time and they happened to be mostly based in Toronto. So when around 75 individuals showed up at the first community meeting in Toronto, it became apparent that it would involve a larger undertaking than was originally anticipated.
The Buddhist Council of Canada has the humble objectives of promoting the Buddhadhamma according to the traditions of all the Buddhist schools as well as promoting cooperation among Buddhist communities in Canada and elsewhere. In 2010, under the guidance of Prof. Sugunasiri as President, Dr. Veronique Ramses as Vice President, and Bryan Levman as Secretary, the objectives of the Buddhist Council of Canada grew broader as Buddhism rose in popularity. The focus of the Council covered social harmony, economic prosperity, promoting a multicultural Canada and more. You can find more about the Council’s work here.
Sangha members at Buddhist Heritage Day, 2013. From: http://buddhistcouncil.ca/history.html
The president, Professor Suwandha H. J. Sugunasiri a highly accomplished Sri Lankan has been a resident of Canada since 1967. His work in promoting Buddhism throughout Canada is evident in his involvement with the Buddhist Council of Canada. He is also the founder of the Nalanda College of Buddhist Studies in Toronto and the Canadian Journal of Buddhist Studies. Prof. Sugunasiri has also written three books on Buddhism as well as numerous articles as a columnist. (You can see him deliver a talk on the Buddhapujava here).
The Council’s website is a comprehensive portal where one can read about the organization, upcoming activities, press releases, etc. Recently, the site has been posting news on both celebrating Wesak in Canada and a Buddhism Heritage Day. In 2013, a successful exhibition called “Windows to Buddhism in the Academy” was held at the University of Toronto. Spanning two months, the exhibition focused on University of Toronto’s libraries’ publication(s) on Buddhism in science, psychology, literature, religion, and more. The event was sponsored by the Buddhist Council of Canada and curated by Professor Suwandha H. J. Sugunasiri.
Canada is teeming with a great diversity of cultures and religions. The Buddhist Council of Canada is just one organization among the 500 known organizations in Canada, aiming at integrating Buddhism better, and educating the public about Buddhism. Find out more about different organizations within each province of Canada at www.buddhist.ca