"Mr. (Preston) Manning's Charm School for Unruly Christians - or What Not to Say." That's how The Ottawa Citizen's Jenny Jackson described the former federal Reform leader's Navigating the Faith/Political Interface seminar - which took place in the nation's capital this past February. But now it looks like British Columbian religious activists will also have an opportunity to learn how to "communicate your values and faith wisely in a political setting" and "avoid political behaviour which discredits your faith" courtesy of the Manning Centre for Building Democracy.

A similar three-day conference will take place on October 11 at the Renaissance Vancouver Hotel Harbourside. According to the program, speakers will include Kootenay-Columbia Conservative MP Jim Abbott, Canadian Food for the Hungry International founder David Collins, Listen Up TV executive producer Lorna Dueck, the democracy centre's faith and politics programs director Wes McLeod, pollster Angus Reid, Vancouver Sun national affairs columnist Barbara Yaffe and a pair of academics from Trinity Western University - assistant history Robynne Healey and political and religious studies instructor Calvin Townsend.

But those wanting to covering the proceedings are going to be disappointed. In an interview with Public Eye, the democracy centre's education programs manager Nicholas Gafuik explained, "We're asking for any media personnel (at the event) to act as participants (rather than reporters) so that while people are in session there's a free flow of ideas and people feel free to speak their minds or say what they have on their minds. They don't have to worry about asking a question or saying something and having it end up in the newspaper." So television cameras and notepads aren't welcome at the seminar's workshops - although media are free to interview participants and speakers outside those sessions.