Public Justice

Taxes raise the revenues used to pay for democratic institutions and to provide government programs and services. Taxes can also be used to promote other economic and social policy goals through the use of tax expenditures.

Over the past decade, significant changes have been made to Canada’s tax system, including deep cuts to tax rates. The impact of these changes is a cause for concern. In this background research paper, policy analyst Chandra Pasma explores the changes and their impact, as well as policy options currently being advocated for to change Canada’s tax mix. Read more »

Heading into Election 2011, nobody could have predicted the vastly different political landscape that Canadians would wake to on Tuesday morning. Some were jubilant and others deflated. There was the historic rise of the NDP and the election of the first ever Green MP, the demise of the Liberal Party, and of course, Stephen Harper’s previously elusive majority government.

While it will be some time before we know for certain how this new government will play out, it is clear that things have changed and we are now working within a new context. However, one important factor has not changed: CPJ’s commitment to offer our faithful response to God’s call for love, justice and stewardship. Read more »

Rooted in issues of early childhood development, gender equality, and poverty, the lack of a national childcare plan is having detrimental effects on many children and their families in Canada. It is clear that what is needed is an affordable, accessible, quality national childcare program based on the best interest of the child. It is crucial that this program be situated within the context of a comprehensive set of family-oriented policies. Read more »

Our foundational backgrounder on poverty is intended to be a resource for those who are wondering about the faith basis of CPJ’s work on poverty, highlighting our understanding of the Biblical call to justice and a Christian vision of economics. It also explains our public justice perspective on poverty, and the moral obligation of governments to take leadership on poverty, as well as the responsibility of every person and every social institution to eradicate poverty. 

It can also be a useful tool for small groups to explore the issue of poverty and to understand the values that perpetuate poverty, as well as the values and principles that call us to action on poverty. Read more »

CPJ has long advocated for electoral reform, engaging with the electoral system and its implications for politics from the very beginning of its work. CPJ believes that introducing proportional representation to our electoral system would make it fairer for the representation of views, respecting the reality of pluralism. Read more »

A growing number of Canadians today face concerns of housing affordability and feel the impact of inadequate housing and homelessness. CPJ believes governments are responsible for protecting the rights of their citizens and for promoting the well-being of communities by investing in affordable housing and providing necessary funding and infrastructures. There is a great need for strong political leadership to create a comprehensive housing strategy that ensures all Canadians, regardless of income, have access to affordable housing. Read more »

CPJ believes that an income security program, or guaranteed livable income (GLI), would ensure that everyone in Canada has access to the basic necessities of life, while respecting dignity and encouraging participation in society. Read more »

CPJ’s principled approach to public policy is captured in the concept of public justice. Rooted in Scripture, public justice unfolds in human history as God continues with redemptive work in creation. It provides norms for decision-making, not a recipe book for good government, a formula for a just society, or a list of isolated moral issues for Christians to address. Read more »