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December, 2008

A public justice vision for 2009

“Where there is no vision, the people perish,” the writer of Proverbs tells us (Proverbs 29:18). These seem like apt words for today.

While the start of a new year usually holds great promise, 2009 is not looking so bright. As an economic downturn descends upon us, everyone is waiting to see what will happen next.

We await the government’s response to the economic crisis, which will be announced in the Speech from the Throne and the budget at the end of January. We also wait to see which political party or parties will be in government following these announcements.

So far, our political leaders have not offered any vision for 2009. But while 2009 is beginning with a crisis, that doesn’t mean it can’t hold hope for a better future.

Citizens for Public Justice’s vision for 2009 is a year in which our political parties work together to achieve the common good. 2009 can be an opportunity for public justice. Read more »

Loving Thy Neighbour: A Biblical Call to End Poverty

Poverty is an unnecessary injustice, for God created a world with abundant resources to use for sustaining healthy and dignified lives. The cause of poverty does not lie in the availability of resources and capital, but in the scarcity of practices such as stewardship and neighbourly love. Read more »

Now is the time to reform EI

There’s a report today in the Globe and Mail that some Canadians are waiting up to 6 weeks for Employment Insurance payments.

EI payments are normally supposed to be received within 28 days of making an application. There is a mandatory 2 week waiting period, followed by two weeks to process and receive the payment. Read more »

MPs who have been contacted

As a part of our Envisioning Canada Without Poverty Campaign, CPJ members across Canada have been contacting their Members of Parliament to ask for a federal poverty reduction strategy in the upcoming federal budget, scheduled for January 27th, 2009. Read more »

Internship opportunities with CPJ

Engaging youth is a key component of CPJ’s work. As part of this, CPJ offers three different internship opportunities. All of CPJ’s internship opportunities strive to provide occasions for young people to directly experience the life of a public policy organization. This means engaging in the work of CPJ, but also as much as possible the community of CPJ supporters. Read more »

Poverty Reduction Strategy needed in Budget 2009

In a letter to Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, CPJ calls on the government to present a "visionary stimulus package" as part of the Federal Budget anticipated for January 27, 2009. The stimulus package should include a federal poverty reduction strategy and other measures designed to limit unemployment and strengthen the stability of families, create a more ecologically sensitive infrastructure, and construct a fairer and more secure global economic. Along with the letter, CPJ provided the Minister with a copy of our pre-budget brief to the Finance Committee.

Why isn't the prime minister on my ballot?

Just in time for our current web feature on how our political system is frequently misunderstood, the Dominion Institute has published a poll demonstrating Canadians' unfamiliarity with our political system. Read more »

It's Not the Stanley Cup

Recent events on Parliament Hill have revealed a deep problem: far too many Canadians are unfamiliar with our system of government. In our Westminster parliamentary tradition, no one is elected as the government. Unlike the Stanley Cup, government is not a trophy to be handed over at the end of a long contest. Any government must therefore have the confidence of the House of Commons and coalition governments are perfectly legal. The recent political events underline the unfairness of a party with a minority of votes having 100% of the power to set the parliamentary agenda and suggest the need for electoral reform. Read more »

CPJ Responds to National Consultations on the 2009 Budget

The federal government recently launched a National Consultation on Budget Actions to Protect Canada’s Economy. In the coming weeks, Canadians are invited to share their views and priorities on an economic stimulus plan for the 2009 Federal Budget. Read more »

Ola! December 2008

Amidst the busy festivities and the drama on Parliament Hill, we are called to remember the vulnerable among us. Let us not forget those who are homeless, as colder weather sets in; those who are barely able to pay rent, let alone buy gifts; those who are new to Canada, trying to make a new home.

As we approach Christmas, let us join our voices and continue to speak out for change. Read more »

Chandra is reading...The Irresistible Revolution Part II

Unfortunately, the only kind of political engagement Shane Claiborne can envisage for Christians is intentional community. I found the rejection of political institutions and structures to be the most frustrating aspect of The Irresistible Revolution. I appreciate the grassroots intentionality, but it doesn’t seem to be accompanied by a recognition of larger structures and context and how they can be both agents for good and bad in the lives of the poor whom Claiborne embraces. Read more »

BC needs a poverty reduction strategy

As British Columbia heads toward an election in the new year, British Columbians are calling for a poverty reduction strategy. BC has the highest poverty rate in Canada at 13%. Read more »

Making climate change history the wrong way

Hot on the heels of my reflection on making climate change history yesterday, the news came out today that Canada is ranked second-to-last in the Climate Change Performance Index for our environmental plan. Read more »

A blueprint for poverty reduction in Ontario

This past Monday, I went to a very interesting talk by Marvyn Novick at First United Church in Ottawa.He presented the draft of a Blueprint for Poverty Reduction in Ontario that details specific suggestions of steps the Ontario provincial government should take in order to achieve a 25% reduction in family and adult poverty over the next five years. Read more »

Make climate change history

There’s nothing certain about our ability to shape the future, as much as we’d like to believe that we alone control our destinies. And yet, there are moments where we have the opportunity to create history – if not with certainty, at least with confidence that we will make a difference.

We seem to be in one of those moments when it comes to climate change. There is an opportunity now in Poland, and over the next year leading up to Copenhagen, to reverse the course of our destructive behaviours and stop the trends of increasing global warming. Read more »

Poverty is an affront to human rights

Today is the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. While much has changed over the last 60 years, many challenges remain in the fight for human rights. Surprisingly, this is true not only in the Global South, but also in Canada.

“The abuse of human rights is a tragedy wherever and whenever it takes place,” said Joe Gunn, Executive Director of CPJ. “It is inexcusable, however, that in a country such as Canada with abundant resources and capacity, the basic human rights of 1 in 10 of its citizens are not being respected. Poverty is an affront to the universal values of dignity, freedom, justice and peace.” Read more »

Senator Douglas Roche: A Life Dedicated to Peace

Last Thursday, December 4th, Chandra and I went to Southminster United Church in Ottawa to see Senator Douglas Roche (Retired), who is a CPJ member, speak on “The Human Right to Peace.” Read more »

Debunking Myths about Poverty: A Response to Monte Solberg

Monte Solberg’s article “Handouts too easy an option,” demonstrates the values and attitudes about poverty that are all too common in our society – and that lead to the very “band-aid” approaches to addressing poverty that Solberg claims governments have been using so ineffectively. Read more »

A visionary stimulus package

It seems there is only one sure thing in Ottawa: whichever government survives in 2009 will spend into deficit to help Canadians weather the economic downturn. So how can government best invest in order to help Canadians now, while creating the basis for a greener, more secure and just future? Read more »

Chandra is reading… The Irresistible Revolution Part 1

The Irresistible Revolution describes Claiborne’s journey from a teenager unsure how he felt about the faith he grew up with to an ordinary radical, living in intentional community and practicing love, hospitality and simplicity.

At its core, the book is a challenge to embrace faith in radical but simple way: living out God’s commands to love God and love our neighbour as ourselves in every aspect of our lives. This is putting faith into action in a very immediate way. It is not only seeing what God can do to “create beauty from the messes we make of our world,” but being willing to be used by God to that end. Or, as Claiborne puts it, finding out where God is at work and joining in. Read more »

"Breaking the Cycle" in Ontario

Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy, released December 4, places significant emphasis on the province’s children, stating that “the best way to combat poverty is to break the intergenerational cycle that makes poverty such an insidious problem.” The strategy also includes the intention to legislate the provincial commitment to poverty reduction in the spring of 2009 and to continue to call for federal government action on poverty. Read more »

Thank you!

Thank you for supporting CPJ and for joining us as we strive to make public justice a reality. Your support helps us take on the challenging justice work ahead.

If you have any questions about your donation, please contact Kevin Elder at 1-800-667-8046 ext. 231.

 

Understanding human trafficking

Human trafficking is the third most lucrative illegal industry in the world. The UN estimates up to 4 million people are trafficked annually, in complete and direct violation of their human rights. They are treated like commodities, exploited and often abused, kept in inhumane living conditions. Read more »

Poverty reduction in Ontario

Ontario released its poverty reduction strategy today. We'll have some more commentary tomorrow, as there are some strong and some not-so-strong elements in the strategy.

However, of immediate interest, it's worth noting that the government intends to introduce legislation in 2009 to make Ontario's commitment to poverty reduction permanent. Read more »

Remembering the social fundamentals

The Caledon Institute for Social Policy has released an important commentary, entitled "The Forgotten Fundamentals." In it, the authors state that: "The lessons of history have taught us that, in tough economic times, social programs can act as fundamental supports for both the economy and society.” Read more »