Current Ola!

Welcome to this February edition of Ola!, the e-newsletter of Citizens for Public Justice.

Despite the prorogation of parliament, it has been a busy month for CPJ. We co-hosted “The Dish on Dignity” – a Dignity for All campaign event that included the participation of 27 parliamentarians – and have been in conversation with churches, policy networks, and interfaith groups.

Read on to learn more about what we’ve been up to and where you can catch up with CPJ staff in the weeks ahead.

The Dish on Dignity: Breaking down barriers and building understanding

The Dish on Dignity: A Discussion about Eradicating Poverty in Canada was a fantastic success. The basement at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (Ottawa) was packed to capacity and the discussion lively, as people living in poverty met directly with the 27 Members of Parliament, Senators, and federal candidates.

Guest speakers Alex Neve (Amnesty International Canada), Joan Jessome (Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union), and Conservative MP Dean Allison (Chair of the House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities-HUMA) set the tone for the evening. Mr. Neve stressed the need to apply international human rights standards – particularly social and economic rights – in Canada. Ms. Jessome told her own life story, highlighting the value of social programs that empower people living in poverty to move beyond their current situation. And Mr. Allison emphasized the importance of dialogue and understanding between those living on the margins and those with the power to make a difference.

Together, these presentations spoke to the government’s obligation and ability to lift people out of poverty, as well as the importance of making decisions based on a solid understanding of poverty’s many facets.

CPJ was represented by Board member Mike Bulthuis, as well as staff member Joe Gunn, Karri Munn-Venn, Darryl Exelby, and interns Rebekah Sears and Kathryn Cummings. The full text of Alex Neve’s presentation is available here. Read more about The Dish on Dignity.

CPJ Heads to Western Canada

Membership and Development Officer, Darryl Exelby will be speaking at two lower mainland British Columbia classis meetings of the Christian Reformed Community early in March. These large gatherings will be welcoming church leaders from across the province. CPJ will have the opportunity to thank church communities for supporting our public justice programs and explore ways to build partnerships in the future. On March 3, CPJ will be hosting an evening of fellowship at the home of Lee Hollaar, our BC board member. Anyone in the area interested in hearing more about CPJ can contact Darryl (darryl@cpj.ca or 613-314-2449) for more details about his west coast trip.

Hear CPJ in London and Waterloo

CPJ’s Joe Gunn will also be on the road next month. He has been invited to deliver the Somerville Lecture in Christianity and Communications on the topic of “Muted and Maligned Voices: Public Justice and the Canadian Churches.” The lecture will explore whether Canadians are listening to the voice of churches in the public sphere any more, and how faith communities can bring their messages to bear on social issues today.

On March 18, Joe will address students at King's University College at The University of Western Ontario, in London. Contact Dr. Bernie Hammond, Director, Centre for Social Concern, (519) 433-3491 ext. 4380, email: bhammond@uwo.ca for more information.

Joe will also speak at Siegfried Hall, 290 Westmount Road, on the St. Jerome’s campus of the University of Waterloo, at 7:30 pm on March 19, 2010.

Parliament Set to Resume March 3; CPJ Budget Commentary Planned for March 5

It has been a long winter break, but Parliament is set to resume next week. The new session will begin with a Speech from the Throne on Wednesday March 3. Details on the government’s agenda are expected to be presented in the 2010 Federal Budget, which will be delivered the very next day. In this week’s web feature, Faster, Higher, Stronger – A Gold Medal Speech From the Throne? CPJ suggests “three signature commitments” that would serve to set a direction that would be best for the world. Keep an eye on the CPJ website for a complete analysis of the federal budget.

Former CPJ staffer wins high praise

Best Lawyers, the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession, has named CJL’s former Research and Policy Director, John Olthuis, as the “Toronto Best Lawyers Aboriginal Lawyer of the Year” for 2010. Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers. The current edition of Best Lawyers is based on more than 2.8 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers. The lawyers honored as “Lawyers of the Year” received particularly high ratings for their abilities, professionalism, and integrity. It is easy for CPJ to agree that John is “the best,” and we add our congratulations for his fine work with Aboriginal communities as they exercise their land claims.

Poverty in Canada: Offering a Faithful Response

“We all live in God's world, we are part of Canadian society, and of our local community. Jesus calls us to be agents of transformation, to seek justice for all.” That was the message that CPJ’s Karri Munn-Venn shared with the congregation of St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in a sermon delivered on January 24. St. Peter’s is host to intern pastor (and CPJ theology intern) Adam Snook.

Pastor Bart Beglo and the congregation of St. Peter’s have been very supportive of Adam’s work on the Dignity for All campaign and were interested in learning more. Following the service, Karri and Adam led a brief workshop that explored the causes and symptoms of poverty in Canada, as well as the ways that we, as disciples of Christ, are called to respond. Read the full sermon text [PDF 89.4 KB].

Metropolis: Welcoming Communities

With over 250,000 immigrants coming to Canada every year, it is crucial that Canadians be proactive in helping these newcomers feel welcome.

On January 25 policy intern Rebekah Sears participated in “Welcoming Communities,” a conference hosted by the Metropolis Project on the importance of welcoming newcomers into Canadian communities.

One of the major themes of the conference was the role all levels of government and civil society organizations play in welcoming newcomers. Many of the presentations, especially from the federal government, focused on the various programs to help immigrants adjust to life in Canada, including language training, credential certification, and job search assistance.

Provincial and municipal representatives, as well as civil society organizations, emphasized the importance of engaging the general population as an element in helping newcomers feel welcome. Public education campaigns are key to building bridges between immigrants with their neighbours and colleagues. These campaigns also address concerns about diversity and in combating discrimination.

Metropolis Director, Howard Duncan, stressed that all levels of government and the general public must be involved in helping create truly welcoming communities.

See Rebekah’s blog post for more highlights and the Metropolis website for presentation outlines.

Interfaith Sandy Hill: What Can Believers Do About Poverty?

On January 27th in a downtown neighbourhood of Ottawa, 60 people gathered to try to answer this question. Interfaith Sandy Hill, an organization of several Christian denominations, Muslims and Jews, had organized an evening discussion in November about the Dignity for All campaign, featuring CPJ’s Membership and Development Officer, Darryl Exelby. This follow-up event allowed MPs Dean Allison (Cons), Raymonde Folco (Lib), Yves Lessard (BQ) and Tony Martin (NDP) to express their views concerning how people of faith have had an impact on them as politicians – and how this impact might be deepened. Each MP agreed that although the House of Commons was prorogued, it would be important to ensure that the Parliamentary Committee currently studying the role of the federal government in poverty reduction be left intact and allowed to produce its final report this spring. CPJ will ensure that the readers of OLA! and the members of Interfaith Sandy Hill hear about the report as soon as it is released, and outline how we can ensure an adequate response from the government.

CPJ Opportunity: Intern Position, deadline March 10

For the last several years, CPJ has been able to offer a keen university graduate the chance to work for a year as a Policy Intern with our seasoned team of researchers and advocates. Just blocks from Parliament Hill, CPJ provides a unique, hands-on opportunity to experience work in the voluntary sector and engage with federal decision-makers. The application deadline is March 10 for a September 2010 start date. Application details are available at www.cpj.ca. Current intern, Rebekah Sears, has offered midpoint reflections on her experience as a CPJ intern.

Bottled Water Free Day campaign on March 11 in schools, universities, colleges

A new campaign has targeted March 11 as the day students and workers on Canadian campuses take back their taps and fountains. Bottled Water Free Day is a joint project of the Canadian Federation of Students, Sierra Youth Coalition and the Polaris Institute and looks at how free access to water becomes more difficult as public drinking fountains and other infrastructures are not being maintained or designed in new buildings. Bottled water corporations are moving in to corner the market, replacing public infrastructure with private vending machines. There is also a focus on the negative ecological imprint of plastic water bottles as containers. In Canada, there are over 70 municipalities, 6 school boards and 3 campuses that have successfully phased out the provision and sale of bottled water in their sectors. For more information, visit www.insidethebottle.org.

Community Justice Camp: Live the Change you want to see, May 9-14, 2010

In August 2009, policy analyst Karri Munn-Venn participated in “Poverty Justice Camp” and was blessed by a week of intense experiences and reflections on poverty, charity, and justice. An initiative of the Anglican Church of Canada, Justice Camp espouses the principles of local leadership, experiential learning, prophetic engagement, diversity in participation, and the expertise of participants. Community Justice Camp will be hosted by the Diocese of Niagara in Hamilton, Ontario and will bring together a diverse group of people of faith to share, worship, grow, and learn about justice together. The theme of community development was chosen building on the foundation laid by four prior justice camps, which examined food security, advocacy, the environment, and poverty. CPJ is pleased to be participating as a panelist this year. For more information, or to register, go to the Justice Camp website.

Alex Neve: Freedom from Poverty is a Human Right

On February 1, 2010, the Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada, Alex Neve, was the first keynote speaker at The Dish on Dignity. The starting point for his compelling presentation was the first statement of the Dignity for All campaign pledge. He said, "I believe that freedom from poverty is a human right. That it is. And it is not just about believing that freedom from poverty is a human right. Nothing to believe about it friends. Freedom from poverty is a human right.” Read more…

Web Features

From the prorogation of parliament to the Vancouver Olympic games, CPJ has covered a number of timely themes in recent web features and blog posts. Read on for more.

Faster, Higher, Stronger – A Gold Medal Speech From the Throne?

The Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver have grabbed headlines around the world. Canada’s attempt to go faster, higher and stronger (as the Olympic motto proclaims) aspires to bring home more medals than ever before - to be the best in the world.

But just a few days after the Games end, on March 3rd, Parliament will begin a new session with a Speech From the Throne, in which the government lays out an inspiring agenda for the future. What would need to be said to have Canada become the best for the world? Read more…

In the shadow of the Olympic Games

Human trafficking is rooted in long-standing gender, race, and power inequalities. It is a multi-faceted social problem, fed by serious poverty and social exclusion – especially the lack of economic options for poor women and girls. It is influenced by situations of corruption and made more challenging by the complexity of international jurisdictional issues.

World sporting events are well known as occasions for increased trafficking. So what can we expect as Canada plays host to the 2010 Olympic Games? Read more…

The Dish on Dignity: Breaking down barriers and building understanding

The Dish on Dignity was a fantastic success. By enabling connections and breaking down barriers between parliamentarians and Canadians living in poverty, it provided an important moment for all involved to better understand the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and to rally around a common cause. Read more…

Senate Report Offers Valuable Contribution

In From the Margins: A Call to Action on Poverty, Housing and Homelessness, a comprehensive report by the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Subcommittee on Cities, was released in December 2009. The proposals it contains could influence the lives of Canadians for generations.

Many of the Report’s 74 recommendations respond directly to proposals from CPJ and calls from people living in poverty, service providers, and other social justice organizations. It also aligns closely with the Dignity for All campaign but lacks strong and explicit support for a poverty eradication strategy. Read more…

20 Days: 20 Questions for Parliament

The Prime Minister sent our MPs home to recalibrate the government agenda. The break was 20 workdays, he said.

If you could set the agenda for 2010 during this pause, what would your list of the 20 most important policy concerns include?

CPJ has come up with a list of 20 key policy questions, one for each day. We believe these issues should be debated by MPs, the voice of the people, to set directions for Canada. Read more…

Dignity for All

I wake to morning light
and whether I am wondering or wandering,
dreading, preparing, aching, paining
You know my name.

I mark the noon of day
and whether I am busily calculating
or listlessly waiting,
caring, harming, losing, planting
You know my name.

I enter the evening rest
and whether I am thankful or cursing,
burdened, feed, exhausted, embraced
You know my name.

Name above all names, Giver of Life
Tend to me.
And as I am tended, teach me to honour
and hold all You know and name.
Use me to remember, restore, renew
Until Your reign comes and Your will is done.

Amen.

By Emily Hutton. Copyright © 2009 Citizens for Public Justice.

For everyone at CPJ, Karri Munn-Venn. Blessings as you continue to weather this winter – we’ll meet again in March!