Current Ola!

Welcome to Ola!

Welcome to the summer edition of OLA!, CPJ’s online newsletter. Summer is coming to a close very soon and we at CPJ are getting ready for a busy and exciting fall in the nation’s capital! There are a number of specific events coming up soon and we invite all of our supporters to join in!

Pre-Budget brief to Finance Committee

In mid-August CPJ’s policy team submitted a brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance with our recommendations for Budget 2011.

Canada is in a time of economic recovery after the recent recession. A significant economic deficit emerged, but the recession also exposed a social deficit. Canadian social programs often fall short of meeting the needs of Canadians in difficult circumstances, and often keep people in poverty instead of helping lift people out of poverty.

CPJ is calling for a responsible and caring budget focusing on building sustainable and lasting change. Responsible investment includes working to lower the economic deficit as to not overburden future generations with debt. It also includes caring for Canadians, promoting the well-being of everyone and investing in lasting change. CPJ’s specific recommendations include:

• A comprehensive, federal plan for poverty elimination.
• Action towards introducing a universal, Guaranteed Livable Income for all Canadians.
• The rollback of recent corporate tax cuts and GST cuts, and investing the revenue in social infrastructure programs like childcare and EI as well as through non-profit organizations (along with transparent criteria for funding these organizations in light of recent cutbacks)

See the complete submission on CPJ’s website.

Join the Dignity for All “OutRun Poverty” Team

Would you like to jog 5 km. for a good cause? Or learn more about and support poverty eradication efforts at home and abroad?

CPJ is assembling a team of joggers to participate in the “OutRun Poverty” event, which will take place in Ottawa on Saturday, September 18th. This is part of the international week of action, when the nations of the world are meeting at the UN to analyze progress towards realization of the Millennium Development Goals.

After the fun run that leaves from Carleton University, participants will enjoy a pancake breakfast, and tour the booths and tables set up by anti-poverty groups like Dignity for All. If you’d like to join the CPJ/Dignity for All team of runners, help the Dignity for All campaign to sign up new supporters, or just enjoy some family fun, contact Joe Gunn, and get more information at OutRun Poverty.

Climate Change as a Moral Issue

Based on the successful retreats held in Calgary in 2009 and in Toronto in April 2010 on the topic of climate change, CPJ’s Joe Gunn has been helping to organize similar events in Ottawa with church leadership and MPs. Another retreat will take place in Ottawa in early 2011. However, in advance, a panel on the world’s poor and global warming will be held on Wednesday September 29th at 7 p.m. at St. Paul University. Speakers include development experts, ecological advocates, and representatives of the federal political parties. This evening will offer an opportunity for leaders in various religious groups to dialogue with MPs and each other and to build relationships for responding to climate change and environmental decline as people of faith. More detailed information will soon be available on-line or by contacting CPJ.

David Korten Event, “The Great Awakening”

CPJ has been working with the Council of Canadians, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, the Polaris Institute and the KAIROS Spirituality for Social Justice Centre of the Grey Sisters to present the internationally-renowned economist, David Korten, on October 29, 2010. David Korten’s best-known book was “When Corporations Rule the World,” and his later book, “The Great Turning,” was reviewed in the summer edition of the Catalyst. After David’s presentation, a conversational response will be heard from a panel including Kathy Vandergrift of Citizens for Public Justice. The Master of Ceremonies will be CBC Radio’s Laurie Fagan. On Saturday, a follow-up workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Bronson Centre, to allow participants to discuss how “The Great Turning” can become a reality in our communities. Tickets are available at CPJ or on-line at www.thegreatturning.ca.

For those in the London Ontario area, David Korten will also speak there on the evening of October 28th. For details, please contact former CPJ Board member Sue Wilson.

Welcome David!

The CPJ staff and board were delighted to welcome David Pollock as the Coordinator for Finance and Administration at the end of June. David is excited to be part of the CPJ team, having a keen interest in justice issues, particularly from a faith perspective. Some of his top interests include environmental and ecological justice, an area in which CPJ hopes to be more involved in the coming years.

David has many years of experience in the non-profit sector, especially with ecumenical organizations. He has served on the board of a number of justice organizations, including Project Ploughshares and the International Anglican Council on Justice and Peace. He also brings with him great leadership and administration skills, having served as the Executive Director for the Tatamagouche Centre in Nova Scotia and the Pembina Institute before that.

Welcome to the team, David!

See David’s bio on the CPJ website for more information.

Farewell Rebekah

This August CPJ staff bid farewell to policy intern Rebekah Sears. As a self proclaimed “political junkie” Bekah thoroughly enjoyed working on issues of policy and governance in Canada. Her long-time interests in the pursuit of justice, especially from a faith perspective, added to the enjoyment of her time at CPJ.

Some of the key highlights of her year at CPJ included meeting several current and former politicians, like Ed Broadbent, Mike Savage and Tony Martin; attending the Parliament Hill premiere of “Poor no More” with comedian Mary Walsh; attending Community Justice Camp in Hamilton; and having several feature articles and blog posts picked up by other online networks. In the coming months, Bekah hopes to continue working in the areas of justice and peace, and is set to begin a contract position with World Vision in September.

We’ll miss you Bekah!

For more details, see Bekah’s last feature article with more of the highlights of her year at CPJ.

Web Features

This summer, CPJ published web features on a variety of topics including refugee reform, poverty measures in Canada, the role and responsibilities of the federal government when it comes to poverty reduction, the possible benefits of taxation, and general reflections of the work at CPJ.

Reforming Canada’s refugee policies: Consultation required!

Refugee policies are complicated, require sensitivity, and stir up much emotion. As a result, it is crucial that the public be involved in the development of such policies to provide various viewpoints and options. But with the recent refugee bill public debate was only held during the amendment process, not in the drafting of the legislation. Eventually all parties and many refugee advocacy organizations accepted the amendments, recognizing that there were some improvements, but still cautious about the prospects for future refugee cases. Read more

By what measure?

We know that poverty in Canada exists, that it is more severe among certain groups and sectors, but we also know that Canada is a very wealthy country. Is someone living under the poverty line “poor” when we compare incomes to other countries? What are we really measuring when we read poverty statistics?

Unfortunately, there is no official measure of poverty in Canada. But CPJ intern Kathryn Cummings helps us understand what measures are currently used and why our values as a society can help to define the best measure available… Read more

Citizenship: We get what we pay for

If we allow spending cuts to be the only option in dealing with the deficit, we are saying that taxes cost us something but spending cuts don't. Essentially, we are saying that we can afford greater poverty and inequality, more private procurement of basic goods and services, and crumbling physical infrastructure, but we cannot possibly afford to pay a slightly greater percentage of our income in taxes. With citizenship and taxes, we get what we pay for. If we want a strong, democratic country characterized by economic security, opportunity for all, and strong social ties, then we need to be prepared to pay for it with our taxes. Read more

What is the federal role in the elimination of poverty?

In June 2009, the Government of Canada rejected a recommendation from the UN Human Rights Council that Ottawa establish a poverty elimination strategy. Why? The Government of Canada argued that addressing poverty was a provincial responsibility. Much of the current debate centers on the issue of jurisdictional responsibility. Many advocates for the elimination of poverty argue that any sustainable plan to address poverty on a national level must come from the federal government. However, the federal government argues that programs to address poverty are the responsibility of the provinces as laid out The Constitution Act, 1867. Read more

The end of this chapter

(Rebekah’s last web feature as Policy Intern)

It’s hard to believe that my year at CPJ is coming to an end! It has been a busy year at CPJ with many events, meetings, paper launches, conferences and much more. I want to take a moment to reflect back on the past year, especially some of the highlights. Read more

A prayer for justice: Do Justice –Love Kindness

As we enter this fall season, as Parliament reopens, and as we are back in the full swing of activities, this is a prayer of encouragement for us at CPJ and our supporters.

Do Justice –Love Kindness

Our worship has not ended –
It has only begun –
For God is with us every moment of every day!
Go then, and offer the worship he desires –
To do justice,
To love kindness,
And to walk humbly with him, every step along our way

Nick Fawcett, England. Reprinted with permission from 600 Blessings and Prayers from Around the World, published by Twenty-Third Publications. For more information call 800-321-0411 or visit www.23rdpublications.com.

For all at CPJ, Rebekah Sears. Have a great fall and it has been a pleasure being part of the CPJ team. I hope to stay in touch!