Ola! March 2011

March has certainly roared in like a lion on the Hill and at CPJ! Highlights from the month include the Dignity for All Policy Summit, Who’s in the Middle?, the Interfaith Forum on Poverty, Faith, and Politics, and Darryl’s trip west. Read on for details and to hear what’s next on the agenda!

Getting Active in 2011

Last call for Public Justice Intern hopefuls

For the last several years, CPJ has been able to offer a keen university graduate the chance to work for a year as a Public Justice Intern with our seasoned team of researchers and activists. Located a half-dozen blocks from Parliament Hill, CPJ provides a unique, hands-on opportunity to experience work in the voluntary sector and engage with federal decision-makers. Visit the CPJ website for application details. This position commences in September 2011. Applications are due by 5 pm March 18, 2011.

Please forward this to anyone you believe would be suited to this position!

Deadline approaching for C-545 petitions!

For all those who have participated in Dignity for All’s ongoing pan-Canadian petition campaign in support of Bill C-545, An Act to Eliminate Poverty in Canada, the deadline is fast approaching. Please collect petition forms in either English or French and present them to your Member of Parliament before March 17, who (with a minimum of 25 signatures) will then present them to the House of Commons. The combined presentation of these many petitions will send a strong message to our elected officials: Canadians care about poverty and want to see action!

For more information on the campaign or if you have any questions, please contact Karri or call 1-800-667-8046, ext. 222.

Earth Hour

At 8:30 PM on Saturday, March 26, 2011, lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour. Please consider turning off the lights where you are, too!

Earth Hour has grown so quickly in 3 years that now 1.3 billion people in 120 countries and 4,616 cities participate. The original idea was to show that simple actions like saving electric power can remind us of the lifestyle changes we all need to embark upon in order to face the climate change and environmental crises. Some communities gather for prayers and reflection by candlelight during this hour.

To have a major and lasting effect when the lights go back on, CPJ invites you to think about what you can change in your daily life that will benefit the planet.

See earthhour.org.

Air Miles Card

CPJ presents our new Air Miles Reward number! Every donated Air Mile goes to expanding our social justice efforts such as the Dignity for All campaign, allocating more of your financial gifts directly to eradicating poverty and expanding our efforts in ecological justice and the environment. Use this number the next time you go shopping or call CPJ for your own card today.

Download and print the card as an image file or a Word document

CPJ Out and About

CPJ Goes Green

On February 24, 2011, CPJ helped to host Protecting What We Love: Deepening our Compassion and Faith as God’s Earth-Keepers at St. John the Evangelist Anglican Church in Ottawa. Led by Rev. Dr. Mishka Lysack and Kathryn Guidon from Greening Sacred Spaces, the workshop allowed participants to share their personal experiences connecting with nature, reaffirming God’s call for creation care.

At Centretown United Church, on February 26, 2011, CPJ also helped to host Translating our Faith into Action: Making a Difference for the Environment. Clare Demerse from the Pembina Institute reported on Canada’s role at the UN Climate Conference held this past December in Cancun, Mexico. Andrew Van Iterson introduced participants to the Green Budget Coalition and spoke about some of the strategies they use to bring diverse organizations together for a common cause. The Director of the Laurentian Leadership Centre, Janet Epp-Buckingham, educated participants about tools they could use to actively engage politicians around environmental issues.

CPJ Crosses Canada

In early March, CPJ Membership and Development Officer Darryl Exelby travelled west to visit Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer and Lacombe. Meetings with various denominations, including people from the United, Lutheran, Mennonite and Christian Reformed Churches, emphasized CPJ’s continued profile in that region. There was a great demand for our resources, suggestions for future events, offers for volunteering, and high interest in the upcoming release of CPJ’s Worship Resource Living Justice this year.

Thanks to all who gave us their prayers, support and time throughout this trip: you helped make it a success!

If you are also interested in becoming more involved with CPJ or you would like to organize a public justice event in your community, please give Darryl a call or send him an email.

Inaugural Dignity for All Policy Summit a Success!

Dignity for All: The Campaign for a Poverty-Free Canada held its inaugural Policy Summit on March 3-4 in Ottawa. With rich discussion among over 50 participants from 23 organizations (including national associations, faith-based organizations, and front-line service agencies), the two days were a tremendous success.

The Summit – which explored the issues of housing and early childhood education and care – was the first in a series of events that will ultimately lead to a model federal poverty elimination plan. Michael Shapcott of the Wellesley Institute, Charlie Hill of the National Aboriginal Housing Association, and Leilani Farha of the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation laid the groundwork for the consideration of proposed Dignity for All recommendations on affordable housing.

In turn, Martha Friendly, founder of the Childcare Resource and Research Unit, Christa Japel, professor at the Université du Québec à Montréal, and Lynell Anderson of the Child Care Advocacy Association of Canada and the University of British Columbia’s Human Early Learning Partnership, guided the discussion on Early Childhood Education and Care. The policy recommendations resulting from this Summit are still being refined, but will soon be available on the Dignity for All website.

Sincere thanks to everyone who made this event possible.

Interfaith Forum: Faith and Poverty

Along with our Dignity for All partners, CPJ was proud to sponsor, Who’s in the Middle?: a discussion on what faith communities and politicians are saying and doing about poverty in Canada. The Moderator of the United Church of Canada, Mardi Tindal, presided over the evening which heard from Pastor Greg Paul, Sen. Art Eggleton, MP Tony Martin, MP Mike Savage and our very own Joe Gunn! The event was a great success with over 125 people in attendance.

CPJ and Dignity for All were also present the next day at the Interfaith Forum on Faith and Poverty, which brought leaders from a range of different faith-based traditions together with MPs from all four federal parties to discuss the HUMA report and poverty in Canada. CPJ’s Karri Munn-Venn spoke about the work the Dignity for All campaign is doing and how, as members of the faith community, we must all continue to stay engaged and advocate on poverty.

Federal government gives shallow response

CPJ was incredibly disappointed by the federal government’s response to the excellent HUMA Committee report Federal Poverty Elimination Plan which called for the establishment of a federal poverty elimination strategy. The report, which was three years in the making, culminated in a government response on March 7 which was completely empty of substance.

For more on CPJ’s analysis of the government response read “Shallow Government Response to Poverty Report, says Citizens for Public Justice”.

See Dignity for All’s press release on the government response.

Things to watch for

Environment & Climate in Peril: How People of Faith will Care and Advocate for Creation

All those in the Ottawa area are invited to a Round Table co-organized by CPJ as part of our ongoing work on climate justice, featuring Archbishop Brendan O'Brien (Roman Catholic Church), Executive Archdeacon David Selzer (Anglican Church), & Rev. Lillian Roberts (United Church).

Come and learn about:

• what faith communities are doing about environmental decline and climate change,
• why they believe this is a critical ministry for people of faith in our time,
• how they could work together to care and advocate for creation, &
• how you can make a difference in protecting and advocating for the environment.

The event will be held Tues March 29 @ 7 pm at St Joseph's Parish Hall, 174 Wilbrod, Ottawa. Suggested donation is $5.

For further information, please contact Daniela Ljomov at 613- 232-0275, extension 232.

Federal Budget coming out March 22

The federal budget is set to be released March 22. The federal budget says a lot about a nation’s (and a government’s) priorities and values. What will this upcoming budget say about Canada? Keep your eyes peeled for CPJ’s analysis and response.

Living Justice: A Gospel Response to Poverty

CPJ is pleased to announce the June 2011 release of the long-awaited worship resource on poverty, Living Justice: A Gospel Response to Poverty. The resource is a 60-page booklet exploring material, emotional, community, and spiritual poverty and contains reflections, prayers, discussion questions and action items.

Living Justice is an ecumenical worship and action guide on poverty and justice in Canada and has over a dozen contributors from a number of Christian traditions including Rev. Brice Balmer, Rev. Roy Berkenbosch, Greg Paul, Rev. Linda Privitera and Sr. Priscilla Solomon, CSJ.

If you or your faith community is interested in using this excellent resource, please contact Karri.

Web Features

An election we’d vote for…
When an election is called, church communities will encourage their faithful to undertake their civic duty to vote. All faith traditions will laud democratic participation – yet many Canadians are discouraged by politics and over 40% no longer vote. Beneficial reforms to the electoral system, allowing for more enhanced participation by Canadians, are very beneficial to the common good. Activities that limit, constrain and even exclude Canadians from participation in the political process are not helpful. Will the elimination of per-vote subsidy funding to political parties enhance civic participation and culture? Read more…

A Time for Inspired Leadership and Action
Interfaith Leaders and representatives of their respective faith communities gathered in Ottawa this week for the “Interfaith Forum on Faith and Poverty” which CPJ helped to organize. The leaders of various Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Baha’i and Jewish traditions showed a tremendous sense of timing. Their meeting took place on Parliament Hill immediately on the heels of the disheartening government response to the Parliamentary Committee report, Federal Poverty Reduction Plan (see CPJ’s reaction) and just weeks before a likely federal election call. Read more…

Reflection

Grant us, Lord God, a vision of your world as your love would have it:
a world where the weak are protected, and none go hungry or poor;
a world where the riches of creation are shared, and everyone can enjoy them;
a world where different races and cultures live in harmony and mutual respect;
a world where peace is built with justice, and justice is guided by love.
Give us the inspiration and courage to build it, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

* Author unknown

From all of us here at CPJ, Jenny Prosser. May this Lenten season be a blessed time for you and your family and friends.