Ola! May 2009

Welcome

This May was a busy month at CPJ. The office was humming with MP visits, annual meeting preparations, and welcoming board members. Read about all of these events below, as well as about our current research and advocacy endeavours.

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

CPJ AGM – May 7

On May 7, over 40 CPJ members, board and staff gathered at St. Andrew’s Church in Ottawa for CPJ’s 2009 Annual General Meeting. Led by board co-chair Kathy Vandergrift, the evening included reports from Jim Joosse, board co-chair, and Bill Lodewyk, treasurer.

New board members Lee Hollaar (Aldergrove, BC), Jake Kuiken (Calgary, AB) and Nick Van Dyk (Ottawa, ON) were affirmed.

Following a refreshment and conversation interlude, CPJ executive director Joe Gunn spoke about Public justice in a time of recession: what has hopeful citizenship to offer? Touching on changes in the US, our current economic crisis, and the tendency for us all to turn inward during difficult times, Joe talked about the role that we, as faith-filled citizens, can play. The task before us, he said, was to live out hopeful citizenship and develop a vision for change by walking humbly with our God. Read Joe’s full speech, and look for the video of his talk on our website www.cpj.ca soon!

The whole evening was a great opportunity to celebrate CPJ’s strengthened presence in Ottawa and to connect with long time and new CPJ members.

Board meeting update

The CPJ board of directors gathered in Ottawa from May 7-9 for their bi-annual, in person meeting. As part of their meeting, the board approved CPJ’s foundational backgrounder on poverty in Canada, a resource for those curious about the faith basis of CPJ’s work on poverty. It highlights our understanding of the Biblical call to justice and a Christian vision of economics.

The board was joined by CPJ staff on May 8 and 9 for a strategic planning session, led by consultant Bill Shields, to envision where CPJ can deepen our work in the coming years. The excitement was evident and conversations rich as the board and staff discussed CPJ’s future. We look forward to sharing our concrete action plans with members in the coming months!

As part of the board meetings, thanks were expressed to outgoing board members for their passion and dedication.

Bill Lodewyk, an accountant from Red Deer, AB, served faithfully as CPJ’s treasurer, working on the Major Gifts Campaign and supporting CPJ’s financial development.

Lisa Chisholm-Smith of Kemptville, ON, filled many roles during her time on the board. Her tireless dedication was continually shown in her participation in hiring committees, personnel policy reviews, and much more.

Annie McKitrick of Victoria, BC, was committed to seeing CPJ expand its roots in BC and among evangelical Christians. Annie brought key policy expertise and NGO governance experience to CPJ’s work.

Thanks to the service of these out-going board members, public justice has been advanced in Canada through CPJ! Thanks also to Mike Bulthuis of Ottawa, ON, who was welcomed into his second term on the board.

Human rights, poverty and Parliament

CPJ met with several members of the House of Commons Justice Committee to discuss the United Nations Human Rights Council’s recent Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Canada and to encourage the government to adopt a poverty elimination strategy as recommended by the UPR.

On April 27 and 28, policy analyst Chandra Pasma and Kelly Law of Canada Without Poverty met with Conservative MPs Rick Norlock and Ed Fast, and Liberal MPs Brian Murphy and Irwin Cotler. Chandra and Kelly highlighted the recommendations that arose from the UPR and the need for transparency and consultation as Canada prepares a response to the review.

Chandra and Kelly also emphasized the recommendation that Canada adopt a poverty elimination strategy and dialogued with the MPs about what steps are needed to eliminate poverty in Canada. As part of that conversation, we also shared with the MPs our upcoming Dignity for All campaign and its call for federal action on poverty.

Karri Munn-Venn recently attended a discussion hosted by the Rideau Institute on the status of Canada’s UPR. Read more about it on her blog.

Electoral reform

Unfortunately, the country’s latest attempt at electoral reform went down to defeat in British Columbia last week. A referendum on Single Transferrable Vote (STV) garnered only 40% of the votes in support (compared to 58% when the same referendum was held five years ago). However, the struggle for fairness in representation is not finished yet. CPJ has long advocated for electoral reform, and we will continue to do so. Part of our recent advocacy included sending over 900 copies of our STV brochure to BC members.

In April, CPJ’s board of directors adopted a position paper outlining our support for electoral reform and examining the issue from a public justice perspective. Our CPJ backgrounder also examines the current First Past the Post political system and its impact on representation, as well as alternative electoral systems. By exploring the nature of representation, our backgrounder considers the different effects that an electoral system can have for citizens.

CPJ meets with HUMA committee members

Earlier this year, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA committee) resumed hearings on the federal role in addressing poverty in Canada. In late April, CPJ policy analyst Karri Munn-Venn, Rob Rainer (Canada Without Poverty), Laurel Rothman (Campaign 2000), and Dennis Howlett (Make Poverty History) met with Liberal MP Michael Savage and with NDP MP Tony Martin to discuss the status and direction of the hearings.

Both Savage and Martin stressed that the government needs to hear that Canadians believe the federal government has a key role to play in addressing domestic poverty, that they need to fix the long-standing structural issues (such as the collapse of Employment Insurance), and that they have a responsibility to invest in social mechanisms (tax system changes are not enough). Martin went so far as to say that he would like to see public mobilization on the responsibility of the federal government to take action to address poverty in Canada.

Committee members are conscious of a potential interruption in their proceedings if an election is called, and they are anxious to complete their work. Upon completion of the hearings, the committee will issue a report that includes solutions on how to address poverty and recommendations for federal government action.

Canada Without Poverty and Make Poverty History testified at the HUMA committee on April 28. Campaign 2000 is will appear on June 1. Thanks to the support of Tony Martin, Michael Savage, and Committee Chair Dean Allison, CPJ anticipates an invitation to appear when Parliament resumes in the fall of 2009.

Managing without growth?

An economy without economic growth? To many, this idea sounds implausible. However, to Professor Peter Victor, it is anything but.

In his recently published book Managing Without Growth: Slower by Design, Not Disaster, Victor argues that an economy without growth is only possible, but is in fact necessary if industrialized countries are to avert ecological disaster and improve the well-being of their citizens.

CPJ policy intern Mariel Angus recently attended a lecture given by Prof. Victor at Ottawa’s City Hall. Through the use of macroeconomic models, Victor presented a strong argument as to how our economy can be managed without growth through the use of government policies. Read more...

CPJ at the Liberal Social Justice Caucus

On Monday, May 11, CPJ executive director Joe Gunn, and policy analyst Karri Munn-Venn, along with several colleague organizations, met with members of the Liberal Social Justice Caucus for an engaging conversation about how a Liberal government could address poverty in Canada.

The meeting was set up as a “Mock Cabinet” meeting, and we explored the nature of a potential plan to address poverty in Canada. In a demonstration of collaboration, the NGOs represented argued for a comprehensive, integrated strategy – rather than a few, discreet measures. We made the case for federal anti-poverty legislation that would enshrine government commitment in law. We identified key policy areas – such as EI, the child tax benefit, and housing – that would need to be addressed in a strategy, as well as a few areas that would likely deliver the “biggest bang for the buck,” namely childcare, training, and pharmacare. Read more...

Forum on faith and a sustainable economy

On Tuesday May 12, CPJ executive director Joe Gunn and policy intern Mariel Angus attended the Forum on Faith and a Sustainable Economy on Parliament Hill. Hosted by the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC), the Forum offered a series of panel discussions on two of the most pressing issues facing our society today – the economy and the environment – and the role of churches in responding to these issues. The Forum generated some rich discussion on the need for an economy that promotes greater care for human beings and creation.

The next day, Joe, Mariel and policy analyst Chandra Pasma attended a talk by Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff at St. Andrew’s Church in Ottawa. Entitled “What Difference Do Churches Make?” and also hosted by the CCC, Ignatieff’s speech focused on the importance of church engagement in politics and public life.

Read more about these CCC events on Mariel’s blog.

CPJ and partners set to launch Dignity for All Campaign

At the Canadian Social Forum this week in Calgary, CPJ and partner organizations will launch Dignity for All: The Campaign for a Poverty-Free Canada (www.dignityforall.ca). This national campaign seeks to encourage the federal government to take serious action on reducing poverty in Canada, with a goal of eliminating poverty in Canada by the year 2020.

The announcement will be made to an audience of approximately 500 people, including six members of the HUMA Committee, at the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary. The event will be broadcast live on CPAC (the Cable Public Affairs Channel) and streamed on-line at www.cpac.ca Friday May 22 at 8:30am MST. Look for a special edition of Ola! next week highlighting the campaign!

Web features

Our web features, as per usual, cover a wide range of our work. Read on to find out what our latest policy discussions have been about!

The real benefit of public services

It’s tax time in Canada and people across the country are crunching their numbers, filling out the forms, and crossing their fingers for a good tax return. Chances are, very little consideration is being given to the benefit of paying taxes, or to the services we receive in return.
The extent to which taxes have been disassociated from public services is astounding. Across the Canadian political spectrum, taxation is consistently presented in a negative light. Yet the truth about taxes is that they finance the mechanisms by which the health, safety, and well-being of our society are promoted. They also provide us with tremendous personal benefits. Read more…

BC voters have the chance to create change

On May 12, BC voters have the option of choosing a new electoral system: Single Transferable Vote. STV is a more proportional system that respects voter preferences while also providing local representation. CPJ encourages our BC members and supporters to vote in favour of STV. CPJ’s interest in electoral reform grows out of our strong belief in justly accommodating diversity and respecting the reality of pluralism. Our legislatures should reflect the true diversity of opinion found in the country. Read more…

The Canadian Social Forum: dialoguing on poverty

How and why does poverty happen? Who is experiencing poverty in Canada? How are communities and institutions addressing poverty? What further action must be taken?

These are some of the questions that CPJ staff members Chandra Pasma, Karri Munn-Venn and Mariel Angus will be reflecting on next week when they attend the Canadian Social Forum. Read more…

It is time for our government to reflect who we are

CPJ executive director Joe Gunn's monthly column entitled “Journey to Justice” appears in the Western Catholic Reporter and the Prairie Messenger. An excerpt from his April column is below.

All Canadians should be watching when British Columbians go to the polls on May 12. The results could change our democracy — specifically, your own vote may never mean the same again.

Alongside electing provincial politicians, a referendum will be held on whether the Pacific province should move from the current “first past the post” system to a better, fairer electoral system.

The current electoral system allows a minority of votes to win a majority of the seats and 100 per cent of the power. Smaller parties may win a sizeable percentage of the votes, but no seats. Recently, faith in the electoral system, and indeed the entire political process, seems to be threatened. Read more…

Environment Week – May 31 to June 6

I can remember Environment Week in Alberta as a kid – getting kits to study bugs, making homemade paper, getting excited that it was finally spring and we could play outside without wearing our heavy winter jackets.

Environment Week gives us a chance not only to get outside and enjoy the spring air, it also gives us a chance to continue our reflection on how we live and interact with the earth. Participating in city clean ups, heading to local conservation sites, raising awareness of the impact we have on creation – these are all ways to participate in this week-long celebration of Canada’s diverse environments.

So get out into your nearby parks – and remember that the sentiment of Environment Week goes far beyond these seven days. Go deeper green – make this reflection a part of your everyday life, seeking out ways to go beyond stewardship to living out deep respect and awareness of the surrounding creation.

National Hunger Awareness Day – June 2

Hundreds of thousands of Canadians use food banks on a regular basis. And, in 2008, 37.1% of food bank users were children. The working poor, seniors, people with disabilities – these are only a few of the other groups of people who often need to use food banks daily.

Lack of affordable housing, perpetual poverty, insufficient income and much more contributes to the high rates of hunger in Canada.

The goal of National Hunger Awareness Day is to highlight the important role that food banks play, but also to call our attention to the fact that hunger is a solvable problem in our resource-abundant country.

And everyone can contribute to the solution. Visit your local food bank, donate your time, give food and donations – these are only a few of the options! See what’s going on in your community on June 2, and begin to do your part to eliminate hunger in Canada.

A National Day of Reconciliation – June 11

Thursday, June 11 marks the first anniversary of the apology to First Nations people by the federal government for its treatment of children, parents and families in the Indian Residential School System. On this day, the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people of Canada received a formal public apology from each political party in the House of Commons.

Not only did the Apology raise awareness of Indian residential schools on a national scale, it was an historic event because it called for the establishment of a new standard of behaviour toward Aboriginal people.

In the spirit of reconciliation, the Assembly of First Nations has set aside June 11 as a day to remind the federal government of this new standard of behaviour. National Chief Phil Fontaine is encouraging all Canadians to join Aboriginal people across the country on this “National Day of Reconciliation.” In Ottawa, the events will include a unity rally on Parliament Hill that "will be symbolic of the journey we must all make together," said Fontaine.

This National Day of Reconciliation is an opportunity to call on political leaders to consider the true meaning of reconciliation. It is also a day of possibility. All Canadians are invited to participate.

Prayer of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador

In light of the strategic planning process at CPJ, we have been reflecting on this prayer based on Archbishop Oscar Romero’s message:

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord's grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
Amen.

For all at CPJ, Karen Diepeveen. Look for our special Dignity for All campaign edition of Ola! next week!