Other Work
Citizens for Public Justice speaks out on and advocates for action on a broad range of issues: Aboriginal concerns, the environment, health care, peace, electoral reform, global justice and many others. While not the primary focus of our work, we recognize these as issues of public justice, and we recognize the connections between issues like health and poverty, peace and wellbeing. Many CPJ members are active on these issues in their own communities and provinces.
Climate change and poverty go hand-in-hand for Canada’s Inuit, demonstrated in global warming’s impact on already challenging issues like housing and food security. Addressing these impacts requires strategies that take into account both climate change and poverty under the direction of the Inuit. 
During the COP17 talks on climate change in Durban, South Africa, Canada would only say that it was not prepared to commit to a second commitment period within the Kyoto Protocol. Our negotiators said that they had no reason to believe that Canada was preparing to withdraw entirely from Kyoto. Then, as soon as the delegation arrived home, Canada announced its withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol. So were there any signs of hope in the UN process in Durban, and is there any chance for environmental objectives to be meaningfully advanced as a result? 
Many leaders of faith communities see climate change as a moral issue. Global warming affects major questions such as humanity’s relationship with nature and each other, solidarity with the poor, and the possibilities for future generations. So when media outlets suggest that faith leaders who challenge certain policies should “shut their trap,” rather than debating the content of the moral message, the public discourse is diminished. 
This is the second part in a series exploring climate change, poverty, how the two are related, and their impacts on Canadian Inuit. The 
This is the first feature in a series exploring the link between climate change and poverty. Canada’s North is an obvious example of the effects of climate change on not only the environment and natural resources, but also on the quality of life of those who live in the region. Stay tuned for Part II exploring the effects of poverty on Inuit in Canada. 
This week, a two-day event was held in Ottawa, where, for the first time, faith leaders met to address the growing crises caused by climate change. Leaders from faith, political and environmental communities discussed the recently created 
By now, the average Canadian household has at least heard of Occupy Wall Street. This global movement has some excited, some irritated and many baffled. While the protests represent diverse concerns, the movement takes a courageous stand against a common problem: growing social inequality. 
This web feature is the last in a series exploring CPJ’s 
In November 2010, the Canadian government finally gave its formal endorsement of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. And while Aboriginal groups and civil society greeted this move with enthusiasm, all were careful to say that the endorsement was not an end in and of itself, but rather a starting point. For the endorsement to have any meaning at all it must be implemented.
Ola!
Check out Ola! CPJ's monthly update.
the Catalyst
Support CPJ
About CPJ
Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) and our work of faith, justice and politics:
