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.
A short but fractious parliamentary session ended last week. Rancorous in tone and highlighted by disputes over the democratic rights of Parliament and its committees, the session produced little legislative achievements. However, two examples demonstrate that Canada’s political parties are capable of cooperating effectively when they choose to. A collaborative, consultative approach by parties willing to compromise for the sake of the common good would benefit all Canadians and promote a more vibrant, engaged democracy. The choice is up to parliamentarians themselves. 
June 11 marks the second anniversary of the Canadian Government’s apology for the Indian Residential Schools. But an apology by itself is not enough. Forgiveness, reconciliation and the restoration of broken relationships requires a change in behaviour: repentance. In recent months, there have been more promises and actions to restore relations with Aboriginal peoples and the Government of Canada. But is it enough? Taking responsibility for the past can and should inspire significant and lasting change for the future –building a new legacy of change and hope. 
Canada is hosting the G8 and G20 summits in June this year. Among the flurry of advocacy and education on global issues, this year there is a new coalition of faith communities organizing to make a difference. For the first time in Canada, national organizations of Christian, Baha’i, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, and First Nations faith communities are working together at a 
Hasn’t the silence been deafening? What have you heard your church saying about the tremendous recession that has left 1.5 million Canadians unemployed?
The government has refused to produce uncensored documents relating to the question of whether Canada is complicit in the torture of Afghan detainees despite the request of the House of Commons. The government claims that it would compromise national security to do so. But national security is no excuse to avoid accountability: accountability is a core principle of both democracy and public justice. Canadians have a right to know what is being done in our name. Representative democracy is no threat to national security. 
The recession has had a tremendous impact on Canadians. Job losses and a faltering safety net have added hundreds of thousands of people to the population of Canadians living in poverty. Economic stimulus and deficit spending are most certainly required to confront this vulnerability. Measures to create and sustain jobs and to build a strong and healthy country are needed. But this cannot be done at the expense of those on the margins, excluded from mainstream society. 
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About CPJ
Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) and our work of faith, justice and politics:
