The United Church of Canada has sent three delegates to COP21. Their role is to support and amplify the voices of key global partners such as the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance, as well as Canadian partner, the Climate Action Network. Asked why the church has sent a delegation to the climate talks, … Read more
Prompted by a recent CBC news story that cited the possibility of the government using hate crime laws to clamp down on activities they consider to be singling out Israel for criticism, the United Church of Canada has written a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) asking for reassurance that the government does not intend … Read more
In a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) the moderator of The United Church of Canada, the Right Rev. Gary Paterson, has called on the Prime Minister “to do all that you can to convince the governments of both Israel and Gaza to stop the violence.” Call 416-231-7680 x 2016.
In a letter to Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister Bernard Valcourt (Madawaska-Resitgouche, N.B.) the United Church of Canada has expressed “deep concern about the continuing and desperate shortage of federal funding for First Nations schools.” The letter acknowledges that the issues facing Indigenous and government leaders with respect to First Nations education are very complex … Read more
The United Church of Canada is sounding an alarm about the growing humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. With international attention focused on other conflicts, such as those in Syria, Ukraine, and Nigeria, the church is particularly concerned that deteriorating conditions in South Sudan are being inadequately reported in the media and relief needs are seriously … Read more
The United Church of Canada issued a statement to mark the National Day of Honour. “Today is a day to honour the men and women who served in Canada’s military mission in Afghanistan. It is a day to say thank you to the families of Canadian Armed Forces personnel who bore a special burden of being apart … Read more
As Bill C-18, Agricultural Growth Act, makes its way through Parliament, The United Church of Canada is raising the concern that this legislation would concentrate power over food—in particular, seeds—in ever fewer hands. The church said that this would increase farmers’ costs, reduce farmers’ autonomy, and threaten Canada’s food sovereignty. “We believe the changes contained … Read more
The United Church of Canada has added its voice to the call by the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) and the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) for the Canadian government to convene as soon as possible a national inquiry into missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada. More information is available online. … Read more
The United Church of Canada urged the government to reconsider the provisions of Bill C-10, Safe Streets and Communities Act, dealing with the imposition of minimum sentences; and to separate the provisions of the omnibus bill to allow for consideration of the potential impacts of its component parts. The church's letter notes its appreciation for improvements to certain … Read more
