Advocacy

For the past four months, the Office of Social Justice has published a blog entitled, “The Chipping Away of U.S. Legal Immigration,” an exhaustive list of policy changes and events that happened each month regarding the U.S. immigration system. Though necessary to stay informed, reading these blogs often leaves me feeling tired and hopeless. My job is to equip churches and church members to advocate for just systems that will contribute to human flourishing.

On February 22, 2018, Ontario’s Provincial Anti-Human Trafficking Coordination Office launched its first Human Trafficking Awareness Day. And this year – in 2020 – there is advocacy to recognize this day nationally. At Restorations Second Stage Homes, we use the opportunity to highlight a variety of other awareness days throughout the year to address issues or topics that intersect with human trafficking.

There is a relatively new threat to the health of Americans and Canadians. The flourishing future for all people, which our religious tradition envisions, is threatened by PFAS chemicals, which contaminate our water supplies and exist in various consumer products. Vulnerable and frontline communities, for whom we are particularly called to care, are especially affected. Of the approximately 5000 PFAS chemicals produced, only perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanoic sulfonate (PFOS) have been studied extensively. 

Never again. These are words that I have heard echoed many, many times in my life in reference specifically to the Holocaust and the driving force behind the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol. Never again will honorable countries and state entities turn away people who have a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a social group.

"They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace." Jeremiah 6:14

“17.2 million people leaving their homes because of climate disasters is not a change.” This was a sign I saw as I first stepped off the metro in Madrid, Spain in early December. I had just arrived for the COP25 (Conference of the Parties), the global climate negotiations conference hosted by the United Nations. As I walked out of the metro to the conference center, more signs lined the hallway with startling statistics, many of which I had heard before. However, in the week ahead these statistics would become real people with real stories. 

Not too long ago, I was in a Christian Climate Observers Program (CCOP) leadership meeting discussing and making plans for COP25 which concluded last month. During the course of this planning meeting, our team wrestled with the idea of what ‘role’ as well as the scope of engagement our CCOP delegates would have with other civil society groups present at COP25. 

In 2018 National Post columnist Kelly MacPharland wrote an opinion piece criticising Environment Minister Cathernie McKenna and what he called the Liberal party’s “faith in their moral infallibility”. Building on this during the 2019 election campaign, Andrew Scheer took issue with Justin Trudeau’s use of campaign jets and accused him of hypocrisy.

I recently attended a lecture at Redeemer University College, Albert Mohler discussed ‘Living Conviction in an Age of Unbelief.’ And he gave us his airplane questions. You know, the questions that Christians like to ask their seatmates when conversations turn deep. I would think there’s no way of avoiding these questions when you’re the president of a seminary. Mohler’s questions are, “What are you living for?” and “How is it working for you?” The questions seem particularly relevant as I sit in an airport waiting for a delayed flight. 

The Canadian government has given citizens two weeks to provide feedback on proposed legislative changes to Medical Assistance in Dying. We spoke with chaplain Tim De Jonge about his experience on the front lines of this issue. He helps break down what’s happening and how we should respond.