CUSJ Supports Chief Spence

                     

Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice

A national faith-based organization founded in support of Unitarian values

P.O. Box 40011, Ottawa, ON, K1V 0W8

President, Rev. Frances Deverell                                                                          president@cusj.org

December 20th, 2012

Open Letter to the Media

Canadian Unitarians For Social Justice have written to ask our Federal Government to properly represent Canadians in their responsibilities to First Nations people.  We want to ensure they have the levels of education, health, quality of environment and economic opportunity promised to them through the treaty process.  The Conservative Government dismantled the agreement between all parties known as the Kelowna Accord.  It has never replaced this with a different policy agreed to by First Nations, provinces, and the Federal Government.  An apology without significant agreements is simply not enough.  It is time the Federal Government came to the table and negotiated an acceptable deal with First Nations Leaders.

Furthermore, Bill C-35 affects the basic rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.  It not only violates international human rights standards, it falls far short of the legal requirements established in Canadian law.  We have to do better than this.  We must give First Nations the respect of full consultation regarding activities in their territory and respect their rights.

We fully support Chief Spence in her call for these negotiations to begin in the New Year.  As Canadians, we must not let this situation turn into a tragedy that will humiliate us for generations to come.  We must step up to the plate and negotiate a fair deal for all Canadians.  We will all do better when our First Nations grow and prosper and become a full partner with us in this country.

In faith,

Rev. Frances Deverell

President,

Canadian Unitarians For Social Justice

613-747-7584

Dec 6 - Gun Control and the Montreal Massacre

2012 12 06 -- Gun Control and the Montreal Massacre

What an amazing coincidence that a report recommending what kind of gun legistlation we should have would be issued today—December  6^th,--25^th  anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.  6 women were murdered for the crime of taking engineering at the École Polytechnique.  The event has become the Canadian symbol of the rampant problem in our country of violence against women.  Issuing this report today is like throwing sand in the face of the families and loved ones of those in this country who have lost their lives because of violence against women. 

Violence against women takes many forms:

o   Domestic violence (including premarital date rape) (Aggravated by addictions)

o   Economic violence (Incomes of $500-1000 per person per month for social assistance leaves people vulnerable and exposed)

o   Cultural  violence  caused by different view of acceptable male-female roles and relations.

o   Residential schools resulted in a complex set of disease and dysfunction that often results in violence against women

o   Violence against women in the sex trade.

All of the people who are affected by this violence want to see that steps will be taken to address these issues.  We want to know that if a crime occurs against a woman, no matter who she may be, she deserves a full investigation of the situation.  We want to know that known crime prevention measures are being implemented to reduce these social problems that result in violence.

We want a full evaluation to determine if the long gun registry was at all effective in reducing gun crime.  If it was, we want it back.  If it was not, we want measures implemented that will reduce gun crime.  Too many of us are on the wrong end of a gun.

The report reflects the point of view of those who supported abolition of the long gun registry.   The body creating the report had no mandate to obtain the views of either police chiefs or victims of crime or their families.  The recommendations include extending license renewals to ten years from five.  It proposes to loosen gun control rules.  They say there is no relationship between these actions and violence against women. 

The police disagree.

Again and again the government acts to reduce the safety of Canadians while claiming to be the government of law and order.  What can we do to stop this militarization of our culture?