CPJ on the Hill
CPJ’s socio-economic policy analyst Natalie Appleyard, public justice intern Sarah DelVillano, and executive director Joe Gunn attended a meeting of the All-Party Anti-Poverty Caucus on Parliament Hill. Peter Milczyn, the Ontario Minister of Housing, reported on the province’s basic income pilot program.
Deborah Mebude, CPJ’s public justice intern, and Joe joined our partners from the MCC Ottawa Office and the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue to talk with MPs about the issues of wait times, allocation limits, and travel loans in the privately sponsored refugee program. Together, they met with Liberal MPs Rob Oliphant and Jean Yip as well as NDP MP Jenny Kwan.
Letter on Fossil Fuel Subsidies
In December, CPJ joined partners including the International Institute for Sustainable Development, Environmental Defence, Oil Change International, Équiterre, and Climate Action Network Canada to write to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other ministers calling on them to phase out fossil fuel subsidies.
National Housing Strategy
The Dignity for All campaign, co-led by CPJ and Canada Without Poverty, welcomed the launch of the federal government’s National Housing Strategy. While an anti-poverty plan is still necessary, the housing strategy takes several important steps toward ending poverty in Canada including recognizing housing as a fundamental right and dedicating new funding over the next ten years. Read our entire response here.
CPJ in the Community
In January, CPJ and International Justice Mission (IJM) co-hosted Jesus + Justice, a half-day conference designed to encourage and equip Christians in Ottawa to work together for justice through prayer, acts of charity, and advocacy. Mark Wollenberg of IJM gave the keynote address. Deborah and Sarah, CPJ’s public justice interns, co-led workshops on refugee rights and poverty in Canada.
Deborah also spoke on a panel at the University of Ottawa as part of the student- run Conflict and Human Rights Conference in January. She presented on ecumenical organizing at a workshop on the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and explained CPJ’s current advocacy efforts to encourage the government to rescind the STCA.
Deborah and Joe joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto and Becoming Neighbours for two refugee advocacy training sessions. Deborah also joined staff from the Christian Reformed Centre for Public Dialogue and World Renew at a house meeting in Toronto. They met with refugee advocates to share ideas on how to discuss the issue of wait times with MPs.
In February, CPJ and Joint Ecological Ministry co-hosted Flourishing of Life for All in Toronto, with Heather Eaton as the keynote speaker. Karri Munn-Venn, CPJ’s senior policy analyst, also spoke about our Give it up for the Earth! campaign.