Citizens for Public Justice

Let’s unite our voices for Asylum with Dignity! CPJ is calling for broad inter-faith support to advance the rights of refugee claimants. Canada maintains the reputation as a global leader in refugee resettlement. However, refugee claimants – those who seek protection at our borders or from inside the country – face significant challenges upon arrival. Individuals fleeing persecution are left with inadequate housing and social support leaving them to navigate a complex and daunting system on their own.

We are calling on all faith leaders, religious organizations, and members of faith communities across the country to join this campaign! We demand the implementation of a comprehensive plan that addresses critical gaps in the reception and support of refugee claimants.

Did the 2024 Federal Budget pass CPJ’s “public justice test”? The answer is no: important steps were taken, but not at a sufficient level of ambition to change the status quo – and certainly not enough to fulfill the budget’s stated promise of “fairness for every generation.” In this brief analysis, we elaborate on key highlights related to CPJ’s priority areas.

CPJ’s Public Justice Internship Program provides a university graduate with the opportunity to explore the meaning of public justice and join us in Ottawa for a one-year, paid internship.

Listen to the interview with CPJ’s Natalie Appleyard on “The Moment” podcast. The conversation explores ways we can move from scarcity and surveillance to solidarity in responding to poverty in Canada.

For international development week CPJ joined International Justice Mission Canada and World Renew for a joint panel at Centennial College on February 6th, and Redeemer University on February 7th. The three organizations discussed how they work to center the agency of individuals and communities most impacted by injustice and inequality in their work.

One of the ways CPJ is continuing our advocacy for the right to housing is by making a submission to the National Housing Council’s review of “the Financialization of Purpose-Built Rental Housing.”  The Federal Housing Advocate called for the review and will look at “the growing dominance of financial actors in the housing sector, which…

Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ) has presented its pre-budget submission for August 2023, emphasizing Canada’s commitment to human rights, sustainable development, and international climate obligations. Key recommendations include: Canada’s dedication to the Sustainable Development Goals is evident, with Prime Minister Trudeau’s role as Co-Chair of the SDG Advocates group. CPJ urges the federal government to…

From calling on a papal apology for residential school abuse to ending poverty in Canada, online petitions have been increasingly present in digital space. But do they actually bring about change? Our own Socio-economic Policy Analyst, Natalie Appleyard, was one of the panellists on “The Agenda,” aired on TVO Today on May 15, 2023. Are…

The 2023 Federal Budget was announced at a time when Canadian residents share deep concerns about affordability, access to health care, and the ever-accelerating climate crisis. The question that CPJ asks around every federal budget cycle remains the same: Does this budget prioritize systemic solutions that could eradicate poverty, uphold the rights and dignity of…

October 2022 CPJ has continually argued for federal budgets that take a holistic, all-of-government approach to addressing the crises we face. We acknowledge that recent Federal Budgets have explicitly recognized the need for climate justice, Indigenous Reconciliation, poverty eradication, and refugee and migrant rights. While important progress has been made, it is time to prioritize…