Karri Munn-Venn joined CPJ as the socio-economic policy analyst in 2008. She moved to the climate justice portfolio in 2012 and served as senior policy analyst from 2015 until August 2022. Karri lives, plays, and farms at Fermes Leystone Farms on the unceded traditional territory of the Anishinabewaki and Omamiwinniwag (Algonquin) Peoples in rural west Québec.
On Tuesday, February 24, President Barack Obama made a historic decision. He vetoed an omnibus  bill that would allow the development of Keystone XL – a massive pipeline intended to carry over 800,000 barrels a day of crude and bitumen from Alberta’s oil sands 1900 kilometres to Texas refineries. This decision was long-delayed and significant….
It’s almost Valentine’s Day and all the ads tell me I must find the perfect, pink, heart-shaped gift for my sweetie. Or maybe I could go green? There have been a sprinkling of messages from environmental groups urging me to share tiny green hearts or send e-cards featuring nature-themed art and animal-inspired word plays. Still,…
The world was watching as delegations from over 190 countries gathered in Lima, Peru for the 20th Conference of the Parties (COP20) of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change. With a December 2015 deadline for a new international agreement to drastically lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (at COP21 in Paris), the goal for Lima a…
Through a sense of wonder with creation we are invited to seek insights into God’s will for a just society, a fair economy, and a flourishing land. This short video explores major themes related to climate change and identifies ways in which we are called to respond. We encourage you to share this video widely.
Originally published in Canada Lutheran – July/August 2014 How do we restore our covenantal relationship with God and creation? This was the question put to a gathering of parishioners in the fellowship hall at St. Peter’s Lutheran, Ottawa, on a Sunday morning late in February. Seminarian (and St. Peter’s intern) JoAnne Lam had just preached…
This article originally appeared in Christian Courier in print and at www.christiancourier.ca. Desmond Tutu is certainly no stranger to the pursuit of justice. The South African Anglican Archbishop Emeritus and Nobel Laureate was in Canada in early June at the invitation of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation. Best known for his part in the anti-apartheid…
When a tree falls in the forest, does anybody hear? We might do well to ask, “when a glacier collapses into the sea, does anybody care?” Perhaps not as poetic, but certainly a question that requires an answer. The urgency of the global environmental crisis isn’t new. Climate scientists have been studying the issue for…
Originally published in The Hill Times. Community clean-ups and tree planting events are taking place across the country this week. But the celebratory sounds of these Earth Day events may be overwhelmed by the echoing alarm bells sounded by the global scientific community. Leaving us to question: is there any reason to celebrate? “Global emissions…
(Originally published in Embassy News) The timing seems all too perfect. The critical COP 21 climate conference in Paris at the end of 2015 comes but a few months after the next federal election here in Canada. Nearly two years out, preparations for both events have already begun. But will they actually coincide to bring…
The spirit and presence of Gerald Vandezande was undeniable as CPJ’s board and staff received two opposition Members of Parliament, NDP Paul Dewar and Liberal John McKay, for a recent discussion on faith and public policy. The discussion was held as part of the November 1-2 Board of Directors meeting, and aimed to explore how best CPJ could translate its prophetic voice on key public justice issues into policy impact.
