Kathryn is a former Public Justice Intern at CPJ. Raised in the Catholic tradition, she believes that faith is an effective way through which to pursue social justice. During her Master of International Public Policy program at Wilfrid Laurier University, she focused on subjects such as the relationship between climate change and mental health, food security, and migration issues. She also holds a BA in International Studies from York University. She has volunteered with various non-profit organizations including the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture and the International Development and Relief Foundation, and previously completed an internship with the World Health Organization in New York. She is passionate about promoting social justice and advocating for human rights.
While on the campaign trail, Prime Minister Stephen Harper pledged to resettle an additional 10,000 refugees from Syria and Iraq over the next four years if re-elected in this fall’s federal election. This is on top of the 10,000 his government announced in January would be resettled over the next three years. Human rights organizations…
Last year, with the passage of C-43 – the omnibus budget implementation bill, the federal government removed the financial penalty for imposing a residency requirement for social assistance. There are exceptions. Canadian citizens, permanent residents, victims of human trafficking with a temporary resident permit, and accepted refugees would not have to meet this requirement. It is those who are not explicitly named who would be most adversely affected, and these are refugees who file their claims in Canada.
From the Catalyst, Summer 2015
Fighting Over God: A Legal and Political History of Religious Freedom in Canada
By Janet Epp Buckingham
McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2014
Reviewed by Kathryn Teeluck
In Fighting Over God, Janet Epp Buckingham offers a fascinating exploration of the historical role of religion in Canadian political life.
She begins her analysis by examining the status of religion before Confederation when religion, particularly Christianity, held a prominent role in every aspect of society.
At the beginning of May, I attended a one-week course at York University on refugees and forced migration. One of the topics discussed was transitional justice. This form of justice moves away from our traditional focus on punishing perpetrators of a crime to prioritizing the emotional healing of the victims. It is restorative in nature…
Near the end of 2014, reports emerged indicating that the Government of Canada planned to prioritize religious minorities when resettling refugees from Syria. This came amid increasing criticism of the government’s failure to meet even its dismal target of resettling 1,300 Syrian refugees by the end of the year.
In a remarkable display of solidarity, CPJ and the Canadian Council for Refugees brought together 25 Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Sikh leaders. They signed on to a statement declaring their opposition to the selection of Syrian refugees according to religion.
Provinces not jumping to cut refugee social assistance access Originally published in Embassy News. Late last year, the federal government passed Bill C-43 allowing provinces and territories to restrict access to social assistance. It is now up to each province and territory to decide whether an individual must reside there for a certain period of…
Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Sikh leaders in Canada stand up for Syrian Muslims seeking asylum On December 12th, CBC News reported that the government is considering prioritizing religious minorities from Syria when deciding which refugee claims to approve. Such a policy would leave Sunni Muslims, who compose the majority of the Syrian population, without any chance…
Imagine that you suddenly hear a massive explosion. Close enough that you can see buildings collapsing and dust filling the air. You can hear the screams of those nearer to the epicentre. This is followed by another explosion, and another, each one closer than the last. Now imagine that this is a daily occurrence. You live…
Most Canadians are not aware that 1 in 7 people in this country experience poverty. More than 800 000 rely on food banks each month and 13.3% of Canadian children live in poverty. And on any given night, about 30, 000 Canadians are homeless. But what does poverty actually look like in Canada? Poverty is…
