Over the years CPJ has been known by many names. This interesting history reflects the changes in structure, from provincial to national.
Despite the changing names, the fundamentals of CPJ’s mission have remained essentially the same throughout history, to educate and inspire change on a number of social justice issues, as a faith-based charitable organization.
C.J.L. Foundation (1963-2005)
CPJ celebrates our birth date in 1963. This was the year that Committee for Justice and Liberty became officially incorporated as C.J.L. Foundation. Started in 1961, the Committee for Justice and Liberty served as the Ontario counterpart to the Alberta based Christian Action Foundation. Christian Action Foundation was started in 1959 and officially joined forces with the Committee for Justice and Liberty in 1972. The work of CPJ was greatly influenced by these organizations.
C.J.L. Foundation received charitable status in 1968.
The work of CPJ at this time was carried out under both names (C.J.L. Foundation and Committee for Justice and Liberty) until 1982, when they adopted an operating name.
C.J.L. Foundation had two different operating names throughout its history. From 1982-1993 they were known publicly as C.J.L. Foundation, operating as Citizens for Public Justice. From 1993 to 2000 they operated under just their legal name (C.J.L. Foundation). From 2000-2002 they began work under the operating name C.J.L. Foundation, operating as Public Justice Resource Centre, though this was more commonly known at just the Public Justice Resource Centre (PJRC). This was to create a public presence for the foundation’s educational work.
Though the name C.J.L Foundation legally existed until 2005, CPJ’s work was no longer carried out under this name after 2002.
Citizens for Public Justice (1993-2005)
In 1993, a separately incorporated non-profit organization was created to engage non-partisan advocacy on public issues. At this time C.J.L. Foundation continued to exist, but restricted its work to charitable education work (under the operating name of C.J.L. Foundation, operating as Public Justice Resource Centre). With C.J.L. Foundation focusing on the charitable side of the work, the separately incorporated Citizens for Public Justice did not have charitable status. In 2005 the work of Citizens for Public Justice was taken over by CJL Foundation.
CJL Foundation (1999-Present)
In 1999 a new federally incorporated group was created as CJL Foundation. This organization took over the work of C.J.L. Foundation in 2002 (the Ontario corporation, which was formally dissolved in 2005). In 2002 the federal corporation was also registered as a charitable organization. In the beginning, this group focused only on charitable education work, as the separately incorporated Citizens for Public Justice was focused on advocacy. In 2003 they began work under the operating name CJL Foundation, operating as Public Justice Resource Centre. Work continued under this name until 2005. That year Citizens for Public Justice ceased operation and handed all its rights over to CJL Foundation. When this happened the work of PJRC was merged back into that of CPJ. As of January 2006 they began officially working as CJL Foundation, operating as Citizens for Public Justice. CPJ legally continues its work under this name today, though to the public we are simply known as Citizens for Public Justice or CPJ.
(More details, PDF 143k)
- Christian Action Foundation (1959-1972)
- Committee for Justice and Liberty (1961- 1982)
- C.J.L. Foundation (1963-2005)
- C.J.L. Foundation, operating as Citizens for Public Justice (1982-1993)
- C.J.L. Foundation, operating as Public Justice Resource Centre (2000-2002)
- Citizens for Public Justice (1993 – 2005)
- CJL Foundation (1999 – present)
- CJL Foundation, operating as Public Justice Resource Centre (2003-2005)
- CJL Foundation, operating as Citizens for Public Justice (2006 – ongoing)
