At CPJ, we believe that we are called to follow Christ’s example by loving our neighbours, practicing justice and compassion, and being stewards of creation. We also believe that all people, as God’s image bearers, are created to live in dignity.
The Bible explains in Micah 6:8 what God requires of us: “to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Throughout the Bible, the well-being of the most vulnerable—orphans and widows—is used as a barometer of justice for a society. We can measure Canada’s success in following this call by examining the situations of our most vulnerable peoples.
Public justice is the political dimension of loving our neighbour. This means promoting the well-being of the vulnerable in all aspects of life—in our neighbourhoods, our churches, non-governmental organizations, community groups, and governments. Living out this call includes being active and engaged citizens—getting to know our elected officials, staying informed, and advocating for just policies.
To advocate simply means “to plead in favour of.” Any time you voice your support for a policy, cause, or idea you are advocating. This includes means speaking to those in power to influence decisions in the political sphere. Advocacy also means adding strength to the voices of marginalized and poor peoples, collectively creating a voice that cannot be ignored. If we want to exercise this kind of faithful citizenship, it means active engagement in public policy debates and dialogue with elected officials about issues of public justice.
As citizens of a democracy, we have both the right and responsibility to make a difference in the policies and actions of our government. Our political leaders have a responsibility to listen to the will of the people, and each of us has the responsibility to express our views through active citizenship. This means staying informed, voicing our opinions, and working for justice wherever possible.
We hope that this toolkit will be helpful to you in exercising yourprivilege to be an active and engaged Canadian citizen!
