July-August 2014  

Letter invites PM to lament deaths of both Israelis and Palestinians 

  

A July 30 letter signed by MCC Canada Director Don Peters and leaders of four supporting denominations urges Prime Minister Stephen Harper to lament the deaths of both Israelis and Palestinians in the violence in Gaza.  

 

As of this writing, 59 Israelis and nearly 1,400 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict. In addition, over 7,000 Palestinians have been wounded, and more than 200,000 have been displaced from their homes.    

 

The letter notes that as the violence enters its fourth week, it plants seeds for further violence and diminishes the prospects for alternative approaches to resolving long-standing issues.   

 

The letter urges the Prime Minister to support a meaningful and lasting ceasefire.   

 

MCC has stepped up emergency food assistance to partners within Gaza. 

 

This Gaza home was bombed on July 10. The family was able to evacuate safely.  

 .  

Parliamentary business:    
Another round on Ballistic Missile Defence
 
The federal government is quietly "revisiting" a 2005 decision not to join the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) program.

BMD is a sophisticated and integrated system that aims to destroy missiles and their warheads before they reach their targets. It proposes to launch sensors and interceptors from space -- not only from land and sea. It thus contributes to the "weaponization of space."

In June the Standing Senate Committee on National Security and Defence unanimously recommended Canada should participate as a partner in the U.S. BMD system.

The main reasons the committee advanced are:
  • the real threat of attack by "rogue nations," in particular Iran and North Korea,
  • the improved technology of BMD,
  • the need to align Canada's stance on BMD with its participation in NATO and NORAD

MCC's own program involvements with Iran and North Korea convince us that engagement and dialogue -- rather than sophisticated weapons systems -- are helpful avenues for building peace with nations considered to be threats to global peace.   

For over a decade MCC has provided protein foods to several orphanages in North Korea as a way of improving the nutrition of children and building friendship with North Korea.

    

Ottawa Office Newsletter archives
Read previous editions of our newsletter here. 
 
In This Issue
Feature Article
Parliamentary Business
Newsletter archives
New Resources
Staff Update
 
Quotation 
of the month  

"A stable peace can only be realized when justice, in accordance with international law, is achieved for both Israel and Palestine."

The Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek
Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, Jerusalem
Sabeel is an MCC partner organization.
New resources:
New website & new issue of Intersections  

MCC Canada launched a  new website in June. The Ottawa Office no longer has its own dedicated website, but you can still find us at the old address: mccottawa.ca.

Let us know what you think of our new web presence by sending a message to Esther Epp-Tiessen.

The latest issue of Intersections is now available on the theme of Education for Transformation.

"If education is not intentionally made to be a tool for liberation, it stands in danger of becoming a tool of oppression."
Staff update:

Paul Heidebrecht,

Director  

Jenn Wiebe,

Senior Policy Analyst

 
Jenn and Paul
Changes are coming in MCC's Ottawa Office!  Paul Heidebrecht, Director for the past five years, has accepted a position at Conrad Grebel University College as Director of the MSCU Centre for Peace Advancement. He ends his work with MCC at the end of August.

Jenn Wiebe, Senior Policy Analyst for the past four years, will serve as Interim Director until a permanent director is named.

We are sad to say farewell to Paul, but happy that Jenn is willing to provide leadership for the next while! All the best to both! 
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