 |
Quotation of the month 
"Despite the fact that we are all made in your image, God, we can see ourselves as brothers and sisters only by the light of your redeeming grace. Give us eyes to see that we are made from the same dirt, and help us work to reconcile ourselves to one another and to the ground beneath us. Amen." (Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, Claiborne et al., 2010: 129)
|
Canada's re-tooled mission in Syria and Iraq
A few weeks ago, Prime Minister Trudeau announced Canada's new policy to address the ongoing crises in Iraq and Syria. Made alongside the Ministers of International Development, Foreign Affairs, and National Defence, the announcement highlighted Canada's new humanitarian, diplomatic, and military approaches in the region.
As promised, direct participation in the coalition-led bombing campaign has ended, although indirect involvement through reconnaissance and refueling continues. The government promised to increase aid to $1.1 billion over three years and to beef up diplomacy in the region. Militarily, Canada also committed to tripling its contingent of Canadian soldiers engaged in training, advising, and assisting Kurdish forces in northern Iraq.
On Feb 23rd, MCC sent a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, welcoming the non-military components of the Government of Canada's new policy, particularly its commitment to increasing diplomacy and humanitarian aid to the region. The letter affirmed humanitarian and diplomatic measures that address deep-rooted political, social, and economic grievances, while expressing concerns that Canada's anti-ISIS military efforts are contributing to the emergence of local and regional armed organizations that weaken the state structures necessary for long-term stability.
|
Parliamentary business: Motion condemning BDS passes 
On February 22, a Conservative party motion - tabled by the Hon. Tony Clement - condemning the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against the Israeli government's occupation of Palestine passed in the House of Commons by a vote of 229 to 51. The motion called on parliamentarians to "reject the BDS movement" and to "call upon the government to condemn any and all attempts by Canadian organizations, groups or individuals to promote the BDS movement."
BDS is a nonviolent effort aiming to end the occupation, recognize the rights of Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and protect and promote the right of return of Palestinian refugees.
Those Parliamentarians who voted against the motion included all NDP MPs, all Bloc Québécois members, and 3 Liberals. Roughly a dozen Liberals abstained from voting, while the vast majority supported the motion. Green Party leader Elizabeth May was not present for the vote. The motion, while having no legal teeth, does become part of the parliamentary record and captures some of the fear and misunderstanding about BDS.
|
Are you between the ages of 18 and 25 and eager for some experiential learning on migration and peacebuilding? Then consider participating in Uprooted - a 2-week learning tour to Mexico's northern and southern borders, May 1-25, 2016. Organized by MCC Alberta and MCC Saskatchewan, Uprooted is available for academic credit through Canadian Mennonite University. For more information, contact Thomas Coldwell or Carlie Heagy.
|
New resource: KAIROS analysis of Paris climate change agreement
Looking for a critical assessment of the Paris Agreement that emerged from the COP21 (the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change)? Here it is! KAIROS has just released a Briefing Paper entitled, Huge Challenges for Canada after the Paris Climate Conference. Written by John Dillon, the paper highlights the weaknesses and the strengths of the Paris Agreement, as well as the massive challenges facing Canada as it seeks to make good on its commitments.
|
Staff update
From February 18-20 we at the Ottawa Office were particularly busy, running our annual Student Seminar! This year our theme was
Refuge. Asylum. Displacement. Canada's Response. We were excited to have students attend from all across Canada and to have a number of highly qualified speakers share their perspectives on the refugee crisis and the best ways to respond. This year's speakers included Members of Parliament, Elizabeth May and Jenny Kwan, as well as representatives from the civil service, various NGOs and UNHCR. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post from a student on our MCC Ottawa Office blog.
|
|
See what's happening on our social sites:
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
