The newly formed Halifax Anti-War Coalition (HAWC) invites you to a general meeting to help build a broad coalition against war here in Halifax.
HAWC is a coalition of individuals, labour unions, community groups, womens centres and student organizations that seeks to mobilize and activate a broad coalition to oppose war.
We are hosting a meeting to discuss the anti-war movement, develop goals, address organizational questions and how to move forward in Halifax
The meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 28th from 6:30 to 9:00 pm at the Bloomfield Centre, room 208. All are welcome and there will be food!
The agenda includes a history of the anti-war/peace movement in Halifax , information about whats going on around the country, organizing principles, and which way forward.
For more information contact:
Jane Kirby or Kyle Buott (janekirby2@gmail.com or kyle_buott@hotmail.com)
The first community to respond to the campaign against bottled water has just passed a motion! Follow the link to Barrington!
http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-291846-Municipality-votes-to-turn-on-the-tap.html
Filed under: Truro and Area Cluster
Filed under: Halifax Cluster
Minutes from the Halifax Cluster of Kairos
January 14, 2009
In attendance: Bev M, Kenn S, Marilyn S, Gerry L, Theresa C, Mary Burke-Gaffney, Linda S., Sr. Margaret
Bev. Opened the meeting with a reading (from Martin Luther King Jr., quoted in Sojourners)
Old Business: Human Rights Workshop in November… snowstorm plus poor turnout led the two-day program to be condensed to Friday evening only. Some students came but this was exam week as well. Parties will be thanked for attendance and participation including Evelyn Jones ( MISA) and Steve Law (Program Resource person) for all the effort they put into this event. Also, a big thanks to Bishop Sue Moxley and her husband Bruce!
Urgent Action for Colombia – please send asap before the house sits. Check the National Site for the Urgent Action. Br. Omar Fernandez will be coming back to our area in Feb.
More information was shared from various perspectives including the effect on life in Colombia and the refugees who have resettled in Canada .
New Business:
Turn on the Tap Campaign: Ken and Bev gave an overview of the present NS campaign targeting NS Municipalities to make provision for adequate tap water on all municipal properties and exclude the sale of bottled water.
National Gathering: Regional delegates are now being put in place – from Nova Scotia: Barton Cutten (youth) and Tina Bernard (Aboriginal). There are many other ways to be involved.
New Denmark: Kolene has done an excellent job of introducing Kairos to the New Denmark area of NB. Maybe she could go to the national Kairos event next spring under the Lutheran banner.
Kairos Anti-Poverty Fund is gone! Monies are no longer going to be available. The work will be sorely missed.
Environmental Concerns: Linda gave an overview of some of the initiatives relating to the environment. Not all are engaged in ‘going green’ – especially many of our churches. We need more openness in doing things regarding the environment. Linda has been working with a UCC initiative (Practical Hope – Living with respect for Creation) involving youth/others in practical ways of addressing our footprint. It is hard to get people to come to workshops. Trying to get people engaged – looking at other ways to involve people.
Roman Catholics have some excellent resources: “This Great and Beautiful World”.
The latest Presbyterian Study is called “Living in God’s Creation”.
Bev has Kairos campaign materials available for any who need them…
Donations: A donation of $200.00 from the Diocese of NS and PEI has been made to Kairos Atlantic. Need someone to write a ‘thank-you’. Theresa will do this
Society of Friends gave us a $50.00 donation to the Halifax Kairos Cluster.
Kairos Sunday: Will be near Earth Day. Will work on this at our next meeting.
Shared Leadership:
In the past, chairing meetings and preparing the opening worship was rotated within the membership on a volunteer basis. We agreed to resume the practice.
Next Meeting:
February 11 at 1:30pm.
Place: Barat Residence
Summer St.
Minutes by K Stright and Gerry Lancaster
2009 Jan. 14th Agenda:- Truro and Area Kairos: Chair- Doris McCallum
A Happy New Year to All: and Welcome to Kairos in the year of 2009.
* Worship—
*Minutes of December /08 meeting… approval
*Correspondence, Don did you ever have an answer from your last letter?
* Treasurers report: In April /08 we had $151:78 on hand. In May/08 it was moved we send $50:00 to kairos National +52c for a stamp = $101:26 on hand , That was the balance to begin 2009
I ordered on motion 250…ReEnergize hand outs to be distributed to our churches. Cost $11:00 —Balance $90:26. At our last meeting it was moved we send $50:00 to Spirit of Change…Kairos … Balance to date $40:26.
I move the acceptance of this report.
* Business from the Minutes: I have been talking to the Mayor of the county Re:-“Campaign to turn on the Tap and Ditch the Bottle”, I sent information to the Office, Mr Taylor indicated that he would try to get this on March County Council Agenda.
* I have a copy of the minutes that were taken from our visit with Fr. Omar Fernandez.
* Joan and I are asking for new money for Kairos. For me this hasn’t happened; however the message has been forwarded, I don’t know about Joan, Rhoda too said she would ask for money for the cause.
* New Business:—
* I had a note from Joe Chiasson, only enough money came in this year to dig 2 wells in Africa .
* Bill Casey asked for suggestions to bring before The Federal Finance Minister; sent some to Bill, I have a copy.
* There was a plea for money from “Make Poverty History” I sent this along to CAPN.
* Conference call Re:Atlantic Kairos “ Waterloo ” for information”
* Letter to churches Re: money
* A notice from Living Earth Council regarding Climate Change, food and our health.
Sun Feb.! from 1:30-5:00 pm .
olive oil.
Tatamagouche: Make Poverty History; Dennis , cost $335:00
Barton welcome to go to Waterloo :
Other Business:
CLOSING.
Happy New Year! Hope everyone is feeling refreshed and rejuvenated by the recent holiday season!
We have lots of work ahead of us and if anything, volunteers are more needed than ever in view of the new reality of economic recession. There will be more poverty and more stresses in our world than we’ve experienced in a while.
Our January meeting will be held at Barat Residence on Summer St, Wednesday, January 14 at 1:30 PM. Please come and bring a friend.
The agenda will include:
The Human Rights Workshop held in November/ Wrap-up/The Urgent Action on Colombia.
The Water Campaign/ World Water Day
The Kairos Anti-Poverty Fund
The Environmental Campaign
Some Donations
Gaza/ Afghanistan
Leadership
Kairos Times, December 2008: Vol. 7; #7
The monthly e-newsletter of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice
Initiatives. We’re taking faithful action for justice from coast to coast to
coast. Sign up for this newsletter by visiting our homepage.
1. Solidarity actions in honour of the 60th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration on Human Rights
2. Colombia urgent action update: No trade without human rights
3. Will the government give more tax breaks to the tar sands in the January
budget?
4. A step forward for economic, social and cultural rights… so why doesn’t
Canada approve?
5. The Ontario Government steps up to the plate on poverty reduction
6. A Christmas letter from KAIROS
7. A reminder about our new website
8. Recommended reading: Aboriginal rights, climate change and anti-poverty
1) Solidarity actions in honour of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration
on Human Rights (Colombia, Palestine, and the Philippines)
In December and January peoples of many spiritual traditions will mark sacred holidays
—but conflicts large and small around the world will continue to rage. We invite you
and your family, classroom, faith community or union to consider sending a message of
encouragement and solidarity to groups who are facing serious human rights violations.
On December 10 2008, the world marked the 60th anniversary of the signing of the
Universal Declaration on Human Rights. An agreement born out of the devastation,
deaths and mass murder that was World War 2, the Declaration sought to lay out the
basic rights enjoyed by all people regardless of their social standing, wealth, gender,
race or age.
Sixty years later the Declaration continues to be the foundation of global human
rights, and it continues to be as needed as ever. The United Nations invites us to mark
an anniversary year of celebration in support of the Declaration, and KAIROS would
like to launch that anniversary with several solidarity actions.
Send a message of encouragement and solidarity to groups in Colombia, the Occupied
Palestinian Territories, and the Philippines. If you’re a church member consider
inviting your congregation or parish to sign a Christmas card, or send a New Year’s
message. Thank you in advance for supporting our sisters and brothers who face very
difficult struggles of their own and need to know that we support them.
For more information, see:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/get-involved/urgent-actions/
2) Colombia urgent action update: No trade without human rights
Days after Prime Minister Stephen Harper signed a free trade pact with Colombia,
KAIROS issued an urgent action, asking you to contact your Members of Parliament and
explain why they should be voting against such a deal. Colombia has the worst human
rights records in the hemisphere, and partners in the area have long expressed
profound concern about the consequences of this deal.
Despite the recent decision to prorogue parliament, the need to respond to this
urgent action remains strong. Parliament has not yet begun the 21 sitting days to
debate the contents of the agreement. Members of Parliament are more likely to be
in their ridings, and we have a chance to give them a call. See the action at:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/en/news/archive/2008/11/article/no-free-trade-withcolombia-
without-a-guarantee-of-human-rights/
See also our news release and Colombia page for more background. Check our page of
solidarity actions for a related invitation to send cards to a Colombian partner.
Please send copies of your letters and responses to Rusa Jeremic, Global Economic
Justice Program Coordinator, rjeremic@kairoscanada.org
Your action is a gift to the courageous Colombians who risk their lives for speaking
out on the human rights situation they face daily.
Updates
3) Will the government give more tax breaks to the tar sands in the January
budget?
Parliament may have been prorogued but government officials are busily beavering
away on the upcoming federal budget, expected in the House of Commons on January
27. As various industries lobby for new tax breaks, government spending and other
stimulus, this a critical time in KAIROS’ effort to reduce our over-dependence on fossil
fuels and eliminate government subsidies to the fossil fuel sector.
Tar sands operators have already started asking for new tax breaks – this from an
industry that currently receives tax breaks that cost the federal purse, by Finance
Minister Flaherty’s own meagre estimate, around $300 million per year.
KAIROS believes the next budget needs to help the country not only recover
economically, but also retool for what is certain to be a carbon-constrained future.
Canada needs an economic stimulus package that will vault our economy into the 21st
century with support for energy conservation, renewables, public transit infrastructure
and other drivers of green jobs.
Please stay tuned and check out the January edition of KAIROS Times for pre-budget
action ideas. And if you haven’t done so already, please sign KAIROS’ “End Oil Aid!”
action card, calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies. For more information, and to
order copies of the free action card today, visit:
http://www.re-energize.org/En/ChangetheWorld.html
Make sure to check the other sections for exciting new campaign materials.
For more information, please contact Ian Thomson, Corporate Social Responsibility
Coordinator, at ithomson@kairoscanada.org or by phone at 613-235-9956, x 222.
4) A step forward for economic, social and cultural rights at the United Nations
On December 10th, 2008 the United Nations adopted the Optional Protocol to the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
This represents an historic advance for human rights. Forty-two years after a similar
mechanism was adopted for civil and political rights, those who suffer from violations
of their economic, social and cultural rights are finally given equal status in the UN
human rights system. Their right to an effective remedy is recognized.
The Optional Protocol is important because it provides an avenue for redress to
victims of economic, social and cultural rights violations who are not able to find an
effective remedy in their domestic legal system. As such, it corrects a longstanding
imbalance which allowed some basic human rights a more protection than others.
Canada chose to “not oppose” adoption of the Optional Protocol rather than support
it. Canada was also one of the strongest opponents of a comprehensive Optional
Protocol. From a country that is proud of its long- standing support for human rights,
this is less than inspiring behaviour. Canada’s words and history are at odds with a
number of its recent refusals to support key international agreements like the UN
Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
To see the text of the agreement:
Click to access OptionalProtocol.pdf.pdf
For more information please contact Ed Bianchi, KAIROS’ Indigenous Rights Program
Coordinator, at ebianchi@kairoscanada.org or 613.235.9956 ext 221.
5) The Ontario Government steps up to the plate on poverty reduction
The long awaited report “Breaking the Cycle – Ontario’s Poverty Reduction Strategy”
came out on December 4th as a $1.4 billion plan. Across Ontario, for 15 long months,
citizens had pressed for a 25% reduction in poverty over five years for all vulnerable
low-income peoples. The 25 in 5 network (www.25in5) of NGOs was in the forefront of
this advocacy. The report fell short of expectations because it focused only on
children and the intergenerational cycle of poverty. For a fuller analysis of the report
go to:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/solidarity/newslist/
news/archive/2008/12/article/the-ontario-government-steps-up-to-the-plate-onpoverty-
reduction-assessing-the-report-breaking
For a more spiritual view of poverty in the midst of our world’s continued wealth, see
this Advent reflection from a Presbyterian pastor working in a Toronto neighbourhood
that’s financially poor and spiritually rich:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/en/news/archive/2008/12/article/an-adventmeditation-
and-challenge-from-joe
6) A Christmas letter from KAIROS
We invite you to read the Christmas letter from Cheryl Curtis, chair of the KAIROS
Board, and Mary Corkery, our Executive Director:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/en/news/archive/2008/12/article/kairos-christmasletter-
2008
7) A reminder about our new website
KAIROS continues to live into our new website and you can help us improve it! We’ve
redesigned our look and structure to help you find the information and tools you need
to carry out the work of social justice in your own community.
While most of the content has been carried over, it has been placed in a totally new
navigation structure. Our site map will help you give you a snapshot of that structure.
Since some errors are inevitable, don’t hesitate to use our feedback form to point out
missing pages or to suggest improvements:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/en/contact-us/feedback-form/
A site is always a work in progress, so we thank you for your patience and your ideas.
8) Recommended Christmas reading
KAIROS’ own Ed Bianchi was featured in this month’s Christian Reformed online justice
bulletin; check out his introduction to our Aboriginal Rights work and more at
http://www.crcna.org/pages/ccg_mobilejustice.cfm
As always, Buy Nothing Christmas is a KAIROS fave, especially for a season where
consuming seems to take priority over remembering a poor couple whose first baby
was welcomed by the neighbourhood outcasts:
http://www.buynothingchristmas.org/
KAIROS sent Dorothy McDougall, Coordinator for Ecological Justice, to the UN climate
talks held in Poznan, Poland from December 1-12, 2008. For her evaluation of
Canada’s performance and thoughts on the negotiation process see:
http://www.kairoscanada.org/en/news/archive/2008/12/article/commentary-on-theun-
climate-talks-in-poland-december-1-12-2008/
The Wellesley Institute has just released a new cross-Canada report on the real
impacts of poverty on our health. We often hear about the costs of ending poverty and
hear arguments that as a society we can’t afford to end it. This report makes it clear
that even in dollar terms poverty costs more than the solutions to it:
http://wellesleyinstitute.com/files/povertyismakingussick.pdf See also Campaign
2000’s latest report on child and family poverty:
Click to access C2000%20Report%20Card%20FINAL%20Nov%2010th08.pdf
Happy Hanukkah and Christmas, and a happy Western and Chinese New Year to you
all. Thank you for your support, whether through donations, local actions, the
letters you’ve written, and so much more
December 22, 2008
In the light of our current and ongoing financial crisis, KAIROS has taken some measures immediately and will make further decisions in the coming months.
With deep regret, the Board decided that as one of its measures, KAIROS will not continue funding the KAIROS Anti-poverty Grants Program. KAIROS recognizes that these grants are important. In addition to the projects funded, the decision-making process itself is valuable in the way it empowers low-income people to address needs at a local or regional level.
The Board of KAIROS met Dec 10th and 11th and discussed the projected, serious budget deficits for all years 2008 -2012. This is a result of declining revenue from some Member churches and organizations– themselves strapped for funds— in a context of rent that has more than doubled since we had to leave Deer Park Church in September, increases to staffing and program costs – and, most recently, a global market meltdown that decimated our interest revenue, probably for the next few years at least.
In January, the Board will take further steps leading to the deeper cuts and long-term revenue generation needed to balance the budgets for 2009 – 2012. The next cuts will be decided at the board’s April 15 and 16th 2009 meeting, and these decisions will also be very difficult.
The Board is saddened about the need for cuts and recognizes the substantial achievements of PLURA and, more recently, KAPF grants. Funds unspent to date may be invoiced and spent in 2009, but must be documented as before. The KAIROS Anti-Poverty network meeting scheduled at the time of the National Gathering will go on as planned.
Jill-Carr Harris, Program Coordinator for the Canadian Social Development Program (jcarrharris[at]kairoscanada[dot]org or 1-877-403-8933 ext 237) will be present to you in the coming months to help you, in any way she can, as you consider how to deal with this situation. I will be here as well to talk answer questions you may have (ext 244).
KAIROS deeply appreciates the work of the Anti Poverty Grants committees across the country.
Sincerely
Mary Corkery
Executive Director
Great News from New Denmark, New Brunswick.
After my experiences with the group in Halifax I brought Kairos to the small community
of New Denmark.
A small group of us (typically 8-10), have been meeting for about 1 year. I
just wanted to let you know (as the regional rep, and as well as a member of
the Halifax cluster I started with), that we seem to be doing fairly well as a
group in a small community. Our two public events (Kairos Sunday as well as a
recent Kairos Christmas Program) were very well received in the community with
over 70 people in attendance. At our Christmas program a few weeks ago we
celebrated with music, poetry, stories and scripture readings. A collection for
GHDA’s Gifts from the Heart initiative raised $530. Through one of our members
who teaches K-2 at the local elementary school, the school also became involved
and raised money to purchase 2 goats to be sent to a 3rd world community this
Christmas.
Basically I just wanted to let you know of our presence. We were not able to
send someone to the regional meeting as it fell in the middle of potato harvest
season in this area, which is a very busy time here in New Denmark. We look
forward to being in communication with you and are very excited about sharing
Kairos events with this community in the future. I would love to have a copy of
the Kairos Sunday liturgy when it is available as our service was so well
attended last year.
Best wishes and God’s blessings in the New Year!
Koleen Jensen
KAIROS ATLANTIC 