Climate change, reconciliation among voting issues for people of faith

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This article was published 26/08/2021 (1863 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CLIMATE change, poverty, foreign aid and Indigenous reconciliation are a few of the issues people of faith are being asked to consider as they prepare to vote.

The issues, published in election guides from national faith-based organizations, are designed to help Canadians discuss topics of concern with candidates.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the advocacy arm of Jewish federations across Canada, is encouraging Jewish Canadians to ask candidates about how they will combat anti-Semitism and hate speech, protect places of worship and address Holocaust denial.

Other issues they want to raise with candidates include improving foreign aid, supporting Israel, implementing the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and enhancing food security for low-income Canadians. (See their guide.)

“Those are the issues that are important to the constituency we serve,” said spokesman Martin Sampson.

At Canadian Foodgrains Bank, the focus is on climate change and food security in the developing world.

Noting the number of extreme weather events in the world has doubled during the past 30 years due to a changing climate, the organization points out small-scale farmers in developing countries are being hit the hardest.

“Canada has made some progress in the area over the past few years, doubling its commitment to climate change finance,” said James Kornelson, who manages public engagement at the foodgrains bank.

“But now we need more attention on adaptation and building resiliency for people in the developing world, and to bolster local food systems.”

It also highlights that Canada’s foreign aid is at a 50-year low, and notes the pandemic has dramatically increased global hunger.

Uniquely, the foodgrains bank offers different questions for Liberal, Conservative and NDP candidates on issues such as climate change, effective foreign aid, support for small-scale farmers and pandemic recovery.

Kornelsen realizes issues such as foreign aid and global hunger aren’t typically top of mind during election campaigns “but if we don’t ask, politicians will think nobody cares about them,” he said. (See their guide.)

“Creating a Just Canada” is the theme of Citizens for Public Justice’s guide.

Members of the national progressive organization are inspired by faith to act for social and environmental justice in public policy. The group invites its supporters to raise issues such as implementing a fair and progressive tax system that contributes to a more equitable distribution of wealth, Indigenous reconciliation, racism, refugees, climate change and the environment.

“We want to communicate there are some underlying systemic problems that can be remedied if they would be addressed,” said Natalie Appleyard, a socioeconomic policy analyst with the organization.

“Things like climate change, poverty and Indigenous issues are all in a state of crisis, but there are viable solutions.”

The message she wants Canadians to send to politicians is “we can do better, we expect elected officials to do better.”

For the Mennonite Central Committee, the key issues are ensuring people in the developing world get access to COVID-19 vaccines, addressing the impact of climate change, improving foreign aid, supporting a just peace between Israel and Palestine and promoting reconciliation with Indigenous people.

“We feel we are at a crossroads with this election,” said Bekah Sears, a policy analyst with the organization.

“The pandemic exacerbated so many things that Canadians may not have once been aware of, but they are now,” she said.

The committee feels “there’s an opportunity to do something different in how we care for people to make sure they don’t fall through the cracks. We just need to get our voices out there,” she said. (See their guide.)

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John Longhurst
Faith columnist & reporter

John Longhurst has been writing for Winnipeg's faith pages since 2003. He also writes for Religion News Service in the U.S., and blogs about the media, marketing and communications at Making the News.

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