8
Catalyst the For 50 years, Citizens for Public Justice has given voice and legs to my hopes and prayers for a more just Canada. I see CPJ as a little blue engine pulling a long train of carefully-considered policy recom- mendations over a mountain, undeterred by barriers of unjust legislation or mis- guided government priorities. CPJ’s focus on justice and our shared responsibility as image-bearers of God makes it an organization that the Canadian faith community can support whole- heartedly. I have come to know CPJ as a truly efficient organization, operating within a lean budget and yet seeing impressive returns. Through CPJ’s work to lessen inequality, decision-makers are reminded that three million women, men, and children in Canada are poor; that single-parent families are especially poor; and that poverty makes a country less competitive and its people less healthy, which costs us all in the long run. I remember when I was a high school student in the 70s CPJ (then the Committee for Justice and Liberty) was working with the Dene Aboriginal people to win a mora-torium on the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline. They persevered all the way to the Supreme Court! Twenty-some years later I worked with refugees at a Reception Centre in Ottawa and was Citizens for Public Justice Winter 2013 Public Justice – Now, More than Ever! By Will Postma grateful that CPJ was active in supporting refugees fleeing horrible situations. Even today, my encounters with refugees and with First Nations and indigenous com- munities are enriched by what CPJ has addressed and accomplished over many years of faithful and persistent work. Now, as a CPJ board member, I am still encouraged by CPJ’s work to support the foreigner, the fatherless, the widow, and the marginalized. For example, CPJ has worked hard over the past several years to encourage our government to develop a national housing strategy. For a while this was done by championing legislation that could have made a serious dent in reducing Canada’s number of homeless, which today is at about 400,000. A Bill to this effect garnered much public support but was defeated in May of 2012. None- theless, CPJ’s many meetings with MPs and their staff effectively reminded them of the economic and human costs of band-aid solutions. CPJ wants to see our government act justly, for the good of citizens today and for the good of our grandchildren and their grandchildren. Governments are uniquely able to coordinate resources to ensure that our responses to the vulnerable and to the environment are long-term plans of action. CPJ’s research on ecological justice, for example, shows that our government needs a much more comprehensive plan for the future of our planet. As a model, past governments have worked hard on comprehensive plans to bring us national health care, which we access today with a good amount of equity and availability. In many ways, Canada is seen around the world as a place of opportunity and safety. I know this all too well through my international work, much of which is in poorer, conflict-affected countries. But while Canada is affluent, many are still struggling to overcome a growing mountain of obstacles. CPJ is working hard to climb this mountain, knowing that creative and fair policy solutions are needed now more than ever. The prophet Micah reminds the other- wise busy Israelites that they must embrace justice and love mercy. Today, CPJ reminds us of our responsibilities as citizens and image-bearers to care for creation, uphold the vulnerable, and prayerfully work for shalom. Will Postma, shown above addressing CPJ’s anniversary dinner in Toronto, represents Ontario-at-large on the CPJ Board, is working primarily in the field of international develop- ment management, and is a member of the Friendship Community Church in Toronto.

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Page 1: Catalyst Winter 2013

Catalystthe

For 50 years, Citizens for Public Justicehas given voice and legs to my hopesand prayers for a more just Canada. I seeCPJ as a little blue engine pulling a longtrain of carefully-considered policy recom-mendations over a mountain, undeterredby barriers of unjust legislation or mis-guided government priorities.

CPJ’s focus on justice and our sharedresponsibility as image-bearers of Godmakes it an organization that the Canadianfaith community can support whole-heartedly. I have come to know CPJ as atruly efficient organization, operatingwithin a lean budget and yet seeingimpressive returns. Through CPJ’s workto lessen inequality, decision-makers arereminded that three million women, men,and children in Canada are poor; thatsingle-parent families are especially poor;and that poverty makes a country lesscompetitive and its people less healthy,which costs us all in the long run.

I remember when I was a high schoolstudent in the 70s CPJ (then theCommittee for Justice and Liberty) wasworking with the Dene Aboriginal people towin a mora-torium on the MackenzieValley Pipeline. They persevered all theway to the Supreme Court! Twenty-someyears later I worked with refugees at aReception Centre in Ottawa and was

Citizens for Public Justice Winter 2013

Public Justice – Now, More than Ever!By Will Postma

grateful that CPJ was active in supportingrefugees fleeing horrible situations. Eventoday, my encounters with refugees andwith First Nations and indigenous com-munities are enriched by what CPJ hasaddressed and accomplished over manyyears of faithful and persistent work.

Now, as a CPJ board member, I am stillencouraged by CPJ’s work to support theforeigner, the fatherless, the widow, andthe marginalized. For example, CPJ hasworked hard over the past several yearsto encourage our government to developa national housing strategy. For a whilethis was done by championing legislationthat could have made a serious dent inreducing Canada’s number of homeless,which today is at about 400,000. A Bill tothis effect garnered much public supportbut was defeated in May of 2012. None-theless, CPJ’s many meetings with MPsand their staff effectively reminded themof the economic and human costs ofband-aid solutions.

CPJ wants to see our government actjustly, for the good of citizens today andfor the good of our grandchildren andtheir grandchildren. Governments areuniquely able to coordinate resources toensure that our responses to thevulnerable and to the environment arelong-term plans of action. CPJ’s research

on ecological justice, for example, showsthat our government needs a much morecomprehensive plan for the future of ourplanet. As a model, past governmentshave worked hard on comprehensiveplans to bring us national health care,which we access today with a goodamount of equity and availability.

In many ways, Canada is seen aroundthe world as a place of opportunity andsafety. I know this all too well through myinternational work, much of which is inpoorer, conflict-affected countries. Butwhile Canada is affluent, many are stillstruggling to overcome a growingmountain of obstacles. CPJ is workinghard to climb this mountain, knowing thatcreative and fair policy solutions areneeded now more than ever.

The prophet Micah reminds the other-wise busy Israelites that they mustembrace justice and love mercy. Today,CPJ reminds us of our responsibilities ascitizens and image-bearers to care forcreation, uphold the vulnerable, andprayerfully work for shalom.

Will Postma, shown above addressing CPJ’sanniversary dinner in Toronto, represents

Ontario-at-large on the CPJ Board, is workingprimarily in the field of international develop-ment management, and is a member of theFriendship Community Church in Toronto.

Page 2: Catalyst Winter 2013

the Catalyst, a publication ofCitizens for Public Justice (CPJ),reports on public justice issues inCanada and reviews CPJ activities.

Winter 2013 (Volume 36, Number 3) ISSN 0824-2062Agreement no. 40022119

the Catalyst subscription: $20 (three issues)

The Catalyst is also availableelectronically. If you would prefer toreceive an electronic copy of theCatalyst, simply contact us [email protected].

We love to hear from you! E-mail us with your ideas andfeedback at [email protected].

Connect with us online

facebook.com/citizensforpublicjustice

twitter.com/publicjustice

the Catalyst Winter 2013 2

In ReviewCitizens for Public Justice 309 Cooper Street, #501 Ottawa, Ontario K2P 0G5 tel.: 613-232-0275 toll-free: 1-800-667-8046 e-mail: [email protected] web: www.cpj.ca

Citizens for Public Justice’smission is to promote public justicein Canada by shaping key publicpolicy debates through research andanalysis, publishing, and publicdialogue. CPJ encourages citizens,leaders in society, and governmentsto support policies and practiceswhich reflect God’s call for love andjustice.

CPJ annual membership feeincludes the Catalyst: $50 / $25 (low-income)

CPJ on the Hill

The November meeting of CPJ’s Boardof Directors in Ottawa featured a panelpresentation with Members of Parliament.Discussion focused on how faith-basedorganizations can successfully engagetheir memberships in making change.After inviting all parties to participate,CPJ was pleased that we were joined fora probing discussion by ScarboroughGuildwood MP John McKay and OttawaCentre MP Paul Dewar.

Later in November, Simon and Ashleyvisited Newton-North Delta MP JinnySims to discuss her new role asEmployment and Social Developmentcritic for the NDP and to familiarize herwith CPJ. Simon also met with CapeBreton-Canso MP Rodger Cuzner, theLiberal Employment, Social Develop-ment, and Labour critic to brief him onCPJ’s policy recommendations onpoverty. On November 18, Joe and adelegation from the Citizens ClimateLobby held meetings with Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing MP CarolHughes, Nickel Belt MP ClaudeGravelle, Toronto-Danforth MP CraigScott, and Beaches-East York MP MattKellway.

Brad Wassink is CPJ’s new Communi-cations Coordinator and the newCatalyst editor. Last year Brad served asour Public Justice Intern, and we’rethrilled to have him back on the team!

Brad is Back!

Check out the new features atwww.cpj.ca. We’ve brought the CPJvideo onto the front page, increased thevisibility of our biweekly feature articles,and organized the content so it’s easierto navigate, even on hand-held devices.You can get all of CPJ’s latest researchthere.

New Website

This autumn, CPJ was blessed withthree new interns. JoAnne Lam isdeveloping engagement strategies forCPJ’s new book, Living EcologicalJustice: A Biblical Response to theEnvironmental Crisis, while a candidatefor priesthood at St. Peter’s Lutheranchurch. Ashley Chapman, a communi-cations graduate, is working on povertyand refugee rights issues as CPJ’sPublic Justice Intern. Sarnia’s NicoleArmstrong is a student at CarletonUniversity’s School of Social Work, andis researching and writing on ecologicaljustice issues until December.

Welcome Interns!

CPJ has released the fourth and finalreport in our Poverty Trends Scorecardseries. “Making Ends Meet” provides asummary of the rising cost of living andthe resulting challenges faced by low-income Canadians. As prices rise, theincome of the working poor and those onsocial assistance hasn’t kept up.“Making Ends Meet” includes five factsheets focusing on the cost of living,housing, homelessness, food costs, andaccess to education. It also calls for apoverty elimination strategy to invest incritical supports for low-income Canadians.

New Making Ends Meet Report

Page 3: Catalyst Winter 2013

3 the Catalyst Winter 2013

50th Anniversary It was the dawn of Beatlemania, the season the Leafs won the Stanley Cup, and the election when Pearson overtook Diefenbaker. Itwas 1963, and it was also the year that a small group of young men at King’s University created the Christian Action Foundation, whichwould later join with the Committee for Justice and Liberty to become CPJ.

Fifty years later, the golden anniversary celebrations in Edmonton, Toronto, and Ottawa brought together hundreds of friends andsupporters to commemorate CPJ’s past and look ahead with renewed vigour.

EDMONTON

Co-founder John Olthuisaddressed the crowd at theMay 30 event.

Board Chair Mark Huyser-Wierenga,Executive Director Joe Gunn, and boardmember Lorraine Land. Land, also a formerstaff member, spoke about CPJ’s historicalsuccesses and its role in the currentpolitical environment.

Justine Vandergrift andAnthony Middel warmed thecrowd with their rich folk music.

Board members Naomi Kabugiand Mike Bos joined in thecelebrations.

TORONTO

OTTAWA

Peter Dale, former MP LynnMcDonald, and Bert Hielemacheck into the October 3anniversary event at theChurch of the Holy Trinity.

The Wine Before Breakfast band (who hadsome people up dancing!) ended the nightwith “Let Justice Flow,” a song commissionedfor CPJ’s 35th anniversary.

Board members Will Postmaand Leah Watkiss served asthe evening’s emcees.

Economist and media personalityArmine Yalnizyan spoke on the need fora voice of faith in the public sphere. She also recalled her first fewencounters with the late co-founderGerald Vandezande.

The November 1 eventoverlapped with the board’sregular gathering in Ottawa.

Friends and supporters filled theParliament Pub to hear reflectionsfrom Living Ecological Justice and to see our new website launched.

Staff members Karri Munn-Venn (left),Michael Krakowiak, and Simon Lewchuk(right) were among the crowd listening toboard member Carol Thiessen read herreflection in Living Ecological Justice.

Board member Sr. SheilaMcKinley read her LivingEcological Justice reflection, “Of Garden Spiders andGalaxies,” which one listenerrechristened as “An Antidote toCynicism.”

Page 4: Catalyst Winter 2013

the Catalyst Winter 2013 4

Simon Lewchuk is a Policy Analyst at

Citizens for Public Justice.

On October 17, frontline volunteers fromfood banks, emergency meal programs,and drop-in centres took to the streets in12 cities across Canada to point out thattheir charitable actions are only part ofthe solution to poverty. They handed outlunch bags to passersby that containedan apple, poverty and hunger statistics,and a postcard calling on the federalgovernment to develop a national povertyaction plan.

The event (dubbed “Chew on This!”)was coordinated by CPJ and CanadaWithout Poverty as part of the Dignity forAll campaign, and it coincided with therelease of a new CPJ national report,Poverty Trends Highlights: Canada 2013.

In total, 10,000 bags and postcards weredistributed to a largely receptive public.The day’s activities were covered byCBC, CTV, CHCH, Northern Beat, andseveral local newspapers.

Part of what made the events so uniquewas that it wasn’t just your usual anti-poverty activists who were involved. Adiverse group of church folks, retirees,university students, and local businesspeople took part, each having tremendouscredibility and on-the-ground knowledgeof poverty in Canada.

Does charity impede justice?Food banks were started in the early1980s as temporary stop-gap measuresto address hunger. But like many otheremergency supports (for example, the“Out of the Cold” programs, started inthe same era) there continues to be a per-sistent need. In March of this year alone,833,098 people relied on a food bank.

Some people think that food banks andthe like should be shut down. Theyargue that the continued existence ofsuch charitable programs actually letsthe government off the hook and keepsus from tackling the real problem ofpoverty. For many others, calls to closesuch emergency programs are unreal-istic and would further harm those livingin poverty. Accusations that frontlinevolunteers are complicit in the problemcan create divisions amongst those whoare working for change.

A “both/and” approachThrough "Chew on This!," participantshad an opportunity to affirm the currentlynecessary (albeit unfortunate) role thatfood banks and meal programs play insatisfying hunger in the here and now(charity), while also calling for change ata policy level to address the systemic,underlying causes of food insecurity(justice).

Many of the most effective instrumentsfor fighting poverty are controlled at thefederal level. In Poverty Trends Highlights:Canada 2013, CPJ outlines severalconcrete recommendations for thefederal government to take action onpoverty, including expanding importantincome security programs (like theWorking Income Tax Benefit and theCanada Child Tax Benefit), funding apilot project to evaluate the effectivenessof a Guaranteed Livable Income program,and investing in the construction andrepair of affordable housing.

Time to speak outMany of our members and supporterswere involved in the “Chew on This!”event, gathering at places like theChurch of the Redeemer in downtownToronto (almost 1,000 lunch bags handedout over lunch hour on busy Bloor St.),the public library in Richmond, BC, and

the City Hall in Sarnia. Calvin ChristianReformed Church in Ottawa even usedthe bags and postcards to highlight theneed for a “both/and” approach tocharity and justice at a Sunday serviceduring their Thanksgiving food drive.

Compassion and assistance to the poorare core components of the DNA of faithcommunities. As some of the longest-standing and most dedicated groupsassisting those in need, churches haveearned a voice when it comes to issuesof poverty in our country. They are wellpositioned to lead the way when itcomes to calling for long-term, policy-level solutions to poverty and hunger.Are we doing a good job of exercisingthat voice – and responsibility?

Charity and Justice: Food Bank Volunteers Call for Government ActionBy Simon Lewchuk

For the latest on poverty in Canada,check out CPJ’s Poverty TrendsHighlights: Canada 2013 athttp://cpj.me/1etRWxJ

Page 5: Catalyst Winter 2013

5 the Catalyst Winter 2013

BC’s Carbon Tax: Reducing Emissions, Spurring Action

British Columbia’s carbon tax is aneffective policy that is creating a healthierenvironment and prompting Christians toconsider our own ecological footprint.

Let us rewind to 2007. Al Gore’s docu-mentary An Inconvenient Truth waseducating millions of people around theworld on the science and impacts ofclimate change and encouraging action toreduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In BC, Premier Gordon Campbell framedthe issue closer to home by warning usthat the impacts of weather events likeheavy rain and snowfall, flooding, anddrought would become increasinglysevere. In July 2008, British Columbiabecame the first jurisdiction in NorthAmerica to introduce a revenue-neutralcarbon tax. The carbon tax covers GHGemissions from all fossil fuel sourcesbased on the volume used, andestablishes an economic incentive toreduce fossil fuel use. The tax rate wasdesigned to increase slowly over time.Revenues raised from the carbon tax areoffset by cuts in income and other taxes.

Five years later, the results are in: thecarbon tax is working. BC’s ProvincialGHG Inventory Report shows that overallGHG emissions have been reduced by4.5%. A study conducted by Sustain-able Prosperity shows that BC’sfuel consumption has decreasedby 17.4% per capita and thatthese reductions have occurredacross all the different fueltypes covered by the tax.Lower-income persons are notdisproportionately affected,due to the tax refunds theyreceive. Meanwhile, BC’s eco-nomy has kept pace with therest of Canada, showing thateconomic viability and reducingcarbon pollution can go hand-in-hand.

In 2013, the enthusiasm for a carbontax has waned slightly due to concernsabout economic recovery. The tax ratehas been frozen at $30 a tonne, with noincrease on the horizon. And BC’s push topromote the liquefied natural gas industrycould unfortunately double the province’s

GHG emissions. These developmentscould eventually generate emissionslevels equivalent to that of Alberta’s oilsands. BC must decide about whetherand when to increase the tax rate and byhow much. There will also be otherdecisions to make about how to bestpromote further GHG reductions acrossthe economy and in communities.

Stakeholder consultations on the carbontax have shown that there is an increasedinterest in using carbon tax revenues toimprove energy and resource efficiency atpublic institutions such as BC schools,colleges, universities, and hospitals, andto expand and improve public transit.

The carbon tax has prompted BritishColumbians to consider behaviouralchanges and their own ecological foot-print. A poll commissioned by The PacificInstitute for Climate Solutions andPembina Institute in 2012 found thatBritish Columbians were improvingenergy efficiency at home and were

driving less frequently. These actions alsohave spin-off benefits such as cost-savings and reduced air pollution in urbancentres.

As Christians, we are reminded that wecare about the earth and the climate dueto our love for God (Psalm 24). We havea responsibility to be diligent caretakers ofthis beautiful province and planet that Godhas blessed us with (Genesis 1:26-28)and to care for our neighbours (Matthew25). This includes being aware of howclimate change adversely affects peopleliving around the world. By being con-scious of our environmental footprint andchanging our behaviours and habits, –and by working for policy change – wecan live out this responsibility. We shouldalso pray for wisdom for our leaders asthey are making public policy decisions(Jeremiah 29, 1 Timothy 2).

BC has made an inspiring start in actingon climate change. Let’s all play a part byresponding to climate change with moralconviction and concrete public actions.

When we do, we do this for the gloryof our Lord Jesus, in whom and

for whom all creation ismade (Colossians 1).

The author is a CPJ supporter andRegent College graduate student.

The views expressed here are the author's own.

Page 6: Catalyst Winter 2013

the Catalyst Winter 2013 6

Steve van de Hoef is theJustice and Faith Project

Coordinator for the ChristianReformed Church in Canada.

“As I read through the report, I kept look-ing for a surprise – something new – but Ididn’t find it.”

This was the observation of a longtimejustice advocate, shared in a recentmeeting to discuss the findings of theJustice and Faith Pilot Project. This pilotwas the first phase of a new researchpartnership between the Christian Reform-ed Church, the Centre for Philosophy,Religion, and Social Ethics at the Institutefor Christian Studies (CPRSE/ICS), andthe Centre for Community Based Re-search (CCBR). It explored the way thatChristian Reformed congregants under-stand the relationship between faith andjustice, and has received two years offurther funding from the Social Sciencesand Humanities Research Council ofCanada.

Like the aforementioned justice advocate,many of us would welcome a surprise, abig insight or a magic bullet; somethingwe don’t already know that we could useto convince others that doing justice is anintegral part of Christian faith and life, andencourage them to join in working forpublic justice and the common good.

The Justice and Faith Pilot Project’sfindings help us understand the land-scape of justice commitment and mobil-ization in the Christian Reformed Church.The Pilot Project report identifies commonperspectives on justice and faith; pin-points knowledge, attitudes, actions, andconditions that act as barriers andenablers to further action for justice; andsuggests possible ways of mobilizingpeople to greater justice engagement.

It found that understandings of justicevary widely, including a divide betweenseeing justice as restoration and renewaland seeing it as retribution and judge-ment. A similar continuum of understand-ing exists between seeing justice-basedaction as addressing systemic barriersversus alleviating individual needs.Reports of “doing justice” ranged fromserving in food banks or soup kitchensand participating in mission trips orservice projects to advocating to electedrepresentatives for policy change andgiving money to community developmentor policy organizations seen to be “doingjustice” (World Renew and Citizens forPublic Justice were commonly citedexamples).

Our research identified several enablersof justice engagement that resonatedwith people in our church:

• Casting a biblical vision of justice: People are more receptive to seeing justice as an integral part of Christianfaith, and more likely to act, when it isexpressed in biblical language or shown to be rooted in the witness of scripture.

• Identifying through personal experience: People are more likely toengage in justice work if they experience situations of injustice orhave contact with people who have suffered injustice. The church can playa role in facilitating these kinds of experiences and authentic connections and can create safe places for dialogue and for breaking down barriers.

• Leadership that promotes justice: Organizations such as CPJ, World Renew, World Vision, and others wereidentified as important leaders in demonstrating what “doing justice” looks like and in challenging people toget involved, then providing encouragement and support when they do. Leadership at local levels, including from youth who are enthusiastic about justice, was also considered necessary for justice engagement. Leaders who act as facilitators and mentors rather than asteachers or directors were identified as most desirable and effective in promoting justice engagement.

• Community context facilitates engagement: Several participants observed that when a community, or agroup of individuals within a community, was engaged in justice work, other individuals were more likely to also participate. This underscores the importance of seeingjustice mobilization as a community activity, not only as individual change.

Linking Justice and Faith in the ChristianReformed ChurchBy Steve van de Hoef

The full report of the Justice andFaith Pilot Project is available at:http://cpj.me/1hy6oJg

Your feedback and continuedparticipation is welcome as theJustice and Faith Project continues.To learn more, provide input, stayconnected, or get involved, contact Steve van de Hoef [email protected], Ron Kuipersat CPRSE/ICS, or Rich Janzen atCCBR.

Page 7: Catalyst Winter 2013

7 the Catalyst Winter 2013

Simon Lewchuk is a Policy Analyst at Citizens for

Public Justice. A similarversion of this op-ed waspublished online by the

Toronto Star, August 9, 2013.

Participatory Budgeting: Let Canadians Decide on Spending Priorities

By Simon Lewchuk

If this spring’s string of Senate scandalshas shown us anything, it’s that Canadianscare how our tax dollars are spent.

Yet those hundreds of thousands ofdollars in questionable housing, travel,and campaign expenses pale in com-parison to the $280 billion or so of tax-payers’ dollars that the federal govern-ment will spend this year with littlemeaningful consultation.

This isn’t to say that all these expend-itures are necessarily bad. Much of thispublic money goes to noble and necessarycauses: important income security pro-grams, affordable housing, communityinfrastructure, environmental protection,and food safety.

But it’s also being spent on corporate taxcuts, partisan political advertising, sub-sidies for big industry, and paint for theprime minister’s jet.

While the process for making thesechoices used to be more open anddemocratic, the federal government’scurrent budget process is anything but.

Operating under the guise of “con-sultation,” in June the federal FinanceCommittee announced its annual pre-budget process. People were invited to“share their priorities for the 2014 budget”via an online form. Many vacationingCanadians weren’t even aware of it.

The parameters of the pre-budget consult-ation process are becoming increasinglynarrow. In 2011, for example, respondentswere asked to provide their views onhow to “create quality, sustainable jobs,ensure relatively low rates of taxationand achieve a balanced budget.” To startfrom the premise that low taxes are non-negotiable doesn’t leave much room foran honest, frank discussion.

As a recent Canadian Press articlepointed out, the response rate to the pre-budget e-consultations has fallen sharplysince being introduced by the Con-servatives in 2006. Last year, only 642individuals and organizations across thecountry bothered to share their views,down from the peak of 7,760 in 2007.

People are losing faith in the process.

The Finance Committee used to takethe show on the road, making it easierfor people in places like Edmonton,Moncton, and Summerside to participatein public hearings. Now the hearings alltake place in Ottawa, attended bypowerful lobbyists promoting theirclients’ narrow interests.

As a result, those who can’t afford lobby-ists, such as low- and middle-incomeCanadians and the growing number ofcivil society organizations that have hadtheir funding cut, aren’t being heard.

Not that the real decision-making powerrests with the Finance Committee: ourcurrent government has been criticizedfor shrouding the budget process insecrecy, something they explicitlycampaigned against in 2006. Budgetdecisions are being made behind closeddoors and forced through the House ofCommons as part of massive omnibuslegislation.

It all leaves one seriously doubting thevalue and integrity of the current budgetconsultation process.

What we do with our money – asfamilies, communities, or countries –reflects our priorities, commitments, andvision of the sort of world we want to livein. Budget decisions demand a broad,inclusive decision-making process.

In other parts of the world, citizens arereclaiming their rightful roles in budget

decisions. Participatory budgeting, intro-duced in Porto Alegre, Brazil, in the late1980s, enables people to be part of ademocratic process to choose how toallocate public budgets. Ideas are sharedand public expenditures are identified,discussed, and prioritized in an open anddemocratic fashion. Everyone’s voicecounts.

The city of Guelph, Ont. has adopted aform of participatory budgeting in whichneighbourhood groups can apply forgrants for community projects. Citizenshave worked together to allocate munici-pal dollars for breakfast programs inlow-income neighbourhoods, languageclasses, community centre renovations,and various social and recreationalservices.

The experiments in participatory budget-ing show that citizens want a seat at thebudget table. Will our federal governmentcontinue to head in the opposite direct-ion, concentrating power in the hands ofa select few to make closed-door de-cisions, or will it engage Canadians withan open, participatory budget process?

Page 8: Catalyst Winter 2013

Groundings

the Catalyst Winter 2013

Miriam Illman-White is a thirdyear English major at Carleton

University. She was thesummer student at CPJ this

past summer. She is achildren and youth coordinatorfor a United Church in Ottawa.

Since September of this year, I havebeen living at Faith House, an intentionalinterfaith community in Ottawa. Thereare seven young adults of different faithtraditions living under one roof, engag-ing in intentional community work.

In the past two and a half months I havelearned many things about myself andabout what it means to live in anintentional community. Living with sixother people with different experiencesand backgrounds can be very challeng-ing as well as incredibly life giving.Anytime you have seven people sharingliving space and responsibilities you arebound to have some degree of tensionover doing the dishes or leaving thetoilet seat up. The support and inspirat-ion I receive from my roommates, how-ever, is what I will remember for the restof my life. At Faith House we are asintentional about our work in the com-munity as we are committed to checkingin on one another, sharing our valuesand sharing our faith.

We have been living together for lessthan three months and we already feelsafe in voicing our concerns about ourindividual lives, futures, and our concernsfor the world. I have had meaningful con-

versations about life, love, faith, self-esteem, politics and how all these thingsintersect with each of my roommates.The fact that we have built this trust andsafety in such a short time is reallyexciting. Expressing the concerns closestto your heart can be intimidating andvulnerability is scary; when you feel safe,however, being open can be a liberatingexperience.

My roommates not only try to create asafe space for people of all walks of lifeas a community, they are also incrediblyinspiring individuals. Each has their ownworldview, talents, struggles, and passions,and each one inspires me to keep workingfor a more just world.

This past week our intentional reflectionprompt was, “What inspires you to lead?”At first we had many current affairs jokessuch as, “Poor leadership inspires me tolead, looking at you Mr. Mayor of Toronto!”But then we delved into more seriouscontemplation. I missed the house meetingwhere everyone shared their responses,but I know what I would have said.

My community, my family, and my house-mates inspire me to lead, watching eachof them reach for their goals, striving to

make the world a more just place. One ofmy roommates is incredibly passionateabout buying local produce and products.Another is passionate about eco-friendlytechnologies. The third is passionateabout gender equality. The fourth ispassionate about stopping destructiveCanadian mining in other countries. Thefifth is passionate about mental health.The sixth is passionate about globaldevelopment. While their focuses andfaith traditions differ, their passions allintersect and are rooted in a call forsocial and environmental justice.

My experiences at Faith House havebrought me closer to my own faith as Ilead and follow in humble devotion andam surrounded by inspiration. Althoughliving in community can be difficult, it isdefinitely worth it.

Faith House By Miriam Illman-White