Catalystthe

We rejoice this year to be celebrating CPJ’s 50th anniversary.In deciding what to lift up as a symbol of what this stands for,we didn’t choose the gold so often associated with 50thanniversaries (we didn’t even think of it!) but fire. Firesymbolizes passion. Fire is God uses to call Moses to a role ofleadership. Fire is how John says the one who comes after himwill baptize followers. Fire is how the Holy Spirit appears to thedisciples gathered after Jesus’ death to call them to bearwitness and give leadership to new ways of being.

In 1962, the Christian Action Foundation (CAF) was founded inAlberta. It pushed for Christian action in politics, labour, andeducation, energized by the vision of a radically differentsociety based on gospel values. While some of the originalissues have changed, there are others we continue to work on,including justice for Aboriginal peoples, an end to poverty, anda need for government that serves the best interests of thepeople. In Ontario, the Committee for Justice and Libertyemerged at the same time, and was officially incorporated fiftyyears ago in 1963 as the CJL Foundation. It was later joined bythe CAF, and eventually became known as Citizens for PublicJustice.

Since then, we’ve worked to inspire and transform public policyin Canada. Significant moments have included leading for amoratorium on the proposed Mackenzie pipeline in 1975,ongoing solidarity with Aboriginal peoples’ rights, calling forsustaining the social safety net in response to the harsh 1995federal budget, moving the office from Toronto to Ottawa, andmany more.

And an abundance of people of faith, courage, and insight—including you—have led to lasting change and exciting visionsfor the future.

We’ll be sharing our story throughout the year in a diversity ofways: each Catalyst will have an article from a key member,with Lee Hollaar writing in this edition about past and futuresolidarity with those on the margins. We also have a greatlineup of writers who’ll be sharing online monthly reflections—Harry Kits, Kathy Vandergrift, and Murray MacAdam are allonline now – on how they have contributed to and learned fromCPJ’s work for transformation.

And we’ve got special events planned! John Olthuis will bespeaking in Edmonton at an evening kicking off our annualmeeting on May 30. We’ll be launching our new reflection,prayer, and study resource for ecological justice in Winnipeg ata gathering in September. Folks in Toronto are planning anexciting gala, also in September, with speakers , music, andgreat food. We’ll be having an Ottawa event in November.

Details about what is happening and where, as well asreflections, can be found on our anniversary page atwww.cpj.ca/50years. Please contact us if you’re interested inorganizing something in your own region.

We look forward to celebrating the future with you!

Citizens for Public Justice Spring 2013

Fifty Years of Working for Change Together

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

Spring 2013 (Volume 36, Number 1) ISSN 0824-2062Agreement no. 40022119Editor: Sarah Shepherd

the Catalyst subscription: $20 (three issues)

The Catalyst is also availableelectronically: if you would prefer toreceive an electronic copy of theCatalyst, simply contact us atcpj@cpj.ca.

We love to hear from you! E-mail us with your ideas andfeedback at cpj@cpj.ca.

Connect with us online

facebook.com/citizensforpublicjustice

twitter.com/publicjustice

the Catalyst Spring 2013 2

In Review

We’re continuing work on the PovertyTrends Scorecard, which was launchedon the International Day for theEradication of Poverty last October. Thefirst section, “Poverty Trends – Canada2012” has been widely circulated,downloaded, and quoted on TV andradio, and we’re continuing to use theinfo in our writing and social mediaposts. “Income, Wealth, and Inequality”has just come out, and we’re lookingforward to releasing two more reports onspending patterns and the labourmarket. Visit cpj.ca to check it out foryourselves!

Citizens for Public Justice 309 Cooper Street, #501 Ottawa, Ontario K2P 0G5 tel.: 613-232-0275 toll-free: 1-800-667-8046 e-mail: cpj@cpj.ca 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,justice, and stewardship.

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

Housing for All

We kicked off 2013 by calling foraccessible and affordable housing for allalong with our partners at Dignity for All:the campaign for a poverty-free Canada.The housing campaign included a widelyshared infographic, online articles thatexplored housing issues in more depth,prayer and worship resources, and a callto action. The focus was Bill C-400,which called for a national housingstrategy. While we were disappointedwith the bill's defeat at second readingon February 27, we celebrate the strongresponses that came from acrossCanada.

There’s been a full slate of meetingswith MPs about Bill C-400: variouscombinations of Simon Lewchuk, BradWassink, and Joe Gunn have hadproductive meetings with Conservativeand Liberal MPs from Ontario, Alberta,Saskatchewan, and the Yukon.

CPJ continues to be present at theongoing All-Party Anti-Poverty Caucusmeetings: Simon attended Decemberones that focused on Working IncomeTax Benefit, and Joe and Brad went tothe February one that focused onincome inequality.

And we also participated, on ParliamentHill and on Victoria Island, in Decemberand January events that were part of thevigourous Idle No More movementcalling for greater recognition of therights of Aboriginal peoples in Canada,and for protection of our ecologicalsystems.

Thanks to all who contributed to themaking of our video! It provides an eyeinto what the key issues we’re workingon are, and some of the many peoplewho are making CPJ’s work happen.Take a look: www.youtube.com/c4pj.

Work on a worship, reflection, and studyresource following in the footsteps of thesuccessful Living Justice: A GospelResponse to Poverty is underway! It willbe available in September: get in touchwith Brad Wassink(orders@cpj.ca) if youwant to order advance copies or make aspecial contribution and be recognizedas a sponsor.

From left: Simon Lewchuk, Harold Albrecht, MPfor Kitchener-Conestoga, and Brad Wassink

CPJ on the Hill

Scorecard

Video Online

Coming Soon: New Resource

3 the Catalyst Spring 2013

Taking Back Compassion: Reducing InequalityBy Sarah Shepherd

Churches have a long history of speak-ing out against poverty. Only a scatteringof statements have been made thatspecifically name inequality, however.But if we go as far back as 1984, we dofind a good example from The UnitedChurch of Canada, responding in depthto the world’s “moral crisis” and sayingwe need government policies to “movesociety in the direction of greater equalityand increased security of income for thepoor.”

At the time the bottom 20 per cent ofCanadians only had 3.4 per cent of thenational income, whereas the top 20 percent had 40.6 per cent. The 1984statement has particular resonance withCPJ’s newest poverty research thatfinds that things have only gotten worse.Who is speaking out for change?

So where are we today?Jim Sinclair of North Bay, a congre-gational minister at the time and theUnited Church’s General Secretary from2003 to 2006, says: “Looking back to ourbest intentions in 1984, it’s very clear weare still a long way from achieving the

right balance between commerce andcommunity. In my adult lifetime I havenot felt the contrast between the wealthyand the more marginalized as much asin recent years. The highest level of gov-ernment increasingly demonizes themost vulnerable in both attitude andsocial policy.”

Statistics from 2010, released lastsummer, bear this out. The lowest 20 percent now has even less, 2.5 per cent,and the wealthiest group more, with 47.5per cent. While by some measurementsthe economy is doing well, as weemerge from the 2008–09 recession therising tide is not floating all boats.

Who is being affected?Inequality is driven in part by loss ofsecure, well-paid, and unionized jobs,with one in four Canadian workersearning less than $13.33 per hour. Thegreatest toll is on the poorest: unequalsocieties are most stressful for thosewith low incomes, affecting immunesystems, cardiovascular health, andaging. On the flip side, societies thathave a greater level of equality have alsobeen shown to have higher levels oftrust, educational success, and socialmobility.

Greater equality benefits us all. AndCanadians know that: the BroadbentInstitute’s poll on inequality issues from2012 shows that almost nine out of tenCanadians think that it’s time forgovernments to tackle the problem ofincome inequality. Two-thirds would be“very” or “somewhat” willing to payslightly higher taxes to protect socialprograms like health care, pensions, andaccess to post-secondary education.

What is Canada doing?Last year, MP Scott Brison (Liberal)introduced motion M-315, supported bymembers of all parties, asking theStanding Committee on Finance (FINA)to undertake a study of income inequalityin Canada. Brison named churches asbeing “on the front lines.” If the federalgovernment wants to address the socialand the economic well-being ofCanadians, it should fully support thefinance committee’s upcoming study onincome inequality. We’re concerned,however, that only one meeting –

Now Available: “Income, Wealth,and Inequality”This second report in our four-partPoverty Trends Scorecard, followingup on the release of “Poverty Trends– Canada 2012” last October, looksat income and inequality trends inCanada. While many are doing betterthan they were in the 2008–09recession, the gap between therichest and poorest Canadians isgrowing at an alarming rate.

The report is comprised of seventwo-page fact sheets, covering arange of topics from income trends,to the impact of inequality, to thegrowing concentration of wealth. Visit www.cpj.ca/povertytrends todownload the whole report or theindividual fact sheets, as well as forinformation about the entire project.

nowhere near enough time – may be allthat the Finance Committee devotes tothe study.

What role can we play?A first step is learning about the issuesand sharing them with others. Our“Income, Wealth, and Inequality” report(see sidebar) is broken down intoaccessible fact sheets. A recent op-edby CPJ staff on motion M-315 waspublished in the Hill Times and is on ourwebsite at www.cpj.ca. You can contactyour MP about motion M-315, andencourage the government to takeaction to halt the growth of inequality.

And we can continue to work towardwhat Jim Sinclair describes as “My hopefor a more just community – Isaiah’s‘green shoots’ out of dry ground – from anew generation who illustrate a resolveto ‘take back’ compassion and thecommon good as primary values inpublic life.”

Inequality issues have recently come to theforefront with the Occupy movement. However,it’s important not to focus only on the richestone per cent of the population.

Sarah serves asCommunications

Coordinator at CPJ.

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the Catalyst Spring 2013 4

Brad serves as Public Justice Intern at CPJ.

On June 30, 2012, the federal govern-ment made drastic cuts to health carebeing provided to refugees by theInterim Federal Health Program (IFHP).This program includes coverage formedication, eye care, dental care,prosthetic devices, and wheelchairs.Now provinces and refugee sponsors,many of whom are chur-ches, are forced to coverthese expenses.

Health care professionalsrespondedHealth care providers werepersistent and unified intheir requests for the cutsto be rescinded. A nation-wide coalition that includedthe Canadian associationsfor nurses, dentists, phar-macists, family physicians,surgeons, psychiatrists,midwives, social workers,optometrists, pediatricians,and medical students con-ducted research, wroteletters, and rallied acrossCanada.

They launched a program that sharedvivid examples of unnecessary costsand confusion over the new rules. Onewoman, 36 weeks pregnant, told to bring$3,000 to her next obstetrics appoint-ment because she was no longercovered. After weeks of investigationand worry, IFHP reinstated her cover-age. In many cases, care is simply beingdenied. A young girl from a malaria-affected many country developed a highfever but couldn’t have tests to rule outmalaria. Elsewhere, a man was deniedurgent eye surgery to prevent blindness.

Letters were sent to the Prime Minister,the Ministers of Citizenship and Immi-gration and of Natural Resources, andthe provincial and territorial Ministers ofHealth and of Citizenship and Immi-gration. On June 18, health care workersfrom coast to coast held a National Dayof Action, including an impressive eventon Parliament Hill attended by CPJ.

And they made an impact. On June 26,the government quietly announced thatthe cuts would not apply to government-sponsored refugees. It was a minor

victory, as there would still be limited orno supplemental health care coveragefor privately sponsored refugees.Advocates persisted, holding candlelightvigils across the country on December15 to call for full reinstatement of healthcare.

Churches had little impactThe churches’ responses lacked thepersistence and unity of the medicalcommunity. Many wondered where thechurches even stood on the issue. Yet,these cuts will hit them hard in both theirministries and financial health.

Rose Dekker, Refugee Coordinator forthe Christian Reformed World ReliefCommittee, explains the threat. “Chur-ches and community groups alreadyraise between $20,000 and $30,000 tosettle a refugee family. It  has been  ahuge benefit that they didn’t have toworry about those additional costs.” Sheworries about refugees arriving withserious and expensive medical needs, adefinite possibility given what refugeeshave survived. “This could cause achurch to go bankrupt,” she says, “andas we promote refugee sponsorshipamong our constituent groups, we haveto be upfront about the potential risk.”

Great work was done by some faithcommunities. Anglican, Lutheran, andPresbyterian leaders wrote to thegovernment requesting that the cuts be

rescinded. The Centre for Israel andJewish Affairs, as well as the ChristianReformed, Quaker, and United churchesprepared information for their members,encouraging them to write to their MPs.

Hospitality House Refugee Ministry inWinnipeg, along with the Anglican dio-

cese of Rupert’s Land, suedCitizenship and ImmigrationCanada for breaching theircontractual obligation of pro-viding the IHFP. Students fromCanadian Mennonite Univer-sity in Winnipeg started the “59Cents Campaign for RefugeeHealth Care” that encouragedCanadians to send 59 cents –their portion of the allegedtaxpayer savings – to their MP.

Yet these efforts could havemade a larger impact with morecollaboration, persistence, andpromotion. Dekker says, “If allthe churches had united, per-haps we could have accom-plished something already.”

Perhaps they still can. On April 4,Refugee Rights Day, the CanadianCouncil for Refugees (CCR) andAmnesty International are launching anew campaign with CPJ’s support.Colleen French of the CCR explains.“The ‘Proud to Protect Refugees’ cam-paign is asking organizations to make apublic declaration of their support forrefugees and people seeking support inCanada.”

Citizens for Public Justice will work toensure the voice of Canadian churchesis heard in defence of our commonministry in service of refugees. FromRefugee Rights Day in April to RefugeeSunday in June, churches will haveplenty of opportunities in the comingmonths to show they are proud toprotect refugees.

Refugee Health: Churches Need to Speak OutBy Brad Wassink

People across the country sent their 59-cent “saving” back to Ottawa to show their support for meeting refugee needs.

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5 the Catalyst Spring 2013

Lee is a member of the CPJ board of directors

representing B.C. and theYukon, and chair of theBuilding Public Justice

Together campaign.

As part of our 50th anniversary celeb-rations, we are inviting key members toreflect in the Catalyst on what involve-ment in CPJ means to them. This issue'sreflector is Lee Hollaar of Aldergrove,British Columbia.

Last month our church dedicated aSunday offering to the local food bank. Itwas a pleasure to think and act locally,without losing a perspective of whatneeds to change globally. The very nextday the same food bank’s director wason radio explaining the challenges theorganization is facing. Clients’ needs forthe services have gone up substantially.Complicated by other demands of“competing” organizations in the comm-unity, donations of both cash and foodwere down. The commitment to servingpeople had to come first, he said. Iffunds didn’t arrive shortly, serviceswould need to be cut further. They weredoing everything possible to meet theneeds of the voiceless poor. 

That is a common story of other supportagencies in Canada and the US. Whereis the voice of the poor? Who is ensuringthat society, its citizens, churches, andgovernments can see and hear the mostvulnerable among us? And for any of usto remain silent implies a callousnessand insensitivity to suffering around us:an act inconsistent with the gospel’srepeated call to remember the poor.

The story of this food bank is not ananomaly. The overall atmosphere inCanada today for charities is notpromising; many are facing similarfinancial stress, and planning for thefuture is often impossible given thestruggles to stay open today. StatisticsCanada has recently verified thataverage annual donations fell from $457per person in 2007 to $446 in 2010. Andwhen adjusted for inflation, this declinebecomes more significant.

And that is one reason I am a member ofCitizens for Public Justice: to be one ofthose who speaks for the poor and themarginalized. Fifty years ago a group ofdeeply committed Christians foundedthis organization. This year we celebrate

our 50th anniversary – animportant moment in thelife of any person, or anyorganization – honouringCPJ’s achievements overthe past half century. Theboard, staff, and volun-teers are responsiblyplanning how we cansustain this important andsuccessful ministry. Stew-ardship of resources andfuture financial planningare all part of that.

In late 2012 we completeda feasibility study anddetermined that CPJneeds a future-focusedcampaign to financially support our work,in light of current financial challenges.This study was undertaken with thecapable assistance of Janet deVries, aprofessional with Christian StewardshipServices. Her effort received much-appreciated input from some of our keydonors. The board has now adopted aplan that will focus on supporting ourstrategic objectives, including ecologicaljustice and poverty elimination;expanding our very successful youthinternship program; and purchasingproperty as a way to give CPJ’s publicjustice work greater presence and betterassurance of a more certain financialfuture.

These are exciting challenges forChristians committed to social justice.We want to move forward enabled byand honouring our story of advocacy inour current democratic context. Anadopted statement of one of theChristian communities involved infounding and supporting CPJ states:“We call on government to do publicjustice and to protect the freedoms andrights of individuals, groups, andinstitutions; so that each may freely dothe tasks God gives. We urgegovernments to ensure the well-being ofall citizens…”

Mariel Angus leading workshop on human trafficking. Mariel wasCPJ’s second public justice intern in 2008–2009. Mariel went on tocomplete a graduate degree and lives and works in London, Ont.

Celebrating 50 YearsBuilding Public Justice Together

By Lee Hollaar

The gift of CPJ membershipIf you've received the Catalyst, you'reprobably a CPJ member already. Do you know someone else whowould support this work of justicewith a community of dedicatedpeople creating change together?

CPJ membership is a gift you canpass on to others: to learn more e-mail us at cpj@cpj.ca orvisit “Support CPJ” at www.cpj.ca.

For the important work of social justiceto take place in the name of Christ weneed the continued support and

commitment of those compelled by faithto do this ministry. Some are still the“originals” and others have joined usalong the way. CPJ’s support base,however, is aging. We need to engageyounger supporters to do justice: “tellingthe next generation the praiseworthydeeds of the Lord” (Ps. 78:4). CPJ iscommitted to advocating for justice nowbut is also currently undertaking arenewal campaign of our mission. Wecannot allow this commitment to wane,we must “Speak up..for the rights of allwho are destitute” (Prov. 31:8).

searching for funds, because the benefits of affordable housing greatly outweigh the investment.

CPJ: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced? How have you overcome them?

NV: The work with various levels of government, communitygroups, churches, and developers is steady and demanding. There can be a lot of red tape. Securing funding can be slow. For Gower, intense contact with the mayor, councillors, and planning department was a major help. Community opposition to affordable housing can also be a challenge. The major communitygroup for Gower was in full opposition. Since it was an election year, Council gave us a flat “no.” But we won our appeal at the Ontario Municipal Board.

CPJ: What more can be done?

NV: Many faith groups are doing housing advocacy. Recently, the MultiFaith Alliance to End Homelessness (23 faith groups in Toronto) was a major leader in the campaign for a national housing strategy. They, with many others, asked their members to contact their MPsto support Bill C-400, the Secure, Adequate, Accessibleand Affordable Housing Act.

A national housing strategy is essential. It demonstrates the shared responsibility for affordable housing with federal, provincial, and municipal governments, the private sector, Aboriginal groups, andother key stakeholders. It would provide a framework for funding and incentives to build, operate, and repair affordable housing and other crucial housing supports. It would ensure that funding was available and used in an effective and timely manner. It would give us a coordinated basis to work from.

the Catalyst Spring 2013 6

CPJ: How did you become aware of the need for affordable housing in Canada?

NV: I’m a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a lay Catholic volunteer organization dedicated to serving the poor. Anyone can call us for help – with food, rent, clothing, or bills – and we go to visit people in their homes. I have been in dreadful places I could not believe anyone could live in. Over 80,000 families are on the waiting list for a decent, affordable place to live in Toronto alone.

CPJ: What sort of difference does affordable housing make?

NV: Adequate, affordable housing has a dramatic impact onpeople’s physical and emotional health. People with an affordable place to live are better able to live a self-sustaining life, pay their bills, and care for their families.

It’s also been proven that with affordable housing, public costs for health care, correctional services, and more drop sharply. Every dollar invested in affordable housing puts two dollars back into the economy through construction jobs, taxes, and the stability that gives people an incentive to go to work.

CPJ: Tell us about your experience in developing affordable housing in Toronto.

NV: In 1987 the Ontario government brought in legislation that allowed non-profits – not just government – to buildaffordable housing. I jumped at the opportunity and we established the VincentPaul Family Homes Corporation.After seven years of determined work with politicians, businesses, construction companies, and architects we built 164 mixed-income (1/4 market; 3/4 rent-geared-to-income) family apartments.

The building, named Gower Park Place, won the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association’s “best non-profit affordable housing” award. We heard residents say things like “I’m living in this attractive place – maybe I have some self-worth,” and “I see people going to work every day – maybe I could do that.” Gower has had 81 per cent of its rent-geared-to-incomefamilies move out to buy their own homes, allowing others to move in. The president of the Residents Association reported recently that many more residentshave gotten jobs, and that the children have all graduated from high school, often going on to secondary education.

CPJ: What would you like to do next?

NV: We want to build more. We have established a new non-profit corporation – AT HOME in East York Family Homes – to build 250 new mixed-income affordable units for mother-led households. The City of Toronto has allocated two acres of surplus land, but other levelsof government are no longer providing funding. We are

Building Homes, Building LivesAn interview with CPJ member and affordable housing developer Nick Volk.

Nick is an affordable housing developer andbuilder who lives in Toronto where he volunteers

with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul,Rooftops Canada, and Habitat for Humanity.

7 the Catalyst Spring 2013

Joe serves as Executive Director of CPJ.

The future price of oil is a major con-sideration. The industry estimates thatanything less than $80 per barrel makesoil sands production uneconomical.Although the current price of oil is almost$100, there are enormous changes onthe horizon. The USA, which currentlyimports 1.4 million barrels a day fromAlberta, may soon be swamped with itsown oil. Some analysts suggest thatAmerica has sufficient reserves in shaleformations, which are now accessiblewith newer technologies like hydraulicfracturing (“fracking”), and could becomethe world’s largest oil producer by 2020.Mid-western USA no longer seems sothirsty.

If President Obama was serious abouthis promise to take climate changeseriously, even hinting at a cap-and-trade proposal in his State of the Unionaddress, Ottawa would finally be forcedinto comparable action. Could placing aprice on carbon and imposing vehiclemileage efficiencies and reductions inenergy use, coupled with the use ofmore natural gas, renewable energy,and new supplies of American fuels,further hinder the expansion of Canadianpetroleum exports?

Canadian crisesThe implications for Canada are huge.More than 99 per cent of Canada’s oiland gas exports go to the United States,increasing from 11 per cent to 22 percent of Canada’s global trade between1992 and 2011.

Alberta has already announced a loss ofalmost $6 billion in revenues, asAmerican buyers receive a “discount” on

Recent issues of the Catalyst haveprinted reflections on various issuesrelated to energy projects in Canada:John Olthuis on the Mackenzie ValleyPipeline, Tony Clarke on the KeystoneXL, and both Randy Haluza-DeLay andWill Braun on the Northern Gatewayproposal. How can a public justice lensallow us to decipher the politics ofenergy projects and pipelines?

Many Canadians have been reminded ofPrime Minister Harper’s 2006 referenceto Canada as “an emerging energysuperpower.” There was the expectationthen that the enormous reserves ofbitumen found in the Athabasca oilsands would yield fabulous, eternalwealth for Canada, with estimatedpotential oil reserves among the topthree countries on the planet. Some 1.7million barrels per day (bpd) are nowsqueezed from the oil sands, withproduction plans rising to 3.7 million bpdby 2021.

Or maybe not.

the lower price of Canadian exports.Ottawa suffers a smaller revenue loss,but the Harper government courtsalternative buyers by supporting everypipeline proposal industry envisions.

At least four different pipeline optionsare on the table (see chart this page).The Keystone XL proposal would carryAlberta bitumen to refineries on theTexan Gulf coast. Opposition to thisproject has resulted in the Sierra Club’sfirst act of civil disobedience in theenvironmental advocacy organization’s120-year history, when activists werearrested for tying themselves to thefence at the White House.

The Northern Gateway proposal, heavilyopposed by Aboriginal people and thegeneral public in British Columbia,would allow energy to be exported tonew markets in Asia. Expansion of theexisting Kinder-Morgan line to theFraser Valley faces many of the sameoppositional concerns.

Opposition leader Thomas Mulcairprefers shipping western oil to EasternCanada as a “pro-business, commonsense solution” which would mean re-versing Enbridge’s Line 9 that currentlyruns from Quebec into Sarnia, Ontario.

In March, for only $399, you can attendthe Manning Centre’s annual confer-ence, designed to “build Canada’s con-servative movement.” The questionposed in their aptly-titled “EnergyDragon’s Den” is not whether morepipelines are needed to conserve theland, defend the climate or respectAboriginal rights – but simply, “shouldour oil go west, east, or south?” Can-adians need to consider other altern-atives, which now include leaving agood portion of oil sands production inthe ground.

Pipelines and Public JusticeBy Joe Gunn

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Groundings

the Catalyst Spring 2013

Nettie is a Saskatchewanorganic farmer, ethics

professor and avid gardener,cook, and eater.

Looking out of my window on this latewinter afternoon I am staring into theunblinking, unrelenting face of ourprairie winter. The bright sunshine andblue sky can’t deceive me. The tem-perature hasn’t climbed above -15degrees in days and still threatens toplummet to -30 or colder on somenights. My beloved garden is buriedunder a thick blanket of snow.

But even in the depths of winter, I feelcertain that spring with its hope ofresurrection, will come. And when thewarm weather arrives, all this snow willmelt away – first in the wide-open fields,then along the fence lines, and finallyalong the north side of the lilac hedgethat shelters my garden. And maybeeven before that last ribbon of snow hasyielded, a few brave shoots of aspara-gus will emerge to signal that the powerof new life can no longer be suppressed.

Gardening is both a humble and ahumbling business. It requires literally“down and dirty” digging in the soil,planting seeds, weeding and wondering.In an age when we are increasinglyreliant on technology, my garden pro-vides a welcome alternative mode ofbeing. It opens the way to a functionalorganic relationship with earth, remind-ing me that my life is intimately inter-woven with, and ultimately reliant on, thesoil and sun. Growing food not onlyenhances ecological knowledge, itengenders a deep respect and awe forthe intricacy, diversity, and sheer powerof the plant, insect, bird, and soil lifesurrounding us all.

Cultivating a mindful relationship withour food has never been more challeng-ing or more important. Unlike precedinggenerations, the majority of us no longerlive among those who grow our food.Much of the food sold in Canadiangrocery stores has travelled long dis-tances. And most eaters know remark-ably little about their daily meals: Wherewas the food grown? By whom? Underwhat conditions?

The complex global food systemdisplayed in supermarket aisles has

serious ecological, economic, political,and moral consequences. Food fromaround the world has come millions offreight miles with the attendant green-house gas emissions. The uniformappearance of fresh produce can onlybe achieved by suppressing nature’sdiversity with intensive chemical herb-icides, insecticides, fungicides, andfertilizers.

These obvious ecological outcomes areaccompanied by economic and politicaldynamics. Out-of-season fresh fruits,vegetables, and flowers are made pos-sible through the conversion of localfood-growing fields into export crops.Millions of peasants and small-scalefarmers have been impoverished anddisplaced as land, here and elsewhere,is consolidated and converted. This ruraldisplacement represents an incalculableloss of social well-being, familial andcommunity integrity, and cultural diversity.

But like the asparagus in my garden, amovement of peasants, small-scalefarmers, and indigenous peoples’organizations from around the world, theVia Campesina, (which includesCanada’s National Farmers Union) isdefying the odds. As global, corporateagribusiness and financial interests,enabled by deregulation and tradeagreements, are usurping control overagricultural production and markets, theVia Campesina is engaging everywherein political, ecological, and culturalstruggles to wrest control of food back

into the hands of local communities.Within the framework of food sover-eignty, farmers and their allies areworking to protect seeds, land, water,and cultures.

Food sovereignty brings farmerstogether with citizens in the sharedinterest of living and eating withinsustainable, just, and life-giving foodsystems. Food sovereignty ensuresgreater self-reliance, diversity, andresilience in our own communities. Andit changes our relationships with theearth, our lunches, and each other.

In our current food regime, a pottedtomato plant, a kitchen or communitygarden, or a farmers’ market are allsmall spaces of independence from theglobal food system. Growing some ofour own food, knowing some of thosewho grow it, or even something moreabout the places where it is grown is anantidote to indifference or arrogance. Itawakens wonder.

In my own life and work, my garden notonly affords me the practical benefits ofdelicious, nutritious, fresh food, it is aplace of delight, new life, and Easter joy.

Growing Food Sovereignty in GardensBy Nettie Wiebe

The global Via Campesina movement works to protect diverse food species.

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