Advocacy

Entering A New Year

Coming to the end of 2022 and preparing to enter a new year of 2023, I was struck by a recent quote from the Daily Reflections of Richard Rohr. He wrote, what is, is the great teacher.  A few wonderings came to mind around my responsibility and how I am being called to respond to what it is that is my great teacher today. What is it that I am to learn from these wonderings?

Image: Unsplash/Max Kukurudziak

On the global stage there has been a deepening awareness of oneness with our Ukrainian neighbors. Many of the world powers are sending food and necessities of life as well as the needed armaments to repel the daily attacks on innocent people.  In Canada, our country is welcoming Ukrainian women and children and providing safe accommodations, education and emotional support.  These expressions of kindness call me to also look at other folks, such as refugees and immigrants from Afghanistan, Somalia, Haiti, Syria, who are also called neighbor. I hope that my small effort in welcoming a single mother and her young son to our transition home will lead to a lasting and long- term friendship.

Image: Unsplash/Matt Collamer

There is the growing concern for safety and well-being of the unhoused. These homeless people live rough in our city parks and on vacant public land. The homeless phenomena are visible in every city in our province and even in small towns. Contrary to what is often spoken or printed in our newspapers, homelessness is not a personal choice.  Even I know someone who is one paycheck away from living on the street or in a shelter where she does not feel safe. I realize that solving this crisis will take time and energy on the part of committed citizens in many cities.  However, I believe I am being called to see without judgment the person standing in front of me. Stopping for a small encounter or a chat might be welcomed and allow that person to feel connected with another human being even if only for a moment.

“I believe I am being called to see without judgment the person standing in front of me.”

Oftentimes, many of us say or have heard others use the phrase, it is what it is, trying to put into words a response to situations that are happening personally or globally. Entering into the new year of 2023, could we attend to the question what is this event or situation trying to teach me?

Sister Ann MacDonald, CSJ

UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal, Canada

Today was the first full day of meetings at COP 15, an international meeting of 196 countries working toward an agreement on biodiversity protection — a ten-year plan.

What’s biodiversity?

Image: Unsplash/Sonika Agarwal

Biodiversity is the term used for the wide variety of living things on earth — everything from bacteria and fungi to insects, rodents, birds, fish, mammals and more. The complex relationship formed between different life-forms is what enables ecosystems to flourish.

Why does it matter?

All life-forms depend on healthy ecosystems to survive, from the oxygen we breathe to the food we eat. But earth’s ecosystems are under threat due, in part, from biodiversity loss caused by human patterns of economic activity like cutting down forests, clearing wetlands for things like housing and highways, and drilling for mines in ways that strain species in the area.

What are some of the issues the delegates are grappling with?

Here are a two:

  1. Around the world, Indigenous peoples are playing a critical role in protecting biodiversity. But they are also in endless disputes to get title to their traditional lands. Indigenous advocates and their allies are pushing for language about Indigenous rights and title to be included in the COP 15 agreement.

  2. Another issue concerns nature-based solutions to biodiversity loss.  One of the key questions for our global human community is: How can we shift economic patterns so that hundreds of billions of dollars will flow toward protecting land, water and earth species rather than making billions by extracting raw materials from nature?

There is much to figure out but the world must move forward.  As a youth delegate said this morning, “The dysfunctional status quo is not acceptable.”

Sue Wilson, CSJ | Office for Systemic Justice | Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT

From the UN rapporteur statement on Housing as a Human Right we read:

Housing is a human right.  It is enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in many international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.  Under international law everyone has the right to adequate housing.

Image: Michael Jasmund/ Unsplash

On Friday, October 14th the Mayor of Peterborough declared a state of emergency due of the lack of suitable housing and/or shelter beds available for the homeless as the winter months set in.  With an interest in homelessness, a couple of us decided to attend the gathering at All Saints Anglican Church that evening to hear what is being proposed and to get involved in some way.  Approximately 100+ citizens gathered to listen to ‘the folks’ who were affected by this crisis along with their support workers from various Agencies advocating on their behalf for a reasonable and viable solution.  In the audience were also the candidates who are seeking to be elected Mayor or Council Member in the upcoming Municipal election. Other citizens wanting to understand the current situation in our City  were present and are willing to offer support in wherever ways might emerge from meetings such as this one.    

The Agenda for the evening was set by the group as each person in the room had a chance to introduce themselves and state the issue(s) they wanted heard and addressed that evening.    

Key statements from the meeting were statements about feeling discouraged at the response of current city leaders who have not addressed homelessness sufficiently;

  • shelters need more caring staff;

  • rules in shelters need to be explained in a caring manner;

  • Federal and Provincial governments need to come forward with funding;

  • frustrated because NO changes will happen until new city council comes into power;

  • income support programs need to be enhanced;

  • family shelters are needed;

  • places for youth need to be set up rather than having to couch surf;

  • tents in parks or at City hall are taken from the folks and thrown in garbage;

  • ODSP and OW is not adequate to live a healthy life;

  • POLICE PRESENCE IS NOT A RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS. 

No matter who they are, people want to be respected and “looked in the eye” when they are spoken to.

On the other hand some positive comments were shared which gave HOPE to the audience:  to learn and become educated about the role of the Municipal Mayor and Council and keep them on task to resolve the issue; look at Tiny Homes /Sleeping Cabins as a possibility to house people this winter until a more permanent solution can be found and funded; listening and sharing ideas with each other as this meeting has done will engage creativity among the group; a few people with ideas can make something happen (Ex.  Kawartha Food Share began at a round table meeting and now serves hundreds of people in our community); once a human connection is made with a homeless person, I will be changed; use our power and our voice to speak up on behalf of those who have no voice; name this issue of homelessness as a violation of human rights when we get a chance in a public setting; take away one idea from this gathering and put it into action on behalf of the homeless.

Compassion is the wish to see others free from suffering (Dalai Lama).

Know Your Local Waters

KNOW YOUR LOCAL WATERS

Last Friday afternoon a presentation by Paul Baines, our Blue Communities Program Manager, and Glen Caradus, was held at Mount St. Joseph in Peterborough for Sisters, Associates and Staff. We gathered to participate in an interactive game to learn more about the ‘waters’ surrounding our City of Peterborough and its local area. 

A large map with various symbols decorated the floor of the gathering space –with our waterways as the focus.  The game was created by Glen (Caradus) in collaboration with First Peoples of Curve Lake to explain how the land and water are essential to all of life and that we need to give reverence to it and respect and learn what the water is wanting to teach us. 

Sisters Ann and Kitty | Photos: Sr Ann Karges

Teams were set and dice thrown to determine what square on the map the team would move to.  On the spot where the dice landed various questions were asked - about Ecology, Indigenous life, Nature, and if you drew a Chance card then the Team was asked to sing a song that was sung at a campfire.

The afternoon passed quickly and there was appreciation for the creative way of getting people involved and of course some of our competitive nature came to the fore when it came to winning!

Below we share a video, An Adventure in Understanding, a beautiful reflection and understanding about our local water sources.

Sister Ann MacDonald, csj

 

Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada Proud to be a Blue Community.

SOD TURNING

Housing is needed….

Sister Joan, pictured centre, in London Ontario with members of local non-profit housing advocates.

The Vision SoHo Alliance is responding to the Mayor’s call to build 3000+ units of affordable housing.

Six not-for-profit housing developers turned the sod on Friday, Oct. 14 in response to the Mayor’s call and to the desperate need for housing for many of our citizens.  The housing crisis in the city is on everyone’s mind as the fall turns cold, and snow will soon follow. 

What is unique about this effort is the collaborative work done by six non-profits to develop a piece of land that has both historical significance in London (former site of the War Memorial Children’s Hospital and the first Medical School) and its central location in London.  When completed it will provide approximately 680 units of mixed housing.  This is London’s biggest affordable housing project that the city has undertaken and has the potential to build a community where so many are needed to make it happen. 

We thank the media for the good overage we received for this ground-breaking ceremony and share the links to their coverage here:

Everything you need to know about SoHo affordable housing mega-plan - London Free Press

SoHo affordable housing project on old Victoria Hospital land to get underway in the spring - CBC News

SoHo development ready to move to the building phase - CTV News

Vision SoHo Alliance breaks ground on London, Ont. housing project - GLOBAL NEWS

We will post photos over time - following this transformation of land into homes.  We invite you to follow us!

Sister Joan Atkinson, Chairperson of the London Affordable Housing Foundation.