Take Action

October 12, 2007

Peace be with you. As God has sent me, so I send you.

John 20:21

The statistics of suffering are staggering:

• 40 armed conflicts are taking place in 27 countries
• 17 or more of these conflicts involve child soldiers
• $1.1 trillion is spent annually on the military

Efforts by the Canadian government to address these conflicts are currently divided between various departments such as the Prime Minister's Office, Foreign Affairs, Defence, and the Canadian International Development Agency. A Secretariat or Department of Peace driving a whole-government approach to the issue would put a renewed emphasis on preventing conflicts. It could address underlying justice issues that lead to violence and coordinate a truly comprehensive response when war erupts.

Join the International Movement

In August 2006, the United Church's 39th General Council in Thunder Bay joined an international movement in 24 countries by endorsing the concept of a federal Department of Peace. Prominent Canadians such as Lloyd Axworthy, president of the University of Winnipeg, and Muriel Duckworth, a co-founder of Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, are helping to give voice to this campaign in Canada. Eight chapters of concerned Canadian citizens from many faith communities and people of conscience have banded together to further this initiative.

Building on the work of Immanuel United Church in Winnipeg and others, the 39th General Council specifically called on us to ask the Canadian government to create a Department of Peace that will

• infuse all departments and agencies of the federal government with an ethic of peace
• emphasize awareness of the basic causes of conflict and develop strategies and programs that will encourage a more caring society
• reinvigorate Canada's role as a global peacebuilder through the promotion of non-violent resolution of conflict, human rights, the security of people and communities, socio-economic justice, and democratic participation in government
• involve community members, voluntary organizations, its own staff, and other federal government departments
• have a Minister with human and financial resources appropriate for a full department

For more information visit the Canadian Department of Peace Initiative.*

Take Action for Peace

Send a letter to your Member of Parliament with your request for a Department of Peace, using the attached sample letter or writing one of your own. Members of Parliament truly appreciate hearing from their constituents. Send a copy to the Prime Minister (and maybe your United Church minister, too!). Letters to the federal government do not require postage. Close your letter thanking the MP for his or her attention to your request and asking for a written response.

Download a sample letter [RTF: 1 p/11 KB]. Send your letter to:

• [Your MP's name]
  House of Commons
  Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

The House of Commons* website also has a complete list of MPs' fax and phone numbers. Please note that e-mailing MPs is considered to be less effective than other means of communication.

Also, learn more about the United for Peace campaign and how you can get involved.

For more information, contact:

• Rivkah Unland
  Program Coordinator
  People in Mission, Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit
  The United Church of Canada
  Tel: 416-231-7680 ext. 4016
  Toll-free: 1-800-268-3781