Statements and Letters

CRC's President Letter on the Issue of Dying with Dignity

February 1, 2013: In a letter addressed to the president of the CCCB, Michel Proulx, O.Praem, assured him and the bishops of Canada of CRC's support in their efforts to promote humane and respectful care of the dying in our country. Along with this letter, Michel Proulx invited CRC members to give the bishops their support, especially through prayer.

"Communities of women and men religious have a long history in health care, of caring for the sick and the dying. We value the dignity of life in every situation and at every stage, from conception to natural death," writes Michel Proulx."Communities of women and men religious have a long history in health care, of caring for the sick and the dying. We value the dignity of life in every situation and at every stage, from conception to natural death," writes Michel Proulx."

Open and download these two letters:
Letter to CCCB's president, Most Reverend Richard Smith
Letter to CRC Members

CRC Supports the Issues Raised by the Idle No More Movement

Montréal, January 10, 2013 : The CRC President, Michel Proulx, O. Praem, wrote to Prime Minister Stephen Harper expressing the Canadian Religious Conference strong support of the issues raised by the Idle No More movement. "Along with the respect for treaty rights and the need for consultation, this movement calls for the protection of water and land in Canada, gifts we are all called to steward responsibly. The CRC seek justice for the First Nations people of Canada and urges that the meeting that agreed upon begin to address the serious structural biases that still exist."

The time is now to enter the process of reconciliation, a true graced moment. As Canadian religious we recognize "this graced moment" and express our solidarity with the Idle No More movement participants.

Open and download the letter : Justice for First Nations

CRC Deems Unacceptable the Policy Changes to Canada's International Assistance

Montréal, December 11, 2012: In a letter to the Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC) expresses its deep concern at what appears to be, for some years now, unacceptable policy changes to Canada’s international assistance policy. The letter signed by CRC's president, Michel Proulx, O. Praem., is in response to the November 23 speech before the Economic Club of Toronto of the Minister of International Cooperation, Julian Fantino. He stated that international aid should now be at the service of Canadian commercial interests.

There should be no confusion between the objectives of development and promotion of commercial interests. The Minister’s statement opens the doors to the private sector jeopardizing the goal of CIDA's mission which is to reduce poverty and not become an instrument of Canadian economic interests. Judging by the recent cuts, Canadian foreign aid will unfortunately fall to 0.25% by 2015.

Faced with such radical and inappropriate policy changes, the leaders of Catholic religious communities urge the Prime Minister of Canada, to restore a constructive and open dialogue with organisations of cooperation and international solidarity to reorient Canadian policies of official development assistance so that they correspond with what the majority of Canadians wish.

Open and download CRC's letter on: Canadian International Assistance

CRC Letter Regarding Contracts of part-time Chaplains in Federal Prisons

November 30, 2012
 
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A0
November 30, 2012

Mr. Prime Minister,

On behalf of the Canadian Religious Conference (CRC) and its 18,000 members across Canada, I am writing to express my deep concern regarding your government's decision not to renew the part-time chaplains' contracts in federal prisons next year.

This decision will affect dozens of chaplains, many of whom are our members, as well as a good number of non-Christians chaplains. Immigration trends show that Canada is welcoming new citizens from a growing number of non-European countries or countries where Christianity is not predominant. Nearly all full-time contracts are granted to Christian clergy, while other religions are essentially represented by part-time chaplains.

Hundreds of volunteers who work on an ad hoc basis in the institutions, supported in their work by chaplains who recruit and direct them, are equally at risk of disappearing as well. Also at risk of disappearing are numerous programs implemented by these chaplains and volunteers, such as those aimed at the rehabilitation of individuals during their detention and during the critical period of transition after their incarceration or those aimed at making the prison staff aware of cultural differences so that detainees do not suffer prejudices that may sabotage their chances of rehabilitation.

On the Correctional Service Canada website one reads that “'Religious and spiritual accommodation' means providing access to an adequate level of resources to allow offenders to practise their religion or spirituality as fully as they desire (up to a level that is generally available to people in the community) within the correctional setting.”

In addition, the CSC has for many years recognized the value of the presence of chaplains: “Chaplains are able to communicate with detainees in a way that other staff members are unable to do. By speaking to the deepest values and feelings of a detainee, the chaplain can help them tap into inner resources they need to make necessary changes in their lives that will enable them to live in the community while obeying the law.”

It seems to us that perhaps your government made this decision too hastily, without considering the possible consequences to the rehabilitation of detainees. Indeed, chaplains fulfill a unique supporting role in the efforts of individuals to become rehabilitated. They support their quest for meaning and help detainees to really get involved in the process. We believe that the elimination of this low-cost program ($6.4 million) represents a tiny savings in the short term and risks costing much more to society in the long-term: recidivism or prolonged detention time.

The Canadian Religious Conference therefore urges you, Mr. Prime Minister, to please reconsider your decision for the greater good of detainees as well as that of the Canadian citizens.

Sincerely,

Michel Proulx, O PRAEM
CRC President

Cc. Hon. Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety

The CRC Co-Signs the Becoming Neighbours' Submission Concerning the Protection of Canada’s Refugees

Montreal, October 3, 2012 : The Becoming Neighbours' submission highlights concerns, stemming from certain provisions affecting refugees in amended legislation in Canada, viz., Bill C-31, Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act. We believe key provisions undermine Canada’s ability to offer fair and just treatment of refugees as that relates to the rights and protections explicit in national and international agreements and conventions concerning human rights. The Canadian Religious Conference is one of the signatories of this submission presented to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

Becoming Neighbours is a member of an ad hoc Synthesis Work Group responding from the perspective of refugees and immigrants to Canada’s response to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The UPR is a new UN human rights review mechanism instituted by the UN Human Rights Council in 2008. Under the UPR the Human Rights record of every country is reviewed once every four years. Canada’s Human Rights record will be reviewed by the United Nations in early 2013. Deadline for submissions was October 09, 2012.

Dowload this PDF document : Submission