gecko46
United Church Election Kit
Posted on: 03/27/2011 16:00
The 2011 election will have an enormous impact on our lives. Now more than ever, all faith voices need to be heard in the political process. To help you consider important issues and get involved in this process of decision-making, the United Church has created the 2011 Federal Election Kit.
http://www.united-church.ca/getinvolved/takeaction/election
Your vote will make a difference. Matters of Aboriginal rights, food security, and criminal justice are not isolated to far-off lands but are concerns for every community in our country. The more we know about how our faith and values can influence government policies, the more we have a chance to transform our own and others' lives for the common good. We witness to our faith in a just and life-giving God in the public arena by
advocating for justice and peace.
Our non-partisan strategy aims to raise awareness about important issues and to build relationships around them with politicians in communities across Canada. This 2011 Federal Election Kit provides information based on United Church policies and the church's ongoing work with Canadian and global partners.
Topics included in the 2011 Federal Election Kit are:
* Making Election Connections-how to engage members in your congregation through worship, study groups, and youth and children's ministries
* All Candidates Meetings-how to organize or participate in a meeting
* Questions for Candidates-background info and questions on 12 key topics
relating to justice in Canada and globally
O Aboriginal Justice
O Climate Change and Energy
O Corporate Social Responsibility & Socially Responsible Investment
O Criminal Justice and Corrections
O Democracy
O Food
O Health Care
O Official Development Assistance
O Peace in Palestine/Israel
O Poverty
O Refugees and Immigration
O Trade
* Tips for Using the Media
We encourage you to: distribute this 2011 Federal Election Kit widely, consider organizing or participating in an All Candidates Meeting and invite members of your congregation, community or school to get involved.
Barbara Lloyd
Program Coordinator, Public Witness
Partners in Mission Unit (formerly JGER)
The United Church of Canada
3250 Bloor St. W., Suite 300
Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4
Tel: 416-231-7680 # 4196
Toll free 1-800-268-3781 #4196
Fax: 416-231-3103
Email: blloyd@united-church.ca
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Comments
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 03/27/2011 17:00
That link doesn't seem to be working - could you please try it again?
MikePaterson
Posted on: 03/27/2011 17:20
GREAT THREAD GECKO!!!
gecko46
Posted on: 03/27/2011 18:06
That link doesn't seem to be working - could you please try it again?
http://www.united-church.ca/getinvolved/takeaction/election
somegalfromcan
Posted on: 03/28/2011 14:31
Thank you for doing that. I just skimmed the report and look forward to reading it in depth later. I did take a look at the suggestions for children and youth and found a couple of them somewhat strange. Since the election is on a school day, are they suggesting that the youth take time off from school to babysit kids and walk people's dogs? I know this must have been produced before the election day was set, but most I don't recall the last time an election took place on a week day.
AaronMcGallegos
Posted on: 03/28/2011 15:23
Thanks for posting this Gecko46. I've fixed the link in the opening post.
Peace,
Aaron (for Admin)
Mendalla
Posted on: 03/28/2011 16:14
Thank you for doing that. I just skimmed the report and look forward to reading it in depth later. I did take a look at the suggestions for children and youth and found a couple of them somewhat strange. Since the election is on a school day, are they suggesting that the youth take time off from school to babysit kids and walk people's dogs? I know this must have been produced before the election day was set, but most I don't recall the last time an election took place on a week day.
Polls are generally open into the evening (eight o'clock, I think, here in Ontario), so it could be an option if the people the youth are providing the service for can wait until after school to vote.
Mendalla
GordW
Posted on: 03/28/2011 22:58
All elections in Canada are on a week day. Advance polls can be any day of the week. But the actula election day is a week day.
Dcn. Jae
Posted on: 03/29/2011 18:54
Thank you for the link to the kit.
One thing I like about the kit is how unbiased it is.
EasternOrthodox
Posted on: 03/29/2011 20:54
Unbiased? Why is UCC's business to worry about Israel and Palestine? The majority of Middle Eastern residents seem more interested in getting rid of dictators than Israel/Palestine.
I find that entry out of place in the list.
Faerenach
Posted on: 03/30/2011 09:36
The United Church of Canada has a long-standing history of advocacy for a just peace in Israel/Palestine. In short, that's why it's included.
EasternOrthodox
Posted on: 03/30/2011 11:36
Yes, I am aware of that. I am not UCC (although I once was) and thus am in no position to tell you folks what to do, but it would not hurt to have someone reading the foreign news to keep up on new situations. I notice a lack of awareness on this site. As if Israel/Palestine was the only foreign affair in the world.
Faerenach
Posted on: 03/30/2011 11:48
I don't think the Election Kit nor the United Church of Canada is uninformed about the goings on in other countries - we are engaged in global partnerships that span the globe. But I think your specific point is about the singling out of the Palestine/Israel issue.
To that, I simply state that the church can't be directly involved in every issue out there - they support many through global partners instead. They choose to focus on Palestine/Israel because they have been directly involved for a long enough amount of time that their voice is recognized and constant. Their direct involvement leads to them having a position - advocating for a just peace - and acting on it. It's only natural that they highlight this in the kit.
DKS
Posted on: 03/30/2011 12:09
All elections in Canada are on a week day. Advance polls can be any day of the week. But the actula election day is a week day.
Advance polls in this election are on Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Monday.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/965332--advance-polls-set-for-easter-weekend
This is because the law requires advance polls to be held on Days 10, 9 and 7 prior to the election.
DKS
Posted on: 03/30/2011 12:19
I find that while the intent of the kit is good, the questions are somewhat verbose and heavy on numbers. This is not an unusual United Church flaw. For example,
This might better have been written "Will your party support and give leadership in the upcoming Durban Agreement on Climate Change? Will your party accept legally binding targets to cut greenhouse gasses?" I can see the eyes of candidates glazing over in about 15 words of the original question (well, maybe not the NDP)