Where do the candidates stand on critical issues such as housing and poverty?
The October 14 federal election provides us with an opportunity to raise questions with our candidates and also promote our Christian values of compassionate justice.
In a letter sent earlier this year to the Minister of Human Resources and Development Canada, the National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) urged the government, "to address homelessness in Canada as part of a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy."
Efforts to carry forward on this initiative continue and a task force has been formed with members of the ELCIC and ACC.
The following are a number of resources to help you be informed and ask questions of candidates around the critical issues of housing and poverty.
- An election guide on the issues of housing and poverty reduction – developed by the Diocese of Toronto (www.toronto.anglican.ca/index.asp?navid=148)
- Housing, homelessness, health and the 2008 federal election – from the Wellesley Institute (www.wellesleyinstitute.com/node/1601/print)
- Take action, stop proposed cuts to affordable housing programs – from The United Church of Canada (www.united-church.ca/getinvolved/takeaction/080801)
- No place like home – a resource from Evangelical Lutheran Women (ELW) (www.elw.ca/Resources.aspx)
- 2008 federal election resources from KAIROS (www.kairoscanada.org/e/times/Election_resource_2008.pdf)
- Being a Conscientious Values Voter – resources from Citizens for Public Justice (www.cpj.ca)
Interested in further information on the joint initiative on housing and homelessness? Please contact Rev. Paul Gehrs, Assistant to the Bishop at the ELCIC, email pgehrs@elcic.ca, phone 204-984-9156.
Reprinted from the September 2008 Special Issue of ELCICommunique. To subscribe to this monthly newsletter, email Communique@elcic.ca and indicate subscribe in the subject of the email.
