This Library contains documents from all recent United Church governance meetings, including General Council and its Executive. It will also soon include “Our Beliefs Explained” official policy documents dating back several decades. If you can't find something you think should be included, contact gcbusiness@united-church.ca.
Helpful topics
The 33rd General Council again asks the Government of Canada to give urgent attention to, and provide leadership in the development of a food distribution system without food aid or banks, that would guarantee all people an adequate affordable food supply, while at the same time ensuring food producers a fair income. WHEREAS the 32nd General Council called for governments and farm organizations to develop a long term comprehensive national Agriculture and Food policy which would ensure an adequate and stable financial return to the basic food producer and an adequate and dependable supply of nutritious foods for all Canadians at reasonable prices; and
support food aid for emergency needs but remain very cautious about supporting the use of food aid for other purposes, relying upon the wisdom of our partners in such instances, insuring that the root causes of under-development will be addressed and that the food aid will not have adverse consequences for long-term agricultural productivity Keywords: Economic security, Social Assistance Systems, Social Programs, Foreign Aid, Food Aid, Emergency Aid, Food Security
he concern expressed by the 31st General Council Record of Proceedings, pages 120-121, and the guidelines approved by the 30th General Council, Record of Proceedings, pages 106-107 and 325-329, has not been adequately addressed in the published bilateral trade agreement, in particular that it limits our democratic ability to use capital resources for worthy national purposes and our ability to use our democratic and economic institutions to more adequately care for each other as Canadians, working at home and abroad for a truly just, participatory and sustainable society Keywords: Free Trace, Record of Proceedings, economic justice
On the basis of letters from presbyteries and petitions from conferences to the 36th General Council, the Executive of General Council asked the Division of Mission in Canada to prepare a policy update on gambling in Canada. This policy was to address, in particular, the increasing use of gambling and gaming by governments to generate income. The DMC was asked to prepare an updated policy recommendation on gambling as a public policy issue for the April meeting of the GCE.
That the 31st General Council endorse the work presently being done by the (church) in urging all levels of government to redirect cutbacks so that programs designed to help the poor and underprivileged both in Canada and abroad are not subject to funding cuts or closure and encourage the (church) to continue this work on our behalf.
Since the early 1980s the world has witnessed a rapid rise in arms spending and in military activity in many countries of the world. Because of trading links and foreign investment, countries like Canada have been inadvertently drawn into the current boom in the arms race, led in the west by the United States.
That the 31st General Council 1 Reaffirm the policy of The United Church of Canada that all formally constituted United Church groups abstain from applying for grants to government commissions or foundations based on lotteries. (ROP 27th GC p. 307)
Urge the Canadian government to restore 1990 as the latest date by which it commits itself to reach the target of 0.7% of Gross National Product for its international development assistance expenditures; Monitor such expenditures to insure that projects are technically appropriate to the culture situation and have basic local acceptance;
WHEREAS the United Church of Canada has historically understood the Christian gospel to affirm the social nature of prosperity to be such that those who prosper have a responsibility to ensure that no human being goes without the necessities of life
The gospel calls us to risk and adventure in the name of Jesus Christ; and the example of those who have followed him in obedience even to the cross as they upheld justice and promoted shalom, challenges us to high commitment and trust Keywords: Gambling, Moral Values, Taxation
