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.
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BE IT RESOLVED that this Twenty-fourth General Council of the United Church of Canada commend to our people the observance of June 21st as a “National Indian Day of Prayer,” and request the Board of Home Missions to make this action known to the people of the church.
WHEREAS conditions in the Middle East have continued to deteriorate, the numbers of homeless and their suffering have increased, the threat of major war continues, and the chief hope for settlement and peace still seems to be in the implementation of action of the U.N. Security Council by Resolution 242, unanimously adopted on November 22nd, 1967, which Affirms that the fulfilment of Charter principles requires the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East which should include the application of both the following principles: Withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict; Termination of all claims or states of belligerency and respect for and acknowledgement of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of every State in the area and their right to live in peace within secure and recognized boundaries free from threats and acts of force; and Affirms further the necessity for guaranteeing freedom of navigation through international waterways in the area; achieving a just settlement of the refugee problem;
WHEREAS the apartheid policy of South Africa deprives a large majority of its people of economic, political and social freedoms solely on the basis of skin colour; and WHEREAS the white racist government of Rhodesia is moving rapidly toward a South African type of apartheid; and WHEREAS Portugal received NATO aid, enabling her forcibly to subjugate indigenous Africans; and WHEREAS the ambivalence of Canadian foreign policy at present allows a small fraction of trade to weigh more heavily than our attention to Christian principles of human justice, thereby lowering our credibility with those independent African nations whom we support verbally in the UN;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT this General Council 1 COMMEND the enabling action of the federal government and the action of provinces making provision for medicare plans in accordance with this legislation; 2 REQUEST all other provinces to seek to bring similar plans into being as soon as is practical.
COMMEND those provinces which have established a comprehensive health services plan and urge those provinces which do not yet have such a plan to provide one as quickly as possible;
WHEREAS The United Church of Canada, through its Commission on Christian Marriage and Divorce, has encouraged frank discussion of such subjects as sex, marriage and relationships between men and women, on a high level of respect for the dignity of these relationships as given of God to mankind, and particularly in order that youth may be properly instructed in such matters; and
Attitude of the Church to the Traffic: The phrase “hostility to the traffic” was used by the 6th General Council, and in the Record of Proceedings of the 8th, 9th, and 13th General Councils there is reference to “the uncompromising hostility” of the United Church to the beverage alcohol business. Similar positions have been taken by other churches in both Canada and the United States.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THIS General Council: 1. RE-ENDORSE the principle of a National Health Insurance Plan; 2. COMMEND the Province of Saskatchewan for steps being taken to implement such a program on the provincial level; and 3. URGE the federal government in cooperation with the medical, dental, pharmaceutical and related professions to establish a comprehensive national health insurance program.
BE IT RESOLVED THAT this council expresses its considered opinions regarding National Health Insurance as follows: 1 COMMEND the federal, provincial and municipal governments’ concern for progress made to date in providing more adequate health services, increasing the number of hospital beds and in related ways improving preventive, diagnostic, remedial and other forms of medical and surgical care and treatment.
March 2012 Motion passed by the Executive of the General Council: Policies Related to Gender Identity The Executive of the General Council affirmed that: a. The United Church of Canada acknowledges the difference (distinction) between gender identity referring to a person’s innate, deeply felt sense of being male, female, both or neither; and sexual orientation – having to do with the gender to which one is emotionally and physically attracted, and b. “Gender identity” is not a barrier to membership and ministry of The United Church of Canada.
