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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WHEREAS corporate concentration and control in the market place creates disempowerment for government and food producers and, WHEREAS this also creates economic hardship for primary food producers and, WHEREAS government assistance to multi-national corporations is not in the best interests of either primary food producers or consumers. THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 33rd General Council urge the federal and provincial Governments to alter their present economic assistance to multinational corporations involved in food production, processing and distribution in order to more justly meet the needs of primary food producers.
WHEREAS primary food production policy needs to reflect an understanding of sustainability THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 33rd General Council endorses the following principles of Sustainable Agriculture.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 33rd General Council of The United Church of Canada establish as its policy that: recycled paper to be used for publications, correspondence, reports, documents, and forms used by the General Council, and encouraged throughout the church, within the practical limits and requirements for existing equipment and specific production requirements for certain documents; this policy be implemented to move toward a goal by the end of 1991 of having the majority of the paper used by paper which has been recycled;
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
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 2nd General Council of The United Church of Canada: 1 commend the Government of Canada for the existing legislation which prohibits the use of CFCs in certain aerosols (hair sprays, deodorants and anti-perspirants) and that through writing such legislation be extended to ban CFC propellants in all aerosols and to introduce legislation that would eliminate the use of CFCs in food packaging materials;
WHEREAS the United Church is concerned that much of the agriculture community is facing serious economic, emotional and social stress; and WHEREAS these problems may be aggravated by the absence of a long-term national agriculture and food policy:
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.
WHEREAS the proposed drilling for oil on the Georges Bank might result in serious economic loss to fishermen in the area: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 32nd General Council request the General Secretary of General Council to urge the appropriate federal and provincial authorities to conduct an environmental assessment study to ensure that such drilling will not seriously damage the fishery.
