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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That the General Council urge formally constituted groups of the United Church of Canada to avoid applying for or using funds generated from lotteries, casinos, or other activities in the gaming industry.
The 34th General Council commends the Division of Mission in Canada for its action to date [on conscientious objectors and redirection of taxes for non-military purposes] and encourages its continued action in this regard and requests that it work in conjunction with Project Ploughshares and the Canadian Council of Churches in its overtures to government.
Whereas there is a shortage of affordable and suitable housing; and Whereas children are adversely affected by housing that is not suitable; and Whereas a disproportionate number of Canadian living in inadequate and unsuitable housing are women and children (89%); and Whereas waiting lists for suitable housing are already excessively long and the waiting time up to two years; and
That the 34th General Council 1. Call upon the Government of Canada to use its influence in and with the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, to support alternatives and proposals from developing countries which could so alter structural adjustment programs that priority would be given to responding to human needs rather than debt repayment; 2. Encourage congregations and individual United Church members to make similar representations to their elected political representatives.
That the 34th General Council write to the Secretary of State for External Affairs, expressing its concern that Overseas Development Aid to the Third World has been reduced at this time of even greater need.
the country is entering into a new phase of negotiations to secure a trade agreement with the United States and Mexico Keywords: Trade, Trade Agreement, Free Trade, Economic Justice
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.
