This Library contains documents from all recent United Church governance meetings, including General Council and its Executive. It also includes “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 the Persian Gulf Crisis threatens to erupt into full-scale war of disastrous proportions, potentially involving the use of chemical and nuclear weapons;
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 United Church of Canada be encourage to uphold in its prayers and in continuing solidarity the churches and peoples in the Middle East; and that the 33rd General Council adopt as its own the Canadian Council of Churches’ statement on the Middle East; and that the 33rd General Council, through its Interchurch-Interfaith Committee, encourage dialogue among faith groups in Canada on the Middle East:
That the Government of Canada be called upon to: a) substantially expand Canada’s commendable and important assistance with the implementing and/or monitoring of the Esquipulas peace agreements, and
The 32nd General Council urge the government of Canada to prohibit the testing of cruise missiles over Canadian territory.
The 30th General Council called on the Canadian government to, “Base a policy of Canadian security upon the pursuit of mutual understanding and confidence building, rather than on the development of nuclear warfare civil defence measures.” (p. 57, 30th General Council Record of Proceedings)
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 we affirm Jesus Christ as the life-giver of the world; and WHEREAS submarines may usually bear arms and arms bring death, not life; and WHEREAS the government of Canada has decided to buy a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines at an estimated cost of $8 billion dollars; and WHEREAS the Canadian Centre for Arms Control and Disarmament released a study on February 24, 1988, which concludes that building, staffing, hand operating these submarines could drive the total costs to between 12.5 billion dollars and 14.8 billion dollars
WHEREAS nuclear-powered submarines will not increase our security; and WHEREAS the use of nuclear technology for military purpose will be seen as being provocative and as contravening our previous agreements to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes only; and WHEREAS the cost of nuclear submarines is not justifiable on any grounds, especially in view of unmet human needs; for example, the predicted famine in Africa this year:
