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Therefore be it resolved that the 36th General Council go on record as supporting the amendment of the Income Tax Act to redefine the word "spouse" by deleting the phrase "of the opposite sex" in section 252 (4) and thereby treating same-sex spouses the same as opposite sex spouses, and urge the Government of Canada to make such an amendment immediately. economic justice, taxation
THAT we urge the Government of Canada to ensure that female circumcision and sexual orientation be identified as a ground for gender persecution as outlined in the Immigration and Refugee Board guidelines.
Having heard Petition 88, having considered the table group responses and having given careful consideration to the following concerns: a) noted that $100,000 is a token but it does signify willingness;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the 35th General Council ask the Division of Mission in Canada to write a letter of support to the Government of Canada for the work now in progress on preparing gender persecution guidelines.
Whereas the House of Commons did not take into consideration on Bill C 86 by the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Sciences and Technology; and Whereas the Senate Committee’s recommendations reflect the recommendations of ICCR, Amnesty International, the Canadian Bar Association and UNHCR representative to Canada in briefs presented to the Senate Committee and the House of Commons Committee; and
On motion of Buckley/Wiegand it was proposed that having heard and considered Petition 68 and the Sessional Committee report of the 34th General Council take the following action: Recognize the moral right and the responsibility of United Church Congregations to provide sanctuary to legitimate refugee claimants who have been denies refugee status by a process which the church recognizes as being inadequate; and to direct the Division of Mission in Canada to make available guidelines to congregations on the legal and financial implications of attempting to provide sanctuary.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the 34th General Council a) makes the following statement on the future of Canada: “The 34th General Council of The United Church of Canada prays for and declares its hope for Canada, where, Aboriginal peoples, Quebecois and other francophones, Metis, anglophones, and peoples of many other cultural heritages share this land together in peace and justice, with respect and appreciation for each other’s history, culture, language, and other distinctive gifts- a sign of hope for the global family of nations.
The 34th General Council agrees to 1. affirm the Divisions of Mission in Canada and World Outreach for their involvement with the End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism (ECPAT) coalition, and through ECPAT to communicate with Canadian tourism organizations to discourage the development of sex trade tourism originating in Canada; and
The 34th General Council through the Division of Mission in Canada a) seeks the removal of the new domestic workers regulation introduced by Immigration Canada, and in effect since 20 January 1992; and
The 34th General Council agrees to 1. urge the Division of Mission in Canada to: compile available studies and evaluate the housing conditions and difficulties of single women on fixed income and single senior a. women (e.g. Maritime Conference study); b. make available the report of this study within the appropriate courts of the church; and 2. request the Government of Canada, on behalf of those in need, to re-establish the funding of cooperative housing proje