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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Declare that in matters respecting doctrine, worship, membership and governance, The United Church of Canada is opposed to discrimination against any person on the basis of age, ancestry, colour, disability, ethnic origin, gender identity, language, marital status, place of origin, race, sexual orientation, socio-economic status or any other basis by which a person is devalued
In 2006, The United Church of Canada committed itself to becoming an intercultural1 church. In “A Transformative Vision for The United Church of Canada,” approved at the 39th General Council, the church declared that intercultural dimensions of ministries [will] be a denominational priority in living out its commitment to racial justice, where there is mutually respectful diversity and full and equitable participation of all Aboriginal, francophone, ethnic minority, and ethnic majority constituencies in the total life, mission, and practices of the whole church.” The church affirmed that this commitment will be a process — a prayerful journey of transformation — affecting all areas of the church’s life. The Executive of General Council, in 2007, reaffirmed intercultural ministries as a denominational priority for the church. The vision of an intercultural church calls all to move toward becoming mutually welcoming and racially just communities, and calls all people to be changed.
In the company of God and one another, our community can be transformative. Ethnic Ministries believes that God is calling us to transformation as individuals, as communities, and as church, with all the life-giving traditions, faiths, and cultures we have been gifted with for Godsmission
Having received the correspondence from Maritime Conference, and the notice of motion of Pawis/Mabee from this fall 2003 meeting of the Executive of the General Council, and recognizing that it is seven years since the release of the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, that a letter be written to the Government of Canada urging them to act on the recommendation of the report calling for a public inquiry on residential schools and that this matter be referred to the General Secretary for action.
That having read the “Building Toward Right Relationships” document that the Executive of the General Council affirm and adopt the six principles identified in the document as the principles that will guide The United Church of Canada at this point in its journey in its work to repair the harm done by the Residential Schools system in building right relations with Aboriginal people, and in any negotiations with government with respect to resolving the legacy of Indian Residential Schools and that we refer the information from table groups to the Residential Schools Steering Committee for their consideration.
That the Executive of the General Council endorse the legal position on the Baxter Class Action lawsuit taken by the Residential Schools Steering Committee in September 2003, and that any further legal decisions and actions be guided by the six principles in the “Building Towards Rights Relationships” document and that any subsequent modification of the legal position only occur when in the interests of the survivors of Residential Schools and with the approval of the Executive or Sub-Executive of the General Council.
That the Executive of the General Council authorize that a letter be sent from The United Church of Canada to the Government of Canada supporting the renewal of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation.
That the Moderator and the General Secretary write to the Parole Board to say that: while we believe in restorative justice, in the church’s recent experience with Mr. Plint in the Port Alberni trial, there was no evidence of remorse or substantial rehabilitation on his part; the church is aware of and supports concerns for the victims of Mr. Plint; and the church urge the Parole Board to deny parole until such time as Mr. Plint has shown genuine remorse and evidence of rehabilitation.
That the Executive of General Council direct the General Secreatry to write a letter on behalf of the General Council to the Hon. Jane Stewart, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, asking for consultation how the Canadian Government and the churches will work together with First Nations People in addressing the need for healing Residential Schools, Healing, Aboriginal, First Nations, Native Indian
That the Executive of General council instruct the church’s counsel that our involvement in the current Alberni Indian Residential School litigation be primarily focussed on: a) settlement negotiations, formal and informal b) determining the measure of damages of the plaintiffs c) negotiating the church’s fair share of liability with the crown Residential Schools, Aboriginal, First Nations, Native Indian
