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KAIROS December 2, 2009 -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) learned today that the Canadian government has cut funding to KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives; a decision which will have a devastating impact on KAIROS’ overseas partners and the thousands of marginalized people in local communities they support. KAIROS, a church based non-governmental organization that represents seven of Canada’s largest denominations including the ELCIC, works on a range of social justice issues, including human rights in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. An official from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) called KAIROS executive director Mary Corkery on Monday afternoon, November 30, to inform her that CIDA would no longer fund KAIROS. Corkery was told that KAIROS no longer fits CIDA priorities. No other explanation or information was provided. “KAIROS is one of our most effective partnerships,” says ELCIC National Bishop Susan C. Johnson. “By working ecumenically in the area of compassionate justice we have been able to maximize our ministry in this area. The denial of CIDA funding will be a huge loss in our collective ability to be In Mission for Others.” Bishop Johnson urges members of the ELCIC to visit their members of parliament to express their support for KAIROS and to ask for a reversal of this decision. “I further ask that they write Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Bev Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, and Margaret Biggs, President of CIDA, expressing their disappointment and the critical need for funding to be restored,” she says. How can you help? Members of the ELCIC are encouraged to write to their members of parliament, as well as to:
Further information and background material is available from the KAIROS website. |
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