The FOSJ has signed on to the attached Civil Society Declaration for the 63rd session of the UN Commission for Social Development on the priority theme “Strengthening solidarity, social inclusion and social cohesion to accelerate the delivery of the commitments of the Copenhagen Declaration on Social Development and Programme of Action of the World Summit for Social Development as well as the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. This Declaration outlines several calls to action related to: equal access to food, healthcare, housing and other basic rights; establishment of social protection systems; debt relief for developing nations; and, the meaningful participation of vulnerable peoples.
2024 (December) - Open Letter to Establish a Youth Climate Corps in Canada
Recently, the Office for Systemic Justice joined 180+ (Indigenous, faith, labour, climate and education) groups calling for the establishment of a Youth Climate Corps in Canada in this open letter. The Corps would be a national paid job training program where anyone 35 and under could apply and sign-up to do climate adaptation and mitigation work in their communities.
2024 (December 9) - Letter to Premier Citing Ethical Concerns About Dismantling Encampments
The Office for Systemic Justice sent a letter to Premier Ford and Minister Calandra today which cites ethical concerns with the recent proposed legislation for dismantling encampments.
2024 (September) - Climate Change Mitigation and Financing: What is Canada's 'Fair Share'?
In this Federation newsletter article, Sr. Sue Wilson details the FOSJ submission to the Canadian government with respect to climate change mitigation efforts.
2024 (April) - Support for Chief Haymond's Presentation About Nuclear Waste
The Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada supports Kebaowek Chief Lance Haymond’s call for more consultation, study, and mitigation measures to safe guard water near a planned nuclear waste facility close to the Ottawa River.
2024 (April) – Need to Respond to the Humanitarian and Housing Crisis
Stemming from the FOSJ’s long-standing work with the Interfaith Social Assistance Coalition, this letter to the federal and provincial governments urges action in response to the humanitarian and housing crisis facing so many.
2024 (March) - Urge to Introduce a Comprehensive Regularization Program
This letter to the Prime Minister urges the federal governmental to act on its commitment to introduce a broad and comprehensive regularization program that would provide permanent residence and access to basic rights to people living in Canada without status.
2024 (March) - Repairing Relationships, Changing Systems
This year’s United Nations’ Commission on Social Development (CSocD) brought together government representatives, businesspersons, academics, and members of civil society organizations from around the world to examine how, collectively, we can contribute toward the elimination of poverty. Read more about the Commission and our CSJ participation.
2024 (January) - Ontario Pre-Budget Submission
The Office for Systemic Justice’s 2024 Ontario Pre-Budget Submission gives public voice to the social, economic, and environmental concerns of hundreds of Sisters and Associates of the Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada.
2024 (January) - Civil Society Declaration Concerning the UN Commission on Social Development 2024
For the 62nd session of the UN Commission for Social Development on the priority theme “Fostering social development and social justice through social policies to accelerate progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to achieve the overarching goal of poverty eradication”, the FOSJ joined members of the NGO Committee on Social Development to call on United Nations’ member states to focus on four priorities - including to ‘invest in human capital and ensure the dignity and wellbeing of individuals and families through transformative social policies and programs’.
2023 (December) - Look Deeper
As we are confronted with daily images of war, environmental degradation and global suffering, we yearn for signs of hope, hints of a new life and possibilities for transformation. In this December 2023 newsletter article, Sr. Sue Wilson reminds us that Advent and Christmas call us to seek God’s transforming presence among us.
2023 (December) - Call for Open Work Permits for Migrant Workers
2023 (December) – the FOSJ adds the Sisters of St. Joseph’s voice to an Open Letter to the Honourable Marc Miller (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada) regarding the unjust closed work permit system allowing for the exploitation of migrant workers in Canada.
2023 (November) - Submission Regarding the Greenbelt
Recently, the Federation Office for Systemic Justice - in collaboration with Wellington Water Watchers – developed this on-line submission to Minister Paul Calandra recommending specific amendments to the Greenbelt Statue Law Amendment Act, 2023.
2023 (October) - Is It Time for a New Economic Model?
This 1-minute video entitled Poverty Pulse: Is It Time for a New Economic System, the Federation Office for Systemic Justice in collaboration with the London Food Bank asks us to consider some critical questions about our shrinking access to decent work and a fair and living wage while at the same time some employers reap huge profits.
2023 (September) - Global Week of Action Calls for Debt, Climate & Economic Justice
Communities all over the world are struggling and resisting the impacts of multiple crises. In anticipation of Global Week for Action (October 9-16), the FOSJ has co-signed this Urgent Call for debt, climate and economic justice.
2023 (September) - Pushing Boundaries, Deepening Community
In this article from the Federation’s Fall newsletter — entitled Pushing Boundaries, Deepening Community — Sr. Sue Wilson writes about the important coalition that created a civil society statement in response to the Canadian government’s report on how well it is advancing the SDGs in Canada.
2023 (June) - Call to Withdraw Canada from Safe Third Country Agreement
On World Refugee Day (June20), the FOSJ signed an open letter to the Prime Minister with more than 130 human rights, labour, refugee, legal, environmental and community organizations to urge the Canada to withdraw from the Safe Third Country Agreement given its grievous impacts on the rights of refugees.
2023 (June 21) - Statement on National Indigenous Peoples' Day
The FOSJ co-signed a Collaborative Statement on National Indigenous Peoples’ Day that highlights Call to Action #48 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) which counsels all faith groups in Canada to formally adopt and comply with the principles, norms, and standards of the Declaration as a framework for reconciliation
2023 (March) - Open Letter Regarding GHG Emissions
FOSJ joined 80+ U.S. and Canadian groups in an open letter to the U.S. President and Canadian Prime Minister to urge transparency regarding GHG emissions from logging.
2023 (February) - FOSJ Winter Newsletter
Read about the important efforts undertaken by the Office for Systemic Justice in the Winter newsletter.
