SCM Pastoral Letter on 2008 Federal Election
This statement was passed by SCM Canada’s elected National Board with full consensus, October 19, 2008. You can also print a PDF Version of the letter.
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h1. SCM Canada Pastoral Letter on the 2008 Federal Election October 19, 2008 To the volunteers, candidates and voters who ran and worked and deliberated during the 40th Canadian General Election in an attempt to bring real, progressive change to our political landscape: The Student Christian Movement of Canada thanks you who were the progressive, prophetic voice of the people of Canada for your time and effort in this election. Whether you were a volunteer knocking door to door – supporting those who would seek to change our relentless march towards environmental disaster – or running as a candidate – raising awareness about the significant social justice issues we face in Canada – we greatly appreciate the efforts you made. We are gravely disappointed in a system that rewards a few parties with artificially inflated seat counts, while effectively silencing millions of people living in Canada who voted for progressive change; it is also a system that inspires the worst voter turn-out in Canadian history, excludes those without citizenship or the privilege of adequate identification, and offers extremely minimal opportunities for public engagement. At times, this system does not deserve the description “democratic” nor does it hear the voices of the marginalized. Nonetheless, we recognize that the actions you took were prophetic and motivated by a real desire for change. We are inspired by your vision of a transformed social order that would demonstrate real care for all of God’s world and a more humanitarian and egalitarian society. Despite the dismal outcome this election, our faith calls us to hope, by renewing our commitment towards radical change. We call on the members of the Student Christian Movement to stay involved in the political landscape of this country. We must engage our Members of Parliament in dialogue, challenging them to seek justice and love kindness. We encourage all members of the Student Christian Movement to actively challenge our MPs and other government officials, regardless of political affiliation, to prioritize the issues of gender and racial justice, sexual diversity, peace, indigenous rights, environmental justice, universal human rights, and social justice, and to lobby for profound changes to trade, finance, immigration, foreign policies, and social programmes. We recognize with deep gratitude the work of individuals and groups working outside of the political structures on these issues and serving the needs the government willfully ignores. We also call for all people to voice their displeasure with our current electoral system, which distributes power unequally. If Canada wishes to continue to call itself a democratic country, we must ensure that at all levels of government and organization, all voices are heard. We do not believe that the tyranny of the majority has the right to ignore or silence oppressed minorities. We must be visionaries and dreamers, informed by and grounded in praxis, re-envisioning all aspects of the political sphere and public life. Through the coming years under a government that has – in the past – displayed a willful ignorance to issues of justice, we challenge ourselves and our sisters and brothers to take action and speak prophetically against the oppressive system of Empire in which we now live. In Christ the Liberator, statement passed by full consensus of the elected National Board of the Student Christian Movement of Canada |
