Provincial Convention 2009: Community Life Oral Report

Submitted by: Lois Charlebois

We all belong to many communities—for instance Church, CWL, Local, Province wide, National and Worldwide. When reading your Diocesan Reports, I realized that I must congratulate you for the great work you are doing in many of these communities. My report in the Convention Book is much the same as the one I sent to National Chairperson Mary Nordick about the work we are doing in B.C & the Yukon.

This committee is very interesting and I have been busy doing the usual work of a Chairperson—Communiqués, Oral Reports, reading about issues, distributing ideas and materials, etc. I am also serving on the Resolutions Committee. I did some research on these issues, and I hope that all of them will pass at this Provincial Convention and at the National Convention in August.

I have also kept up-dated by e-mails from Nazanin Afshin Jam about the important issue of Child Executions in Iran. In December, there were 140 children under 18 years old in Jails in Iran awaiting Execution. This is a very important issue that we must be concerned about and try to help her when we can.

At the Vancouver Diocesan Convention, they had brought in two excellent Speakers on very “timely” topics. First was Alex Schadenberg from Ontario, leader of the “Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Coalition”. His speech was titled “End of Life Issues”. I have brought a sample of Post Cards from him, and also another Post Card regarding Prostitution. I have one for each Diocesan President to take home. Perhaps you could get some more, or make some like these for your members to use. If you send them to Federal M.P.’s, there is no postage required.

Especially important to our Committee was speaker Benjamin Perrin from U.B.C. who spoke about “Trafficking of Persons”. I spoke to him and one thing he said to me was very important—he said we must encourage our Police Departments and especially the Justice Departments of our governments to apprehend and charge Traffickers. It is especially important for them to be sure that when Traffickers are charged and convicted, the sentences given must be as serious as the crimes and not just a “slap on the wrist”. Mr. Perrin had buttons to wear regarding the Anti-trafficking campaign for the 2010 Olympics. We must defend people’s rights—especially we must promote the need for justice.

A while ago I read that we are the hands and feet of Christ in our world. If this is so, what kind of Handprints and Footprints are we leaving? I think we must work very hard to leave good “prints” for HIM. I received a Communiqué from Mary Nordick our National Chairperson for Community Life. She expressed concern regarding two issues – “Child Poverty and Human Trafficking.” I urge all of you to continue the good works you are doing. Also, please make your voice is heard about the issues expressed in our Resolutions. Be sure that action is taken on the Resolutions that are passed—some pertaining to our Province and some to our Nation. I would really like to see some good things happen in response to the resolutions, especially the ones pertaining to Community Life. ALSO…Be sure to keep all our important issues in your Prayers. Prayer is such a powerful tool in tackling the problems we have on our communities here in our country and in our World Community.