OTTAWA – More than 150 Catholic and other religious organizations, environmental, social justice and labour groups across the country have joined together to pledge support for six “Principles for a Just Recovery” that they hope will influence what a post-COVID-19 Canada looks like.
“Recovery efforts must support the transition to a more equitable, sustainable, and diversified economy, and not entrench outdated economic and social systems that jeopardize the health and wellbeing of people, worsen the climate crisis, or perpetuate the exploitation or oppression of people,” a press release announcing the “Just Recovery” campaign said.
“The COVID crisis has revealed the primary importance of the health and safety of all people, as a human rights and collective wellbeing issue. Relief efforts so far have shown that things we’ve been told aren’t possible, actually are once we prioritize them.”
The six principles put forward emphasize a more environmentally sustainable economy and increased emphasis on reconciliation with First Nations.
The six “Principles for a Just Recovery” are: put people’s health and wellbeing first, no exceptions; strengthen the social safety net and provide relief directly to people; prioritize the needs of workers and communities; build resilience to prevent future crises; build solidarity and equity across communities, generations, and borders; and uphold Indigenous rights and work in partnership with Indigenous peoples.
“COVID-19 has laid bare what we already knew about the precarity and inequity of our existing systems: millions were already living in poverty; climate change was already affecting northern communities’ access to food; a lack of affordable housing stock was already barring newcomers to Canada from successful economic integration; and inadequate funding and disputes between levels of government left many Indigenous communities without the healthcare they need,” said a statement released on May 25 by Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ), one of the organizations that has endorsed the “Just Recovery” campaign.
CPJ, a faith-based social justice advocacy group based in Ottawa, said “we appreciate the federal government’s ambition and responsiveness in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This moment is showing what is possible when governments act with resolve to prioritize people’s health and well-being.”
“As we move from crisis to recovery, CPJ’s long-standing call for the development of a resilient, diversified green economy built on the principles of equity and justice is more relevant than ever,” said CPJ’s senior policy analyst Karri Munn-Venn.
“The impact of the (COVID-19) virus, though devastating, has created a space for all members of society to contemplate how to build back better, recognizing the interconnectedness of all of creation, honouring Indigenous wisdom, and respecting the limits of the atmosphere.”
The timing of the release of the six “Just Recovery” principles comes on the fifth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato si: On the Care for our Common Home.
Louise Royer, director of the Social Action Ministry Office of the Archdiocese of Montreal, said endorsing the “Just Recovery” principles is a continuation of what the Catholic Church has been preaching for years.
“These are all things that we have been working for,” Royer told Canadian Catholic News. “These are all things that are similar to Catholic principles.”
The Social Action Ministry Office of the Archdiocese of Montreal’s mission statement is to “invite the People of God to participate in initiatives which embody the principles of the Church’s social teaching: respect for human dignity, promoting the common good, a preferential option for the poor, solidarity, and care for creation.”
The “Just Recovery” campaign also comes as a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was released on May 25 from Catholics for Climate Action that calls on Canadian governments to address global climate change more aggressively.
Joe Gunn, executive director of Centre Oblat – A Voice for Justice, which is based at the Catholic Saint Paul University in Ottawa, said it is important for people of faith to work with other civil groups to foster change in Canadian society.
“To be effective promotors of social change, to have impact as we move from words to actions, it’s really important for faith-based organizations to collaborate with larger movements in civil society,” Gunn said. “The work that went into developing these six principles is a fine start.
“And today’s release of a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau from Catholics for Climate Action, with over 650 signatures, is a further and more concrete indication of how we might shape a more-inclusive, greener and more equitable post-pandemic Canada,” he said.
Canadian Catholic News