Author Archive

Blanket exercise opening eyes and minds

March 1, 2017

Photo: Around 40 community members took in the Blanket Exercise that was hosted by Wetaskiwin ParentLink and facilitated by Roy and Judy Louis at By-The-Lake Park Feb. 25. The exercise, which was developed by KAIROS, has become a popular teaching…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Letter to the Editor: Clean tech should be PM’s next frontier

March 1, 2017

Re: “On climate change, can Trudeau go where Trump says no?” (The Hill Times, Feb. 22, p. 13). Canada cannot afford to follow the United States in any misguided decision to halt its climate change policies, and therefore its plans…

Post filed in: Uncategorized

MEDIA RELEASE: Philippine delegation in Montreal calls for mining justice 

February 28, 2017

Delegation includes a Member of the Philippine Congress, Anglican Bishop and Indigenous activists (Ottawa, ON) – Make the overseas operations of Canada’s mining sector open for justice and ensure that Canada plays a leadership role in the Philippines’ peace process…

Post filed in: Media Releases

MEDIA RELEASE: Philippine delegation in Edmonton calls for mining justice 

February 28, 2017

Delegation includes a Member of the Philippine Congress and Indigenous activist (Ottawa, ON) – Make the overseas operations of Canada’s mining sector open for justice and ensure that Canada plays a leadership role in the Philippines’ peace process are two…

Post filed in: Media Releases

MEDIA RELEASE: Philippine delegation in Calgary calls for mining justice 

February 28, 2017

Delegation includes a Member of the Philippine Congress and Indigenous activist (Ottawa, ON) – Make the overseas operations of Canada’s mining sector open for justice and ensure that Canada plays a leadership role in the Philippines’ peace process are two…

Post filed in: Media Releases

MEDIA RELEASE: Philippine delegation in Ottawa calls for mining justice

February 28, 2017

Delegation includes a Member of the Philippine Congress, Anglican Bishop and Indigenous activists (Ottawa, ON) – Make the overseas operations of Canada’s mining sector open for justice and ensure that Canada plays a leadership role in the Philippines’ peace process…

Post filed in: Media Releases

International Women’s Day— one woman at a time

February 27, 2017

March 8 is International Women’s Day. Although recognized by the United Nations in 1977, it has been celebrated by various countries since at least 1909, when the Socialist Party of America acknowledged the one year anniversary of the International Ladies…

Post filed in: Spirited Reflections

International Earth Hour: March 25, 2017

February 24, 2017

The following is intended to help congregations, parishes, and other groups observe, in prayer and worship, international Earth Hour on the fourth or fifth Saturday of March. The purpose of Earth Hour is to call attention to the beauty and…

Post filed in: Ecological Justice

Our Land, Our Rights, Our Peace: Philippines leaders visit Canada, March 20-April 5

February 24, 2017

Filipino Delegation to appeal for Open for Justice and support for peace process, March 20 – April 5                          KAIROS is hosting a five-person delegation from the Philippines, March…

Post filed in: Asia-Pacific, Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights

Open letter on ending discrimination against First Nations children

February 23, 2017

The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada 284 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8 mcu@justice.gc.ca The Honourable Carolyn Bennett Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs 10 Wellington, North Tower Gatineau, Québec K1A 0H4 minister@aadnc-aandc.gc.ca Dear Ministers,…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Spirited Reflection: Risky business

February 21, 2017

These words from Hymn #581 You Are Mine, come often to my mind as I work as a pastor, and as a member of the KAIROS network. “I will come to you in the silence, I will lift you from…

Post filed in: Spirited Reflections

KAIROS welcomes the Canadian government’s renewed commitment to women peace builders

February 17, 2017

KAIROS welcomes the Canadian government’s response to the report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), which reaffirms the critical role of women and women’s rights organizations in peace building. In tabling the government’s response on…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage

How farmers can fight climate change and hunger

February 15, 2017

Can improved agricultural practices help fight both climate change and hunger? Yes, according to one the world’s most esteemed climate scientists. In fact, when meting out money for mitigating climate change, Canada should prioritize supporting small family farming. James Hansen,…

Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Op Eds

My experience of The Blanket Exercise

February 14, 2017

I never thought that the name ‘The blanket exercise’ gave the activity the justice it deserves, although this is how the activity was created and is commonly known. It is originally from the KAIROS, a joint venture by the United…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

More than a blanket term

February 9, 2017

Photo: Students and teachers in the UTS gym during the Blanket Exercise. The Blanket Exercise, devised by Kairos Canada, is an immersive simulation experience centered on the historical changes that accompanied the arrival of Europeans to Turtle Island (one of…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Spirited Reflection: Relationships, community and change

February 6, 2017

A few weeks ago I was reading about Connie Greyeyes.  The interview and accompanying Amnesty International Canada report, Out of Sight, Out of Mind, keep coming back to me whenever I think about community. Connie, an Indigenous woman from the…

Post filed in: Spirited Reflections

Graduate students at the University of Guelph partake in the KAIROS Blanket Exercise

February 3, 2017

A glimpse into the effects of the University of Guelph Aboriginal Initiative Last March, the University of Guelph announced it would be hiring five new Aboriginal professors and increase financial support for Indigenous scholars and graduate students. “This initiative will…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

KAIROS Times: February 2017

February 2, 2017

KAIROS’ 2017 Wish List Education for Reconciliation Update – MLA will present the petition in the Alberta Legislature Hundreds of Catholic school students participate in KAIROS Blanket Exercise at Mary Ward Centre KAIROS Blanket Exercise deepens RCMP Alberta Division’s cultural…

Post filed in: KAIROS Times E-Newsletter

2017 KAIROS wish list

February 1, 2017

Last January, KAIROS released its wish list for the year – ten plus one hopes for the federal government and the provinces to fulfill. Two of these were realized: the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls was…

Post filed in: Calls To Action, Indigenous Rights, Op Eds

Reflection on pilgrimage of justice and peace: We came, we saw, we listened…

January 31, 2017

In 2015, Bishop Susan Johnson, National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, The Rev. Dr. Willard Metzger, Executive Director, Mennonite Church Canada and I, The Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, General Secretary of The Canadian Council of Churches, took…

Post filed in: Spirited Reflections

27th Annual Feb 14 Women’s Memorial March for missing and murdered Indigenous women in Canada

January 31, 2017

On February 14, KAIROS will join Indigenous and non Indigenous groups from across Canada in remembering and honouring our missing and murdered sisters in Canada. More than 1,000 Indigenous women have been murdered or have gone missing, most over the last…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage

Spirited Reflection: Mountain moments

January 30, 2017

What is it about mountains?  When people in comics seek out wise gurus, they find them at the top of the mountain.  Moses received the 10 Commandments from God on top of a mountain. In the story of the Transfiguration,…

Post filed in: Spirited Reflections

KAIROS Blanket Exercise Project with the Mary Ward Centre and Toronto Catholic District School Board

January 28, 2017

KAIROS, the Mary Ward Centre and the Toronto Catholic District School Board launched a collaborative project in October 2016 to bring the KAIROS Blanket Exercise to elementary and secondary school students on a weekly basis. Fifteen schools and hundreds of…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

‘Shame and sadness’ stirred by Indigenous Blanket Exercise

January 26, 2017

Jim Lindsay, sub-region representative for KAIROS Grey-Bruce, Wellington and Dufferin County, says the Indigenous Blanket Exercise held at St. Mark’s Church in Orangeville on Sunday afternoon was very successful – drawing a capacity crowd of about 70 participants. Centred on…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Letter to the Editor: First, it’s our oil

January 26, 2017

  Given the urgent need to transition to a clean energy economy, rather than convincing Donald Trump “to consider Canadian oil as U.S. oil,” Justin Trudeau should tell Mr. Trump that Canada will allocate its remaining reserves of conventional oil…

Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Op Eds

Spirited Reflection: Lazarus and the rich man

January 23, 2017

Luke 16: 19-31 The passage from Luke about the parable of Lazarus and the rich man is a familiar one.  Things did not end well for the rich man. The rich man died and was buried. We then read that…

Post filed in: Spirited Reflections

Letters to the Editor: Women have role to play in peace & Crude on the move

January 18, 2017

Women have role to play in peace Re: Why are women not included in peace-building efforts? Opinion Jan. 10 The exclusion of women from peace-building efforts is perplexing. Not only does war impact women in a particular way, such as…

Post filed in: Op Eds