Author Archive
Choose Life: Protecting our oceans in these times
August 22, 2019
This reflection from the Christian tradition is drawn from a sermon at the Church of the Holy Trinity Toronto on August 18, 2019. That sermon was based on four readings: “This day I call the heavens and the earth as…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
Youth taking the lead on reconciliation
August 14, 2019
Nearly three-quarters of Indigenous youth in Canada believe they will see meaningful reconciliation in their lifetime, an online poll has revealed. The Canadian Youth Reconciliation Barometer, a study done by Environics Institute for Survey Research and released in early July,…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Spirited Reflection: Intergenerational social change
August 9, 2019
August 12 is designated International Youth Day by the UN, an annual celebration of young women’s and men’s roles as essential partners in change, and an opportunity to raise awareness of challenges and problems facing the world’s youth. If you’re reading…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
OFP inaugurates a House Museum for Collective Memory and Human Rights in Barrancabermeja
August 8, 2019
On Thursday, July 25th in Barrancabermeja, Colombia, the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP) inaugurated the Casa Museo de la Memoria y los Derechos Humanos de las Mujeres de la región del Magdalena Medio, or the House Museum of Memory and Human…
Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America
A special call for Spirited Reflections for Climate Action September 2019!
August 6, 2019
In Line with –the Global Climate Strike, Sept. 27the UNITED NATIONS UN Climate Change Summit 2019, Sept. 23we have named September as Climate Action Month-KAIROS is calling for Spirited Reflections focussed on climate justice.If you are willing (or if you…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Spirited Reflections
Town of Okotoks to acknowledge traditional territories
July 31, 2019
An Okotoks town council meeting took a step forward on July 15, as Mayor Bill Robertson opened with an acknowledgement of Treaty 7.The acknowledgement will precede all future Town of Okotoks events, following a KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE) on June…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
Blanket Exercise boosts staff awareness about colonization effects on Indigenous patients
July 23, 2019
It moves some to tears. Others are shocked, yet hopeful. Anger, guilt and shame can also come with the heightened awareness hospital staff members have after taking part in the KAIROS Blanket Exercise.The interactive exercise – developed by KAIROS, an ecumenical…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights
NEW VIDEO: KAIROS Prezi on Temporary Foreign Workers (9:03 min)
July 19, 2019
Post filed in: Migrant Justice, Video Playlists & Photo Albums
A story of results by KAIROS partner Héritiers de la Justice: Gender equity in Inheritance
July 16, 2019
During a recent partner visit to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Jim Davis, Africa Partnership Coordinator, was asked by Chantal Bilulu, Women and Children’s program coordinator of KAIROS partner Héritiers de la Justice, to share the following story of impact….
Post filed in: Africa, Gender Justice/Women of Courage
Canadian subcommittee on human rights releases report on women human rights defenders
July 16, 2019
KAIROS welcomes the release of “Raising Her Voice: Confronting the Unique Challenges Facing Women Human Rights Defenders,” the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development’s report on women human…
Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage
Government of Canada turns back on communities harmed by Canadian mining overseas, loses trust of Canadian civil society
July 11, 2019
KAIROS supports the resignation of all fourteen civil society and labour union representatives of the government’s Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Body on Responsible Business Conduct Abroad (Advisory Body). KAIROS is a member of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA). ———————————————————————- Ottawa, July 11,…
Post filed in: Corporate Accountability, Ecological Justice, Media Releases
KAIROS partners in Colombia
July 10, 2019
This is the second of two blogposts on KAIROS’ recent visit to Colombia. Read the first blog post There is nothing post-conflict about Colombia KAIROS partners on the ground, the Mesa Ecuménica por La Paz (Ecumenical Forum for Peace, MEP) and…
Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America
There is nothing post-conflict about Colombia
July 10, 2019
This is the first of two blogposts on KAIROS’ recent visit to Colombia. Read the second blogpost KAIROS Partners in Colombia First there are the facts and figures: Since the Colombian government and the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) signed…
Post filed in: Latin America
Reflexión: Loque significa caminar en tierra robada; una reflexión sobre el ejercicio de mantas de KAIROS
July 9, 2019
Como hija de inmigrantes nicaragüenses, no soy ajena a las historias de dictaduras respaldadas por los Estados Unidos y tampoco sus masacres. Las historias contadas durante el ejercicio de mantas de KAIROS en su versión guatemalteca me hicieron llorar de…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
Spirited Reflection: What it means to walk on stolen land
July 9, 2019
The Guatemalan KAIROS Blanket Exercise (adapted from the Canadian version) was recently held in Toronto. Two others have commented on the impact of the exercise— one as a settler, one as a First Nations woman, and now, a third as…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
September is Climate Action Month
July 8, 2019
KAIROS is promoting September as Climate Action Month to explore the climate crisis and highlight the work of our members and networks. On each day in September, an event, blog post, environmental challenge – or some combination of all three!…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
Exchanges and collaboration: KAIROS in Ecuador
July 3, 2019
“Un pueblo no existe sin territorio.” Indigenous people cannot exist without their territory. Fany, a Shuar woman from Ecuador, made this declaration during the talking circle of the pilot of the first version of the Ecuadorian blanket exercise held this…
Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Latin America
Spirited Reflection: Jesus outside the gate
July 3, 2019
On June 7, in what is likely to be his last meeting of the KAIROS steering committee as a representative of The United Church of Canada, Jim Hodgson, shared this reflection. In this reflection, I am inspired by Mary Pezzulo’s…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
Acting on an Act to ensure that the laws of Canada are in harmony with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
June 26, 2019
KAIROS Canada is deeply disappointed that Bill C-262, while passed by elected officials in Parliament, will die on the Order Paper in the Senate. Since it is highly unlikely that the Senate will meet again before the writ for the…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, UNDRIP Blog Updates
Spirited Reflection: It’s about time…
June 25, 2019
We live in a culture where there are many different types of time: chronological or calendar time; justice time(“that should have happened years ago”); convenient time(“when I get around to it”); “when the time comes”, fantasy time; “there is no…
Post filed in: Spirited Reflections
America is a mass grave
June 25, 2019
An ensemble of living and non-living beings is calling an alarm: América es una fosa común. America is a mass grave. According to the Government of Mexico, at least 200,000 people have been murdered and 40,000 people have been disappeared since 2006…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice, Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Migrant Justice
Trailblazer: Rewriting HydroQuebec’s controversial past
June 25, 2019
A just transition to a clean energy economy in Canada cannot be successful without the inclusion of remote communities. In mid May, a promising step forward was taken with the signing of an agreement between an Inuit corporation and an…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice
Global perspective for just transition
June 25, 2019
We are facing a global climate emergency. The science is clear. ‘Business-as-usual’ is directly contributing to a warming planet and extreme weather. Since societal change is essential, people are gathering in town-halls across the country to discuss ideas for radical…
Post filed in: Ecological Justice
Spirited Reflection: Ancestors, Imagined
June 21, 2019
Recently, I was fortunate to witness the Guatemalan expression of the KAIROS Blanket Exercise while in Toronto, Ontario. As a First Nations woman, I was struck by the similarities of this story of colonization to the one I had come…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
Spirited Reflection: Imagine
June 20, 2019
At a recent KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE), the facilitator commented that he often wonders what Canada would look like today if, instead of having forced Indigenous communities to adapt to colonial ways, the European colonists had assimilated the ways of…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, Spirited Reflections
KAIROS celebrates new Caregiver Pilot Programs and extension of the Interim Pathway
June 19, 2019
KAIROS Canada applauds the Government of Canada for delivering on its promise of improving the lives and working conditions of migrant caregivers. At a press conference on June 15, the Minister of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada unrolled two new…
Post filed in: Migrant Justice
Retarder les projets de loi C-262 et C-337 mine le processus démocratique au Canada, et met en danger la réconciliation ainsi que la protection des droits humains
June 19, 2019
Une motion unanime des 338 députés de la Chambre des communes déclare que les deux projets de loi actuellement devant le Sénat, les projets de loi C-262 et C-337, sont « des mesures législatives majeures » qu’il est urgent «…
Post filed in: En français, Indigenous Rights, UNDRIP Blog Updates
KAIROS urges Parliament to pass key human rights bills before time runs out
June 19, 2019
(Ottawa, ON) – KAIROS Canada joins Indigenous nations, organizations, and other human rights defenders in an urgent call to Parliamentarians to pass two critical bills that have been stalled in the Senate. In an Open Letter released on June 17,…
Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, UNDRIP Blog Updates
