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Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada has released an
Election Kit to guide Christians in the upcoming election.
Canada, EFC states, “needs strengthened families
and secure marriages. Canada needs to protect its most vulnerable:
children, the poor, the unborn and the disabled. Canada needs to share its
blessings with the world, especially meeting commitments made to foreign
relief and development work.”
The kit stresses a range of issues: the environment,
family integrity, freedom of religion, global poverty reduction, national
unity and reconciliation, poverty and homelessness, prostitution and human
trafficking, refugees and respect for human life. www.evangelicalfellowship.ca
Citizens for Public Justice
CPJ’s website declares: “The environment
and the economy were the two big issues of the first week of the campaign.
To the average voter, it can be hard to find a way through so many
competing options and arguments, especially given the gravity of the issues
surrounding the environment and the economy. Both are important, but that
does not mean they are in competition.
“Public justice calls us as citizens to hold our
politicians accountable for their actions and inactions on the
environment.” The website offers “public justice questions to
keep in mind while you study the options.” CPJ also addresses
housing, poverty, refugees and taxation. www.cpj.ca
Catholic Bishops
The Social Affairs Commission of the Canadian
Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a Federal Election 2008 Guide.
The Commission “encourages Catholics to become better informed about
the issues, to voice their concerns with the political candidates, to
promote vigorous public debate, to consider running for office –
and, most of all, to vote.”
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The guide highlights some basic Catholic teachings in
the areas of respect for life and the dignity of the human person, a
preferential option for the poor, the war in Afghanistan, and the
environment. The guide states that “a well-formed Christian
conscience does not permit one to vote for a political program or an
individual law which contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and
morals.”
However, the guide also admits that sometimes voters
must choose “the lesser evil.” www.cccb.ca
REAL Women
REAL Women of Canada advise: “Determine the views
of the candidates in your riding. Pass this information along to family
members, friends and neighbours, members of your community organizations,
and your church. This is vitally important.
“Word of mouth works wonders. Issues such as
child care, family taxation, non-medical use of drugs, child pornography,
prostitution and suppression of crime deeply affect our society and the
security of our families. The fabric of our society can be improved or torn
apart, depending on the government we elect in this 2008 federal
election.” www.realwomenca.com
October 2008
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