From Rev. Steven Epperson as quoted in the Canadian Unitarian: (see full text at http://cuc.ca/canu/index.htm)
I believe it is time for speaking again with a national voice—expressing a clear vision—in order to affirm who we are and to assert a “stronger public presence” in this country. I have an (im)modest proposal as a means of realizing these goals: commit ourselves as individuals, congregations and as a national religious denomination to a focused, decade-long project to pressure our federal government to restore a fully funded, national affordable housing program back into the federal budget, and to make it a policy priority to achieve.
Across Canada, in a dozen meetings dedicated to addressing poverty, civic and community leaders told Liberal MP Ken Dryden that the single most important thing this nation’s government could do to alleviate poverty in Canada was for the government to forge, fund and restore a credible national housing program.
Since it was slashed from the federal budget in 1993, Canada is the only G8 nation with no national affordable housing program. More than 300,000 people in this country are homeless. Close to three million families are struggling with basic, core housing needs. The inadequacy of decent housing for our First Nations and Inuit people is an international disgrace. Ten years ago, Canada’s mayors declared that we have a national housing crisis.
Ask politicians, journalists, and community advocates the question, “How can an individual congregation influence public policy outcomes?” and they answer, “Send letters to elected representatives."
Politicians are influenced by pressure from their constituents.” We sorely undervalue this: we rarely use it. It’s time to begin the work, and commit to it until it is achieved. In so doing, I believe we may discover the unique things that Canada has to say, and we may yet learn to speak the special language of this place to greater effect.
We could discover broader fellowship, expanded vision and renewed strength — we could discover ourselves — our vision and our voice.
We, the undersigned, support a National Affordable Housing program and we:
✱ Call for the CUC, its congregations, and UU Ministers of Canada to commit to a ten-year plan to restore a fully funded, national affordable housing program as a policy priority.
✱ Call on the CUC to fund a national media campaign, and to forge alliances with effective housing advocates in government and civil society.
✱ Call Unitarian congregations to designate one evening each month for a housing policy letter writing campaign to government officials.
(Note: initially Rev. Epperson intended to bring a special resolution to the CUC AGM 2010, but was told that would be ruled out of order.)
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Unitarians supporting a National Affordable Housing Program petition to Canadian Unitarian Council Economic Justice Monitoring Group was written by Mary Bennett and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.