A shared statement by peacebuilding organizations calling for States to recommit to peace. International Day of Peace, 21 September 2020 Peace is under threat. In 1945, the United Nations was founded to ‘save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.’ But the steady progress that has been made towards building, keeping and sustaining peace is … read more
DEFUND THE POLICE! We have heard the demands in the street, watched horrifying videos, tracked Twitter, and listened to the news. On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black American man, was killed by the police in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. This tragic event has ignited a … read more
The following is an open letter sent to the Prime Minister by over thirty groups. Today marks the one-year anniversary of Canada’s accession to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The undersigned, representing a cross-section of Canadian labour, arms controls, human rights, international security, and other civil society organizations, are writing to reiterate our continued opposition … read more
Canadian Friends Service Committee is offering a free interactive peace skills workshop series! You can join a group to study and do activities from our award-winning book Are We Done Fighting? Building Understanding in a World of Hate and Division. Leading figures in peacebuilding and human rights promotion are calling the book “a joy,” “exceptionally … read more
National Implementation More Urgent than Ever The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the UN General Assembly 13 years ago, on September 13th 2007, as a global minimum standard to address widespread, severe, and systemic violations of the collective and individual human rights of Indigenous peoples. Since that time, the … read more
Indigenous Nations and representative organizations, human rights groups, and faith communities urge the Minister of Justice to table legislation to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as soon as Parliament convenes this fall. This will be a timely, positive step toward upholding Canada’s human rights obligations. We are concerned, however, … read more
We have been part of planning a series of webinars hosted by Pendle Hill and described below. This six-part series is co-sponsored by Canadian Friends Service Committee, Decolonizing Quakers, and Friends Peace Teams/Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples. Learn more and register to attend: https://pendlehill.org/learn/fall-conference-2020/ Canadian Friends are encouraged to register. CFSC has a limited number … read more
CFSC has joined a large group of civil liberties and privacy advocates in calling for a ban on the use of facial recognition technology by Canada’s federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The letter also calls for a meaningful public consultation on all aspects of the technology in Canada, and clear and transparent policies and … read more
Many settlers wish they could ask Indigenous people questions about reconciliation without appearing foolish or rude. Canadian Friends Service Committee knows that not every settler has the opportunity to have open dialogue with Indigenous friends and neighbours. This is why we want to give you a chance to hear the answers to some important questions … read more
Statement on police violence and the need for governments to actively involve Indigenous peoples in responses. Two weeks ago, Canadian Friends Service Committee (CFSC), the peace and justice arm of Quakers in Canada, released a joint statement in response to the death of George Floyd in the United States and the subsequent public actions to … read more