Author Archive

Building two bridges: Speech by Dr. Cindy Blackstock

February 22, 2013

Dr. Cindy Blackstock is the Director of The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society. She gave this speech at a national event in support of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. KAIROS , over 20 national organizations, and…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, UNDRIP Blog Updates

Mise à jour sur la campagne Vérité, réconciliation et équité : ils comptent pour nous!

February 6, 2013

En ce début d’année 2013, le mouvement Finie l’apathie! (Idle No More) continue de fournir l’occasion d’engager des conversations à propos des droits des Autochtones et de notre commun avenir. Simultanément la Commission de vérité et de réconciliation (CVR) poursuit…

Post filed in: En français

22e Marche annuelle commémorative pour les femmes autochtones disparues et assassinées au Canada – 14 février 2013

February 6, 2013

Leur esprit vit en nous Le 14 février, KAIROS se joindra aux groupes autochtones et non autochtones de partout au Canada pour honorer la mémoire de nos sœurs disparues et assassinées au Canada et exiger que justice soit faite. Selon…

Post filed in: En français

Partenaire vedette de KAIROS : Yolanda Becerra, Organisation féministe populaire (OFP)

December 13, 2012

Yolanda Becerra est une promotrice des droits humains bien connue et une leader du mouvement populaire des femmes en Colombie. Elle est la directrice nationale de l’Organisation populaire des femmes (OFP), basée à Barrancabermeja, et membre fondatrice du mouvement social…

Post filed in: En français

Les Cours des femmes en Colombie : créer un espace pour dire la vérité sur la violence

December 13, 2012

Rachel Warden, Coordonnatrice des partenariats en Amérique latine de KAIROS, accompagne des partenaires de KAIROS en Amérique latine et a passé une partie du mois de novembre 2012 en Colombie. (Elle offre aussi des commentaires en anglais.)Elle nous écrit : « J’ai passé une…

Post filed in: En français

Honouring human rights defenders in photos: A KAIROS slideshow for International Human Rights Day

December 11, 2012

KAIROS marks International Human Rights Day, December 10, and the following week of celebration by commemorating the courageous work of our human rights partners in Canada and in the Global South. Through our migrant justice, Indigenous rights, women of courage and…

Post filed in: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Middle East

Commissioner Marie Wilson on Lessons Learned from Canada’s Residential School Experience

December 10, 2012

The three TRC Commissioners are busy people. Justice Murray Sinclair, Chief Wilton Littlechild and Marie Wilson are present at all national events, and share the responsibility for local hearings between themselves. They’re also in dialogue with the Parties to the…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

An open letter on human rights to the President of the Philippines

December 10, 2012

4 November, 2012 To His Excellency Benigno Simeon Aquino III, Malacanang Palace, Manila, Philippines Mr. President: KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives unites eleven churches and religious organizations in faithful action for ecological justice and human rights. KAIROS has a long…

Post filed in: Asia-Pacific

Jeepeys and Tricycles oh my! A day in Manila

November 8, 2012

November 5. By Alfredo Barahona I give up. I can’t sleep. It is roughly 5:45 AM. I can’t sleep and it’s not just because of the 13 hour difference between Toronto and Manila, but because of the noise from Jeepneys…

Post filed in: Asia-Pacific

Contradictions

November 8, 2012

Manila, November 3, 2012 By Alfredo Barahona Manila is a beautiful place, but it is full of contradictions. I am here to participate in the meetings of the World Council of Churches’ Global Ecumenical Network on Migration (GEM) that are…

Post filed in: Migrant Justice

From Toronto to Manila for meetings of the Global Ecumenical Network on Migration

November 8, 2012

November 3, 2012 This is Alfredo Barahona, the migrant justice coordinator at KAIROS. Welcome to the new migrant justice blog! I’m heading to the Global Ecumenical Network on Migration (GEM) meetings in Manila. This is profoundly significant as the Philippines…

Post filed in: Migrant Justice

The United Church: Apologies offered in Fort Qu’Appelle SK

August 14, 2012

John Bird, Program Coordinator for Aboriginal Justice and Right Relations at the national United Church of Canada writes,  “Sue Bland is Saskatchewan Conference’s “part-time” staff person supporting the Conference’s Justice and Right Relations group, a wonderful gathering of Indigenous and…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

The United Church Moderator reflects on reconciliation from local to national

August 14, 2012

Mardi Tindal was the Moderator, or elected leader, of the United Church of Canada from August 2009 through August 2012. Her term coincided with the opening of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and since the United Church and its predecessor…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Expression of Reconciliation presented to the TRC by KAIROS Saskatoon

July 25, 2012

What better way to start a blog on examples of reconciliation and truth-telling than with an Expression of Reconciliation? These Expressions are part of every Truth and Reconciliation Commission national event, and can be offered by individuals, organizations, government bodies,…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage

Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Every story needs a listener

July 25, 2012

This blog is an invitation to you. Canada is in the midst of a national Truth and Reconciliation Commission on the Indian Residential Schools system, but many Canadians don’t know this, or may not feel this journey belongs to them….

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Halifax event: It’s better to live with fear than to stop living because of fear

June 8, 2012

St. Andrew’s United Church, Halifax, NS. June 7, 2012. The Living Courage tour got off to a great start in Halifax, with 100 people in attendance at a public forum. KAIROS staff member Alfredo Barahona says that hope, resistance and…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage

Women of Courage, Canada, and Indigenous rights

June 8, 2012

Canadians do not need to look overseas to witness the impact of violence. This is why the Women of Courage work links North and South and sees responses to violence in one part of the world as contributing to responses…

Post filed in: Africa, Gender Justice/Women of Courage

Why “Women of Courage” and why these countries?

June 8, 2012

Why Women of Courage? Not only are women and children frequently the most common victims of armed conflict, but there are also often hidden impacts on women, including high levels of sexual violence, as we heard during last year’s Living…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage

First Living Courage II public event: Halifax

June 7, 2012

Tonight the Living Courage tour launches its first public event! The Halifax KAIROS community has been working for months with many local sponsors on a public forum that brings together voices from Colombia, Palestine and Mi’kmaq territory. Here’s a link…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage

Women of Courage II ready for the East Coast

June 5, 2012

The Women of Courage have arrived! Today, they are in Toronto.  On Thursday, the tour begins with a public event in Halifax. Over the next three weeks, these women of courage will visit communities and meet with representatives of Indigenous…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage

Living Courage and strategies for change

November 19, 2011

At each public event, participants have been asked the same question as the speakers: From your experience, what have been the most successful strategies for defending women’s rights and ending violence against women? The discussion has been both rich and…

Post filed in: Africa, Gender Justice/Women of Courage

Chantal Bilulu: la femme doit se mettre debout. Women must stand up

November 9, 2011

Chantal Bilulu, director of women’s and children’s programs at Héritiers de la justice offers this reflection to people of courage: Dans plusieurs pays du monde, la femme est victime des violences de toute genre. C’est pourquoi il est necéssaire que…

Post filed in: Africa, En français, Gender Justice/Women of Courage

A welcome to Penelakut Island part 2

October 24, 2011

Later that afternoon, we asked Jill and her sister Valerie if we could visit a village site that had been on the front lines of colonization. We took a tour of the island, winding up on a muddy road that…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights

A welcome to Penelakut Island part 1

October 24, 2011

(A perspective on settler and Indigenous relationships in the Gulf Islands, including Penelakut, is offered by award-winning author Terry Glavin in the article This Haunted Place. Terry has for many years written about the Indigenous history and ongoing resistance that…

Post filed in: Gender Justice/Women of Courage, Indigenous Rights

THANK YOU to the Ottawa organizing committee-the faces and hands behind an amazing day

July 12, 2011

We all know just how many people it takes to pull off a public event. Ottawa is the scene of enough public events that extra planning and attention to security questions is needed, especially since the day moved between three…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Ellen Gabriel’s speech at the Roll with the Declaration event on Parliament Hill, June 20, 2011

July 4, 2011

Ellen Gabriel, Mohawk, Turtle Clan, Longhouse from Kanehsatà:ke (Ellen speaks on the Hill with Families of Sisters in Spirit in accompaniment.) I am very honoured to be here today upon the invitation of Kairos and their wonderful initiative “Roll with…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights, UNDRIP Blog Updates

Cindy Blackstock’s speech at KAIROS’ Roll with the Declaration event at the Human Rights Monument, Ottawa, June 20 2011

July 4, 2011

Cindy Blackstock. The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society Canada builds two bridges for children over the turbulent waters of life’s hazards. One is for non-Aboriginal children- which could be much stronger for a wealthy nation- but thankfully most…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights

Last stop: Capreol!

June 18, 2011

Capreol ON, 1:00AM Saturday Our last stop! Capreol is about 25 minutes west of Sudbury, for those not acquainted with this historic stopping point.  We were met on the platform by Dave, Pat, Faye, Laura, Brandy and Cameron (who had…

Post filed in: Indigenous Rights