Letters and Statements
Sorted by Topic

Media Room News Releases: by Date | by Topic | Letters and Statements: by Date | by Topic

• Aboriginal and Indigenous rights
• Anti-poverty
• Asia Disaster
• Climate Change
• Colombia
• Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo)
• Debt
• Human Rights
• Indonesia (including Aceh and West Papua)
• Iraq
• Israel and Palestine
• Philippines
• Refugees and Migrants
• Resource extraction (including mining)
• Sustainable Development
• Sudan
• Terrorism/War on Terror
• Trade
• Water
  

Aboriginal and Indigenous rights

• KAIROS comments on Aboriginal rights and Bill C-21 (formerly Bill C-44) – An Act to Amend the Canadian Human Rights Act (December 04, 2007)
• Joint letter to the United Nations General Assembly: Support for the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (June 2007)
• Canada’s Aboriginal Policy: Discriminatory and Disingenuous. A KAIROS Brief to the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on the Occasion of the Examination of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Periodic Reports Submitted by Canada. (February 2007)
• Joint NGO statement on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Human rights organizations condemn efforts to block vital human rights instrument (30 November 2006)
• Letter to Honourable Jim Prentice regarding The Lubicon Lake Cree (March 17, 2006)
• The Need to Protect Indigenous Peoples from Large-scale Mining in the Philippines: Solidarity Statement (02/02/05)
• Canadian mining around the world: Joint statement endorsed by KAIROS in solidarity with Guatemala
• Killing of two protestors at unauthorized mine in Guatemala (12/01/05)
• Letter to Lic. Oscar Berger, President of the Republic of Guatemala (09/11/04)
• Joint statement for Indigenous peoples’ human rights (27/04/04)

Anti-poverty

• KAIROS comments on the 2008 Federal Budget
• Vision to Action: a faith-based movement for a canada without poverty – a letter to party leaders (May 30, 2007)
• Call to the Prime Minister for a poverty strategy (By Vision to Action—a faith based movement for a Canada without poverty (June 2007)
• Letter to Prime Minister Harper regarding affordable and high quality child care for all Canadians (16 February 2006)
• Productivity, yes, but to what end? A call for a values-based budget. Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance Pre-Budget Hearings, 2005(1/ 09/ 2005)
• A Just Society: KAIROS Brief to the Standing Committee on Finance, Pre-Budget Hearings 2004 (03/11/04)

Asia Disaster

• The larger context of the tsunami: Respecting human rights, cancelling debt, and supporting genuine development (17/01/05)
• KAIROS Responds to the Devastation in Asia (05/01/05)

Climate Change

• KAIROS policy paper: Re-energizing the Future: Faith and Justice in a Post-Petroleum World. Developing an ecumenical response to the fossil fuel crisis (December 2007)
• A Call for Climate Justice. KAIROS statement to Canada and the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali (December 5, 2007)
• G8 fails humanity and the planet; Canada’s Contribution Embarrassing. KAIROS analysis of the G8’s June 2007 Summit
• Open letter from the Climate Action Network to the Prime Minister: Adopt the G8 proposal on climate change (4 June 2007)
• KAIROS Statement on the Canadian government’s Clean Air Act (October 20, 2006)
• Letter to Prime Minister Harper: Bold and urgent action required to curb Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions (19 September 2006)
• Climate Action Network letter to the Prime Minister: Climate change key to the agenda of the G8 meeting (June 2005)
• Letter to the Prime Minister on the Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol (29/03/05)
• Letter to Premiers on Climate Change (26/10/02)

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Colombia

• To Prime Minister Harper: Grave concerns regarding Canada's free trade negotiations with Colombia (6 December 2007)
• Letter to Ambasador Matthew Levin: Break in at KAIROS’ Colombian partner JUSTAPAZ - Sensitive human rights documentation stolen; staff and network at risk (21 June 2007)
• Open Letter to the Government of Colombia: Signed by 40 Indigenous Peoples Organizations, Trade Unions, Churches, Human Rights and Other Civil Society Organizations and 61 MPs (12 February 2007)
• President Uribe of Colombia: Grave concerns about about the life and personal safety of Lilia Solano Ramirez and her sons. (7 December 2005)
• Letter to President Fourth anniversary of the abduction of Kimy Pernia Domico (02/06/05)
• (Response of Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew regarding the massacre) (09/05/05)
• Condemnation of the massacre of eight people in San José de Apartadó, Colombia (18/03/05)
• Letter to Colombian President-Elect Álvaro Uribe Vélez RE: concern about the life of Francisco Ramirez (01/11/04)
• Statement by KAIROS Regarding the Kidnapping of Bishop Jiménez and Father Orjuela of Colombia (13/11/02)
• Open Letter to Colombian President-Elect Álvaro Uribe Vélez (20/06/02)

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Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo)

• Letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Peter McKay: Killers of CIDA-supported human rights defender in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remain at large (12 January 2007)
• KAIROS Policy Briefing Paper #3: Will Democracy Take Root in the Congo? (October 2006)
• Canadian Churches urge support for the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (July 4, 2003)

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Debt

• KAIROS Policy Briefing Paper #2: Will US Debt Lead to a Financial Crisis? (February 2006)
• Letter to Prime Minister Martin: The need for leadership on unconditional debt cancellation (23/06/05)
• KAIROS Statement: Global Day of Action Against Debt Domination December 5, 2004 (05/12/04)
• KAIROS Marks Global Day of Action Against Debt Domination (05/12/03)

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Human Rights

• Letter to the President of El Salvador: Grave concern at the detention and “terrorist” charges of Salvadoran water activists (July 2007)
• Letter from the Canadian Council for International Cooperation to Prime Minister Harper: Key issues for Canadian foreign policy in your visit to the Americas (KAIROS is a member of CCIC) (10 July 2007)
• Open letter to Mexican President Vicente Fox regarding the urgent situation in Oaxaca, Mexico (3 November 2006)
• Letter to Lic. Vicente Fox Quesada and Ulises Ruiz Ortiz: Concern About The Use Of Excessive Force Against Striking Teachers in Oaxaca (28 June 2006)
• Leading human rights defender killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (11 August 2005)
• Request for Public Inquiry into Maher Arar's Case (24/11/03)

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Indonesia (including Aceh and West Papua)

• Ongoing Indonesian military operations and the military’s role in the delivery of aid to the tsunami-affected people of Aceh (05/01/05)

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Iraq

• Solidarity letter to Christian Peacemaker Teams following abductions in Baghdad (30 November 2005)
• NEW KAIROS statement on the current situation in Iraq (12 March 2004)
• Peace in the Middle East : A Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (10/09/03)
• A Letter to Prime Minister Chrétien: For a Peaceful Resolution of the Iraq Conflict (26/03/03)
• KAIROS statements regarding war against Iraq (21/03/03)
• KAIROS says “No!” to War on Iraq, With or Without UN Security Council Authorization (14/02/03)
• A Letter to Prime Minister Chrétien: No to War with Iraq (25/09/02)
• A Letter to Prime Minister Chrétien: KAIROS and Ploughshares Speaking out against War with Iraq (05/09/02)

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Palestine and Israel

• Letter to the Prime Minister: KAIROS Calls for Canada to act regarding the siege of Gaza (28 January 2008)
• Letter to Prime Minister Harper regarding the need to end the international financial boycott of the Palestinian Authority (18 April 2007)
• KAIROS Statement on the violence in Gaza (20 November 2006)
• Letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay: re Alarm at the events occurring in the Middle East (25 July 2006)
• Letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay: Concerns re lack of balance in Canada’s response to the outcomes of the Israeli and Palestinian elections (10 April 2006)
• Statement following the Toronto Conference on Morally Responsible Investment (16 November 2005)
• Letter to foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew re Canada's abstention on UN Resolution regarding the Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (12/08/04)
• Letter to Prime Minister Paul Martin Concerning the Assassination of Sheikh Yassin (22/03/04)
• KAIROS, other NGOs condemn Israeli house demolitions as ‘war crimes’ : A Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (03/11/03)
• Peace in the Middle East : A Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (10/09/03)
• The Reoccupation of the West Bank and Gaza and Bush's Proposal for Peace (28/06/02)
• Concerning the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict: A Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (13/03/02)

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Philippines

• Extrajudicial Killings in the Philippines and Canada-Philippine Relations
• World Council of Churches Submission to the UN Human Rights Council : Oral intervention on the extrajudicial executions in the Philippines. (Joint Statement with: Foundation for Aboriginal and Islander Research Action (FAIRA); International Indian Treaty Council (IITC); Canadian Council of Churches) March 27, 2007
• Cover letter, Philippines petition
  Stop the political killings in the Philippines! Petition to Parliament, liturgy and poster.
• Letter to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, President of the Philippines regarding the murder of Bishop Ramento of the Philippine Independent Church and other repression (6 November 2006)
• Call to stop the killing of human rights defenders in the Philippines (3 October 2005)
• Regarding the Deployment of US Military Troops in the Philippines: Letter to Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (06/06/02)
• Recent spate of killings and targeting of religious leaders, and gross human rights violations in the Philippines (22/04/05)

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Refugees and Migrants

• Joint Submission to the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities: Improving the employability of undocumented and temporary workers (6 September 2006)
• KAIROS Policy Briefing Paper #1: Canadian Security: Security for All of Us (February 2006)
• Letter to all MPs: Implement the Appeal Division-- respect refugee rights and the will of Parliament (21 November 2005)
• Concern regarding continued stalling on the issue of the Refugee Appeal Division (22 June 2005)
• Joint Statement on Refugee Appeal Division (20/06/05)
• KAIROS Presentation on Refugee and Migrant Family Reunification: to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (13/04/05)
• Letter to Minister Volpe: Your recent appointment and issues of concern (2 March 2005)
• Church leaders' letter to Immigration Minister Judy Sgro re: Meeting with the churches on sanctuary (13/08/04) 
• Letter to Judy Sgro and Anne McLellan on sanctuary violation (15/03/04)
• Letter to Immigration Minister Judy Sgro: Concerns re Appeal Process and Safe Third Country (19/02/04)
• Request for Canada to Re-Consider entering into Canada-U.S. Border Agreement (19/11/02)
• Concerns regarding the Safe Third Country Agreement (12/06/02)

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Resource extraction (including mining)

• Letter from the Canadian Council for International Cooperation to Prime Minister Harper: Key issues for Canadian foreign policy in your visit to the Americas (KAIROS is a member of CCIC) (10 July 2007)
• G8 fails humanity and the planet; Canada’s Contribution Embarrassing. KAIROS analysis of the G8’s June 2007 Summit
• To President Calderon re the complicity of state and municipal authorities in advancing the illegal activities of Minera San Javier (MSX) (25 January 2007)
• KAIROS Policy Briefing Paper #4: Bolivia’s petroleum industry emulates Norway: Why doesn’t Canada? (October 2006)
• Joint letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay and Minister of International Trade David Emerson: Grave concern about the activities of Canadian mining company Metallica Resources Inc. in Mexico. (28 April 2006)
• Letter to Foreign Minister Pettigrew: Cerro de San Pedro, Mexican community under threat due to Canadian mining operation (15 December 2005)
• Urgently needed: mining ethics (Opinion/ editorial written by church leaders on behalf of KAIROS) 21 October 2005
• To Mexican President Vicente Fox: Concerns regarding the Mexican operations of Metallica Resources Inc. (October 2005)
• Human rights and environmental impact of Canadian mining companies’ activities abroad (01/09/05)
• The Need to Protect Indigenous Peoples from Large-scale Mining in the Philippines: Solidarity Statement (02/02/05)
• Canadian mining around the world: Joint statement endorsed by KAIROS in solidarity with Guatemala
• Killing of two protestors at unauthorized mine in Guatemala (12/01/05)
• Letter to Lic. Oscar Berger, President of the Republic of Guatemala (09/11/04)
• See also our page on resource extraction

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Sustainable Development

• Letter to Honourable Ralph Goodale RE: Federal Budget (05/03/04)
• Joint NGO Letter to the Prime Minister Concerning The World Summit on Sustainable Development (29/05/02)

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Sudan

• Human Rights Council, Fourth SessionJoint Oral Intervention on Sudan, Related Debate 22 March, 2007. Delivered by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (22 March 2007)
• Interfaith letter to the Prime Minister regarding Darfur (16 January 2006)
• Letter to the Prime Minister regarding Darfur, Sudan (6 June 2005)
• Letter to Prime Minister Martin Concerning the Deteriorating Situation in Darfur (23/08/04)
• Letter to Prime Minister Martin re violence in Darfur, Sudan (10/05/04)
• Letter to Hon. Bill Graham Re: Urgent Need for More Canadian Support to Peace in Sudan (Feb 04)
• Letter to Senator Mobina Jaffer (08/01/03)
• KAIROS' Statement on Talisman Energy's Intended Sale of its Sudan Assets (01/11/02)
• Statement by the Canadian Ecumenical Mission to Sudan (10/04/01)

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Trade

• Letter from the Canadian Council for International Cooperation to Prime Minister Harper: Key issues for Canadian foreign policy in your visit to the Americas (KAIROS is a member of CCIC) (10 July 2007)
• KAIROS-APG joint submission and recommendations (21 June 2006)
• Look Before Leaping: Canada Central America Free Trade Agreement fundamentally flawed. Joint North American civil society open letter. (21 June 2006)
• Stop the WTO negotiations—save jobs. Joint statement from NGOs worldwide (November 2005)
• Letter to the Prime Minister: Regarding the Summit of the Americas (November 2005)
• Brief to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade on Canada’s International Policy Statement (2 November 2005)
• Remarks before the Subcommittee on Trade, Trade Disputes, and Investment (SINT) regarding Chapter 11: (16/02/05)
• A Just Society: KAIROS brief to the Standing Committee on Finance pre-budget hearings (3/11/04)
• KAIROS submission to the federal government’s International Policy Review (August 04)
• Open Letter to Prime Minister Chrétien: "Turning the Tables G8 Action E-kit" (17/06/02)

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Terrorism/War on Terror

• Letter to the Prime Minister: Distortion of justice under the security certificate process (15 September 2005)
• Submission to the Subcommittee on Public Safety and National Security Concerning the Mandatory Review of the Anti-Terrorism Act (05/02/28)
• Submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice Concerning Bill C-36 (05/11/01)
• Statement in response to the events of September 11 (14/09/01)

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Water

• Joint Letter to Stephen Harper: Support water as a human right and protect it as a public trust. ( 12 June 2006)
• Joint Declaration of the Movements in Defense of Water (Mexico City, March 19, 2006)
• Please support water as a human right. (February 2006)
• Pastoral Letter for Ecumenical Water Campaign Launch (6 October 2005)

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Media Room News Releases: by Date | by Topic | Letters and Statements: by Date | by Topic

KAIROS
Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
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