KAIROS Tar Sands Delegation Heads to Northern Alberta: Church Leaders, Indigenous Peoples and Southern Partners Seek Climate Change Solutions
Media advisory; photo opportunities
| 13.05.09Attention: Environment, Business, Religion, and Aboriginal Journalists
Toronto/For Immediate Release Thursday, May 14, 2009
WHO: KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives delegation of Canadian church leaders, Indigenous and Southern partners (see below for list of participants)
WHAT: Delegation to Alberta tar sands and affected communities – Meetings will be held with church and community members, Indigenous peoples, civil society groups, government and industry representatives. There will be public events, community gatherings, briefings, and church services.
WHERE: Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Indigenous communities between these two communities, and Fort Chipewyan.
WHEN: May 21, 2009 to May 27, 2009
WHY: To explore the theological, social and ethical implications of fossil fuel extraction in the Athabasca tar sands. To listen, discuss and learn more about the Alberta tar sands projects and their impacts on all involved communities - society at large, workers, Indigenous peoples and communities, and the environment.
KAIROS Tar Sands delegation activities are part of Re-energize: Time for a Carbon Sabbath, a three year KAIROS campaign for personal, community and political change. Find out more at: http://www.kairoscanada.org/en/get-involved/campaign/
DELEGATION PARTICIPANTS:
Church Leaders
The Rev. Bruce Adema, Director of Canadian Ministries, Christian Reformed Church in North America, Burlington
Dana Bush, Canadian Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Calgary
Abe Janzen, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee Alberta, Calgary
The Rev. Susan Johnson, National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Winnipeg
Sr. Anne Lewans, osu, Ursulines of Prelate, Canadian Religious Conference, Saskatoon
The Right Rev. Thomas O. Morgan, Retired Archbishop of Saskatoon, Anglican Church of Canada.
The Rev. Cheol Soon Park, Moderator of the 134th General Assembly, The Presbyterian Church in Canada, Toronto
Donald Peters, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee Canada, Winnipeg
The Very Rev. Bill Phipps, Former Moderator of the United Church of Canada, Calgary
The Most Rev. V. James Weisgerber, Archbishop of Winnipeg, President, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
Indigenous and Southern Partners
Fabricio Guamán, Accion Ecologica/Oil Watch South America, Ecuador
Ray Jones, Hereditary Chief, Gitxsan First Nation, South Hazelton, British Columbia
Michael Keania Karikpo, Oil Watch International, Nigeria
KAIROS Staff
Mary Corkery, Executive Director, Toronto,
Ed Bianchi, Indigenous Rights Program Coordinator, Ottawa
Sara Stratton, Education and Campaigns Coordinator, Toronto
Media contact:
Adiat Junaid
Communications Coordinator
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
(416) 463 5312, ext. 223 ajunaid[at]kairoscanada[dot]org
