A new book from Citizens for Public Justice’s Joe Gunn features interviews with ten key people who have been active in social justice struggles across Canada for many years. How did Christians from varied ecumenical backgrounds work together to help end apartheid, admit refugees from Chile and Indochina, defend Indigenous Peoples’ rights, promote economic justice, and more?
Canadian churches have made a huge impact on key justice issues over the past 50 years on education, economics, refugee sponsorship, the environment, domestic violence, public health care, women’s rights, and the cancellation of the debts of Global South countries.
Joe will be sharing the stories in his book as well as how Christian activism is involved in anti-poverty work, eco-justice and refugee rights. His book will be available for purchase at the event.
Speaker: Joe Gunn
Joe Gunn is the executive director at Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ). He worked in Latin American refugee camps and served as a Country Director for Canadian Save the Children in Nicaragua. For over ten years, Joe worked with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, where he developed policy and coordinated work in areas of social justice, missions, and Aboriginal peoples. He served as the founding vice-chair of KAIROS-Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, and has been active in the Canadian Council of Churches’ Commission for Justice and Peace. Joe coordinated the Make Poverty History campaign, and engaged in research, public speaking and advocacy on national and international issues.
After engaging Canadian faith communities in speaking out on climate justice, Joe was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for “exemplary service and commitment to the betterment of the community”. In June 2013, He was awarded a “Certificate of Honour” from Development and Peace for “commitment to the cause of social justice and efforts to improve living conditions for the poorest of the poor in the Global South”. Saint Paul University granted Joe the Eugène de Mazenod Medal in April, 2017. The Medal “honours individuals who have made a significant contribution to the development of human capital in their community.”
Moderator: Wendy Kalkan
Date: Thursday, January 10, 2019
Time: 7 - 9 pm
Venue: Lethbridge Public Library Theatre Gallery, (downstairs) Main Branch, 810 – 5th Ave. South
Free admission thanks to Lethbridge Public Library, Kairos, Ecumenical Campus Ministry, Southminster United Church, L’Arche Association of Lethbridge, and McKillop United Church. Everyone is welcome to attend this session.