Dear Rt. Hon. Mark Carney,
On behalf of Mennonite Central Committee Canada (MCC), I want to congratulate you on your election as the Prime Minister of Canada. As a ministry of Anabaptist churches, MCC supports the work of local partners, faith communities and civil society organizations in over 45 countries, including Canada, on themes of relief, development and peace.
While the political crisis facing Canada in this moment is unique, MCC’s work in responding to crisis is not. For over one hundred years, we have worked with partners to respond to some of the most challenging global contexts. We have learned that a strong vision involves a focus on peace, justice and human dignity. We welcome the chance to bring our expertise to your mandate.
We work in communities facing extreme challenges due to climate change, armed conflict, food insecurity and forced migration. In every context where we work, complex challenges share one key element: the need for peace as a sustaining foundation for every intervention. We know that integrating peacebuilding into humanitarian and development work reduces violent conflict, addresses root causes and grows healthy communities where lasting change can take hold. We encourage continued commitment to Canada’s official development assistance program, with a strong focus on grassroots peacebuilding. In a time of crisis, it is especially important to remember our global interconnectedness, rather than relying on military strength or protectionist policies to keep us safe.
This is a moment for Canada to lead globally in ways that uphold these principles. We urge continued attention to Canada’s role in providing nonviolent support and diplomacy for human dignity and international law in Gaza, Ukraine, and in less public crises, such as Haiti, Myanmar, DR Congo, and many others. We urge Canada to remain a climate leader in both our domestic energy policies and our climate finance commitments to our global neighbours.
In your work to build safer Canadian communities, we advocate for a focus on human dignity. Restorative justice affirms human dignity by empowering victims and offenders of crime and fostering healing. Our decades of experience working with restorative practices have demonstrated their important role as an alternative to punitive criminal justice approaches in fostering peaceful and safe communities. We also encourage full implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation calls to Action, including addressing the overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in the prison system.
We admire Canada’s global leadership in refugee resettlement. Forty-six years ago, MCC worked with the government to create the private refugee sponsorship program. Since then, MCC has been a leader on refugee protection and community integration in Canada. A whole-of-society approach to refugee resettlement builds community and makes us stronger.
Working for peace also means working well with other elected officials and Indigenous leaders, especially where there is disagreement. As you govern, we encourage you to take advantage of the expertise and experience of diverse stakeholders, including civil society organizations.
During the election, we asked our supporters to pledge to love their neighbours. 100s of Canadians promised to listen with curiosity, speak with authenticity and act for the good of our global and local communities. Now we want to echo their calls and ask you to do the same as you govern.
We look forward to working together toward those aims. Know that you are in our prayers as you lead.
Respectfully,
Kenneth Kim
Executive Director
Mennonite Central Committee Canada