U.S. Department of Labor Defends "We Can Help" Campaign

In response to criticisms by the ideologically right-wing FOX news network, and in order to counter any misunderstanding about its "We Can Help" campaign, the Department of Labor released the following statement:

"Through Democratic and Republican administrations, the Department of Labor consistently has held that the country’s minimum wage and overtime law protects workers regardless of their immigration status. To argue otherwise diminishes the value of work in this country.

"This position provides two very important protections. First, it ensures that U.S. workers have a level playing field when seeking employment. Consider the lost advantage to U.S. workers when unscrupulous employers purposely pass them over to hire workers who are afraid to file a complaint about not being paid the minimum wage or often not being paid at all.

"Second, no employer should gain an economic edge by hiring undocumented individuals who feel that they must accept working conditions below those required by law. Good employers, who abide by the law, should not suffer the consequences of those businesses engaged in a race to the bottom."

For more information on the "We Can Help" campaign, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

U.S. SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD PASSES AWAY

The family of U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., announced the passing of the longest serving member of Congress in U.S. history. He was 92.

Byrd died peacefully at approximately 3 a.m. at Inova Fairfax Hospital.

This morning President Obama issued the following statement on the passing of Senator Byrd:

"I was saddened to hear this morning that the people of West Virginia have lost a true champion, the United States Senate has lost a venerable institution, and America has lost a voice of principle and reason with the passing of Robert C. Byrd.

"Senator Byrd’s story was uniquely American. He was born into wrenching poverty, but educated himself to become an authoritative scholar, respected leader, and unparalleled champion of our Constitution. He scaled the summit of power, but his mind never strayed from the people of his beloved West Virginia. He had the courage to stand firm in his principles, but also the courage to change over time.

"He was as much a part of the Senate as the marble busts that line its chamber and its corridors. His profound passion for that body and its role and responsibilities was as evident behind closed doors as it was in the stemwinders he peppered with history. He held the deepest respect of members of both parties, and he was generous with his time and advice, something I appreciated greatly as a young senator.

"We take solace in the fact that he is reunited with his wife of nearly 69 years, Erma; and our thoughts and prayers are with their daughters, their grandchildren and great grandchildren, and all the people of West Virginia who loved Robert C. Byrd."

G-20 climate pact erases word 'voluntary' from efforts to cut oil-firm subsidies

In a last-minute turn in global climate talks, international negotiators agreed over the weekend to adopt more ambitious plans than expected to trim government subsidies to oil companies worldwide, part of a broader effort to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

Earlier this week, negotiators were hammering out an agreement among the top 20 industrialized and emerging nations that called for each to take "voluntary" measures to cut production and consumption incentives.

But privately under pressure from the Obama administration over the last two days, the group now is preparing to sign an agreement that omits the word "voluntary."

To read more of this article from the Los Angeles Times, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

G20 Closes

To read the G20 Toronto Summit Declaration, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To read remarks at the close of the G20 Summit by PM Stephen Harper, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To read a story about how rioters disrupted peaceful protests at the G20, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada at the Closing of the G8

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today made the following remarks on the closing of the G-8 Summit:

"Greetings, everyone. We had a very successful summit. We have refocused the G-8 on its strengths: development, peace and of course global security challenges. The G-8 has committed an additional $5 billion US over the next five years, and with our partners, as I mentioned yesterday, bringing the total to $7.3 billion on the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. Accountability will be the key as we move forward, and as you know, we’ve put increased emphasis on that.

"We also discussed a further range of global challenges, nuclear proliferation, Iran, the implementation of sanctions foreseen by resolution, United Nations resolution 1929, also North Korea and the Cheonan incident. The governments of Iran and North Korea have chosen to acquire weapons to threaten their neighbours. The world must see to it that what they spend on these weapons will not be the only cost that they incur. We've also discussed Afghanistan, Pakistan, governance, stability in that particular region, of course the Middle East and climate change. It is essential that the G-8 keep its promises going forward. This is essential to the credibility and effectiveness of this forum as an organization.

"The G-8 has been reshaped and reenergized. Its members share common objectives in the world, and of course, now I look forward to meeting my colleagues of the G-20 in Toronto."

PM Announces Canada Cancels Haiti's Debt

Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday announced that Canada has paid off its share of Haiti's debt to the Inter-American Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Canada is the first country to make all of the payments required to cancel the debt Haiti owes to all international financial institutions.

"Two weeks after the tragic earthquake in Haiti, Canada called for the full cancellation of the debt owed by Haiti to international organizations like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund," said Prime Minister Harper. "With today’s announcement, Canada has fully honoured its international pledge to the people of Haiti, and we urge others to follow this example at the G-20 Leaders’ Summit this weekend."

While the Government had already cancelled the debt owed by Haiti to Canada under the Canadian Debt Initiative before the earthquake, following the tragedy Canada led a G-20 consensus to forgive debt owed by Haiti to international financial institutions.

Since the earthquake struck Haiti in January 2010, Canada has played a leading role in the global response by providing significant humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. Forgiving debt owed by Haiti has been a critical part of this effort.

PM Harper announces Canada's contribution to the Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that following the Muskoka Summit, the total Canadian contribution for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health will be $2.85 billion over five years. In addition to $1.1 billion in new money, the Government will also renew existing funding of $1.75 billion over the next five years, for what will be a permanent and long-term commitment.

"I am very pleased to announce Canada’s contribution to this critical initiative. Our contribution will make significant, tangible differences in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people," said the Prime Minister. "Canada led the way in mobilizing support among G-8 and non-G-8 leaders, key donors and private foundations for this initiative to reduce the mortality rates of mothers and their children. We have been successful.

"Accountability for results will be an integral part of Canada's contribution to the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Initiative. We will design a rigorous accountability framework to measure our progress, track results and ensure that Canadians' aid dollars are used effectively to contribute to a sustainable reduction in maternal and child mortality."

Global Religious Leaders Challenge G8/G20 Leaders

After three intensely packed days, 80 senior leaders of eight world religions and faith based organizations from more than 20 countries, together with 13 youth delegates, spoke with one united voice to deliver a strong and simple message to governments: honour your commitments to the poor and vulnerable of the world – especially children.

The statement, developed in consensus and unanimously endorsed by the leaders, calls upon political leaders to honour their commitments as expressed in the UN’s decade-old Millennium Development Goals: keep promises of poverty reduction - especially on behalf of children, act on climate change in concrete ways, and military budgets to non-violent peace building activities.


To read the statement, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To read more about the gathering, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To watch videos of events at the gathering, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

United Church of Canada Writes Prime Minister About Access to Abortion

The United Church of Canada has written a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper affirming Canada's emphasis on maternal health as a global development priority at the upcoming G8 and G20 meetings. It expresses concern about the particular vulnerability of women in the global South to health problems because of the ongoing issues of poverty and violence, and calls for

• safe and legal access to abortion to be part of this commitment to maternal health, as it is in Canada
• funding for those countries that provide abortions
• encouragement for countries that do not provide abortion to consider doing so.

To read more, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

U.S. Administration Working to End Homelessness

President Obama Promotes Responsible Fatherhood

The Governor General to Take Part in Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission's National Event in Winnipeg

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, will participate in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s (TRC’s) first national event on Indian residential schools, on Saturday, June 19, at The Forks National Historic Site, in Winnipeg.

During the event, the Governor General will attend additional ceremonies where former students and their families, TRC Commissioners, First Nations, Metis and Inuit leaders as well as other dignitaries will be in attendance.

To read more, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

To learn more about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Interfaith Group Lauds New Bill Calling for Poverty Elimination in Canada

Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ), a national interfaith group that promotes public justice in Canada, praised a new private member's bill tabled in the House of Commons today calling for a federal poverty elimination strategy. The bill was tabled by Tony Martin of the New Democratic Party and seconded by Mike Savage of the Liberal Party and Yves Lessard of the Bloc Quebecois.

"This is an important piece of legislation that will help to promote dignity for all Canadians," said Chandra Pasma, CPJ's public justice policy analyst. "We believe that developing a poverty elimination strategy is something all political parties, all Canadians and all people of faith should support. We are pleased to see this cross-party cooperation in introducing the bill, and we hope it will continue until the bill is adopted."

CPJ has called for a poverty elimination strategy for several years, most recently expressing its support through the Dignity for All campaign which CPJ co-founded with Canada Without Poverty. Thousands of Canadians and hundreds of organizations have publicly expressed their support for the campaign and its goal of a federal poverty elimination strategy.

To read more about this, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Launches first National Event

Hundreds of Indian Residential School survivors, together with Aboriginal leaders, church groups, government representatives and members of the public gathered today in Winnipeg for the opening ceremonies of Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC).

Former students and others whose lives have been fundamentally impacted by the residential schools system have come together to talk with each other and to share their experiences with the Commission at the four day National Event. Included in those conversations are the voices of former staff and other school workers who have been contacted and encouraged to come forward.

The four-day National Event is the first of seven to be held across Canada within five years. It is expected to draw thousands to participate in cultural exhibitions by First Nations, Métis and Inuit groups, film screenings, plays, art exhibits and musical performances.

Additional information about the TRC and the Winnipeg National Event is available at www.trc.ca, or by calling 1 (888) TRC-5554.

KAIROS Climate Tour

While Canada welcomes the world’s most powerful leaders to the G-8 summit in June, KAIROS and Canadians welcome Southern and Indigenous partners to share with us the real impacts of climate change on their daily lives, and to discuss what a just solution to the climate crisis could look like.

Those who are most affected by climate change have no place at the decision-making table. This “Global Town Hall” is a chance for them to come together in a dialogue of real substance to talk about real solutions. Participants will have an opportunity to hear from partners, local experts, and then to engage in dialogue with them and each other as everyone together searches for effective solutions to the global injustice of climate change.

For more about this tour, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Ecumenical delegation Urges Diplomats to Push for a Nuclear-Free World

189 countries met recently at the United Nations to discuss what to do about nuclear weapons. Churches seeking specific steps to stop nuclear arms shared long-standing disappointments -- plus a few new grounds for hope -- with many governments and most of the 120 civil society organizations in New York during May for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference.

A World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation, including National Council of Churches USA general secretary, the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, met with a cross-section of the governments at the conference to promote first steps toward a legal ban, a critical set of 10-year-old arms control steps, the nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, and other issues from six decades of ecumenical opposition to nuclear armaments.

Two-thirds of the governments and most of the 120 non-governmental organizations present called for a process leading to negotiation of a convention banning nuclear weapons. The nuclear-weapon states insisted on watering down the reference to simply "note" the idea and omit the proposed timelines, but even that was seen as progress.

To read more, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

U.S. Education Secretary Duncan Speaks at Hampton Ministers' Conference

U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently spoke to a gathering of ministers about President Obama's plan for education reform. His speech took place at the 96th Annual Hampton University Ministers' Conference in Hampton, VA.

According to Secretary Duncan, "Education must be the great equalizer. It's the one way the children of the rich, middle class and poor can meet on a level playing field and where talent, hard work and perseverance matter more than family connections and personal wealth."

Speaking more specifically about the President's plan, he said, "Equity is woven through our entire agenda from critical formula programs that serve low-income students to bold new grant programs that are driving state-level reforms."

The Secretary then challenged his listeners: "When you see your children being cheated of a quality education, demand excellence -- demand more -- and demand equality in education. This fight for education reform will be won school-by-school, and community-by-community. But it will only be won if community leaders are demanding it and defending it."

He concluded by saying, "This is about so much more than education. This is about social justice. The fight for quality education is a fight for social justice. No other issue offers the same promise of equality as education."

To read the entire speech, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

White House Hosts Dialogue on Partnerships to Fight Poverty

This week, the White House hosted a national conversation on partnerships to support economic opportunity and security. More than 100 leaders of nonprofits, advocacy organizations and faith communities participated in the half day event. This discussion focused on efforts by both the Administration and local groups to strengthen the partnerships between government at all levels and local organizations to serve those in-need.

The White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, partnered with the Office of Public Engagement to host this conversation. The event, was in part, inspired by the recommendations of the President’s Advisory Council on Economic Recovery and Domestic Poverty to convene such a gathering.

Policy experts from the Domestic Policy Council, National Economic Council, Office for Urban Affairs and the Office of the Vice-President joined the event to discuss Administration proposals that are being implemented to support neighborhood revitalization and economic opportunity in the most disadvantaged communities. They also talked about proposals and activities to break down silos inside of government to make Federal benefit programs more effective.

In addition to hearing about the proposals being implemented by the Administration, the audience also heard from local leaders who are implementing programs to help people understand and apply for the federal, state and local benefits they qualify for that they might not even know about, such as the Benefit Bank, Single Stop and EarnBenefits. From rural communities in South Carolina to urban environments like New York City, leaders described local efforts to help those in need become aware and apply for assistance for which they are eligible. They also emphasized that importance of working with local groups, both faith-based and secular, to implement these programs. One leader emphasized the sense of dignity that these groups brought to the clients served by their programs.

Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President, concluded the meeting by thanking the group for their tireless work on our shared priority of fighting poverty.

The Rev. Dr. Ken Brooker Langston, Director of Disciples Justice Action Network and Coordinator of the Disciples Center for Public Witness, was among the participants.

Faith Goups: Israel Must Amend its Policies Toward Gaza

The National Council of Churches and other faith groups have expressed alarm and concern over the Israeli action May 31 against an international flotilla on the high seas that led to the deaths of nine persons and the wounding of many others.

"The National Council of Churches has strongly supported Israel's right to exist with peace and security, but this attack on an aid convoy contributes to neither," said the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, NCC General Secretary. "In fact, it undermines Israel's standing in the community of nations."

Kinnamon supported a statement released Wednesday by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) that said "the incident highlights the need for the United States to work for new, constructive Israeli policies toward Gaza that end the blockade and provide for the humanitarian need of those living there without diminishing Israel’s own security."

Kinnamon, a Disciples minister, is a member of the board of CMEP, which is a coalition of 23 public policy offices of national churches and agencies -- Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant.

To read more, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Education Secretary Duncan Invites NCC Delegation to Discuss Pastoral Letter on Education

A delegation of the National Council of Churches met with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and other officials Monday to express concerns about the Education Department's "Race to the Top" initiative and the Obama Administration's "blueprint" for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Duncan requested the meeting following the issuance last month of a pastoral letter to the President and Congress on proposed education reforms. The letter was adopted unanimously by the NCC's Governing Board at its May 2010 meeting. (See http://www.ncccusa.org/news/100519pastoralletter.html).

The NCC's pastoral letter urged the nation's leaders to help craft a system of education that looks upon children as unique and valuable individuals rather than "products to be tested." The letter cautioned politicians against scapegoating principals and teachers when schools fall short of arbitrary goals.

The letter noted that Federal policy is encouraging states to rapidly expand school choice through charter schools. However, the letter raised the question whether or not market based reforms, while they may increase educational opportunity for a few children or even for some groups of children, introduce more equity into the system itself.

The NCC delegation said Duncan welcomed the group and appeared to listen carefully to their concerns. Both the Secretary's group and the NCC delegation affirmed their shared commitment to civil rights and equal access by all citizens to a quality education.

To read more about this, PLEASE CLICK HERE.