No Images? Click here A crisis of compassion June 2019 Issue No. 81Quotation of the month
The story we share: A crisis of compassion(MCC photo) When Hannah Gray participated in the Ottawa Office Student Seminar in February 2019, she probably did not anticipate how the experience would impact her after returning home. This year’s seminar focused on 'People on the Move: Human Rights and Global Migration.' Along with many important facts and details, students learned on the first day of the seminar that monarch butterflies are a symbol of migration. The image of the resilience of monarch butterflies stayed with Hannah and inspired her to create an art piece which she then submitted to an exhibit at the Metzger Collection at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, BC. Along with the art piece, Hannah sent a description of her inspiration for creating the art piece that pictures a group of monarch butterflies carrying a humpback whale. Migration, Hannah reflects, is very much part of the story of the Bible, Mennonite ancestry, and humanity in general. She writes, “The monarch butterfly represents the dignity and resilience of migrants and the right that all beings have to move freely. Since migration is a part of the natural journey and life of a monarch butterfly, it is a symbol that migration is natural and beautiful. […] For a single butterfly to carry a humpback whale may seem like an impossible task but with many of us working together and remembering our biblical and Anabaptist ancestry of migration, we can make a difference in the lives of our fellow migrants.” See a photo of the art piece and read more about Hannah's inspiration here here. Israeli elections and prospects for a just peaceThe separation wall as seen in Bethlehem, the West Bank. (MCC Photo/Emily Loewen) On April 9 Benjamin Netanyahu made history in Israel by winning a fifth term in a tight race under the Likud party and their coalition. Netanyahu won despite facing multiple corruption charges, scandals and running – yet again – a campaign steeped in fear. However, after almost two months of unsuccessful wheeling and dealing, Netanyahu and Likud made history again – falling short of securing their coalition government, Israelis are set to go to the polls again in September for the second time this year. As with the last election, this campaign will likely be characterized by infighting between Netanyahu and his former allies, Benny Gantz, former Chief of Defence Staff who emerged as Netanyahu’s biggest competitor in the last election, and Avigdor Liberman, former Defence Minister under Netanyahu, and staunch critic of his former party. There’s little reason to believe the tone of the elections campaign will be any different from what we saw in the last round: the front-runners competing over who would use stronger military force and tactics, especially in Gaza, including deliberate associations with violence, all to win votes. It was a campaign driven by fear and dehumanization. It is highly unlikely that any major party leaders and candidates will seriously address long-term systemic injustices, especially the 52+ year Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. See more about the dynamics in last month’s news roundup: Israeli elections & prospects for a just peace National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls ReportTricia Monague peforming a traditional dance in a jingle dress on the steps of Parliament Hill in 2015 following a mass blanket exercise. (MCC photo/Wendy Kopeschny) The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released their report in a moving ceremony on Monday, June 3rd. The report exposed hard truths about the devastating impacts of colonization, racism and sexism, including genocide—aspects of Canadian society that many of us are reluctant to accept. MCC Executive Director Rick Cober Bauman issued the following statement: "The impact of the report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is going to fade from the media stage too quickly. May we not spend those few days or weeks arguing only the terminology it contains. Whatever we believe about the use of the word 'genocide', may we embrace the reality that a long and enduring tragedy of violence and harm is unfolding around us. That tragedy must end. Change can happen if we accept that it must. Canada just may be at a place where it has not been in its colonial history, a place of readiness to acknowledge harm and seek true healing. May the MMIWG report be the force that draws us further into that healing future." The report continues a number of action items, starting with the recommendation that all Canadians read the report and commit to advocacy around the calls to action. The report also demands that Canada honour our commitments to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. One way that you can do so is by continuing to encourage the Senators to pass Bill C-262, using our tool. Time is extremely tight for this bill to pass and every letter and phone call helps keep the process moving forward! Staff updateRebekah Sears, Senator Peter Boehm and Anna Vogt (MCC photo) These past few months have greatly increased MCC Ottawa Office staff connections and outreach with Senators. At the end of May, Anna Vogt and Rebekah Sears met with Independent Senator Peter Boehm, who sits of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, on human rights and Canadian policy in Palestine and Israel. In other staff news, this May, Rebekah joined the Executive Committee of Project Ploughshares Governing Committee, where she has been a member since May 2018, representing MCC. |