A moral imperative to defend human rights’

Diocese of Toronto suffragan Bishop Philip Poole of the Diocese of Toronto says, “Canadians have a unique opportunity and I would argue a moral imperative to defend the human rights of others.”

He was speaking at a news conference in Ottawa December 8 that called on the government to renew $7-million in funding for KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives.

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) had informally assured the funding but suddenly announced that it would not be forthcoming. “Make no mistake, said Poole. “Lives will be seriously affected and possibly lost if some of the groups KAIROS supports does not receive its assistance.”

(Art Babych is editor of Crosstalk, the newspaper of the diocese of Ottawa.)