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What is CUSJ all about?
CANADIAN UNITARIANS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE (CUSJ)
was formed in 1996 when about 70 members of five Unitarian
Universalist Congregations and Fellowships of Greater Toronto
met to discuss their concern with government cuts to social
services. The founding group, of about 35 members, felt that
more must be done by Unitarians within their churches and the
greater community to protect the social programs that define
Canada as a civilized and compassionate nation.
From its modest beginning, the CUSJ has
grown into a national organization with membership extending
from Coast to Coast. Our membership now numbers approximately
350 (in 306 households) representing 44 Congregations and
Fellowships. CUSJ Chapters are active in Congregations and
Fellowships located in:
- Saint John’s, Newfoundland;
- Saint John, New Brunswick;
- Ottawa, Ontario;
- Kingston, Ontario;
- Toronto, Ontario;
- Mississauga, Ontario;
- London, Ontario;
- Lower Mainland, BC.
CUSJ publishes the Justnews three
times a year and discussion papers whenever possible. 1800
copies of each issue are now being widely distributed within
the Canadian Unitarian community and beyond.
Unitarians have a proud history of being in
the forefront of the struggle for social change and justice.
CUSJ follows in the footsteps of our forebears by keeping
their spirit very much alive.
CUSJ has, for example:
- lobbied politicians on key social issues;
- prepared and presented briefs to various
legislative committees;
- written letters to many politicians and
newspapers;
- participated in social action in concert
with other interfaith and secular groups;
- participated in public demonstrations;
- conducted workshops within and outside
the UU community;
- published regularly, a news bulletin and
discussion paper on various topics;
- prepared resolutions for the Canadian
Unitarian Council.
Within the Canadian Unitarian movement, CUSJ
continues to press for recognition and advocacy of social
justice issues. Some of the issues in which CUSJ has been
engaged include:
- the Multilateral Agreement on Investment,
and the broad issue of globalization;
- Canadian democracy;
- the privatization of public services;
- a just taxation policy;
- tenant protection;
- child poverty;
- bio-engineering;
- aboriginal rights;
- environment;
- international conflicts and peace.
CUSJ is an associate member of the Canadian
Unitarian Council and actively supports Aboriginal
Rights Coalition, Citizens for Public Justice,
Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition, Kairos and
the National Anti-Poverty Organization.
The purposes of CUSJ are:
- to develop and maintain a vibrant network
of Unitarian social action in Canada and elsewhere and to
proactively represent Unitarian principles and values in
matters of social justice, and in particular
- to provide opportunities, including the
publication of newsletters for Unitarians and friends to
apply their religious, humanistic, and spiritual values to
social action aimed at the relief of
- poverty and economic injustice
- discrimination based on religious,
racial or other grounds
- abuses of human rights whether of
individuals or peoples
- abuses of democratic process, and to
promote peace and security, environmental protection,
education, and literacy in keeping with the spirit of
Unitarian values.
These purposes are an integral part of the
constitution of CUSJ, adopted at the CUSJ Annual General
Meeting in Mississauga, Ontario, May 19, 1999.
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