Beyond Stewardship
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Beyond Stewardship

Waste reduction motivated two major initiatives in my early social justice work. Both became national success stories; over time, however, both enabled more waste and had other unintended consequences. Reflecting on that, I wonder if more than stewardship is needed to ground our approach to care for God’s creation. Edmonton’s Blue Box program was cutting-edge…

‘Lost Food’ Feeds Thousands
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‘Lost Food’ Feeds Thousands

Canadians waste thousands of dollars of food each year. Roughly 60 percent of the food grown in Canada is never eaten, and 30 percent never even makes it to grocery stores. This latter group, known as “lost food,” is often thrown out because it is deformed, too ripe or costs more to harvest than it’s…

Give Me a Break
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Give Me a Break

What does Sabbath mean when we can’t worship together physically because of the dangers to physical health? Do we take a break, essentially “fasting” from celebrating the Sabbath? Are we in “a time of eucharistic fasting, in which we join with the whole communion of saints in longing for the bread of new life and the wine of the age to come,” as the Anglican Church of Canada’s website suggests?

Trade Wars Hit Heavy Down on the Farm
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Trade Wars Hit Heavy Down on the Farm

Canadian farmers are used to risk, but those who export their goods are facing additional strain this year. Market risks have increased with trade embargoes while the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) ability to settle disputes appears to be compromised. Countries including the U.S. and China are in disputes with each other, and each is also challenging the WTO’s authority in managing the rules that support international trade stability.

Mental Health Crisis on Canadian Farms
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Mental Health Crisis on Canadian Farms

IN JANUARY LAST YEAR, an Ontario farmer was convicted of four counts of animal cruelty, after the deaths of more than 1,500 pigs near the small town of Tavistock, Ont. Police officers arrived on the farm to find 1,265 pigs already dead, and another 250 pigs in such distress that they had to be euthanized.

Renewable energy’s dilemma
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Renewable energy’s dilemma

In Canada, steadily rising energy costs can cause financial hardship. The Fraser Institute reports that over a million Canadian households now spend more than 10 percent of their income on electricity and heating, which, it says, “should be of central concern when policies regarding energy are being devised.” Globally, many people have no access to an electrical grid; if this affects their quality of life it’s known as “energy poverty.”