Statement on Venezuela

The Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada call for immediate international attention aimed at protecting the good of the people of Venezuela at this time.  We urge the government of Canada to work with other democratic nations to ensure, at a minimum, the safeguarding of Venezuela's sovereignty by: 

·       demanding the immediate cessation of all U.S military operations in the country. 

·       condemning any actions aimed at external control of Venezuelan resources or politics.

·       mobilizing UN bodies to protect basic human and civil rights as well as UN-sanctioned, non-governmental entities to address the difficult living conditions faced by Venezuelans today. 

 If justice and peace, through the promotion of human rights, are to prevail in Venezuela, the government of Canada must play a role by working with other nations to achieve this goal.  

Clean Drinking Water for First Nations

The Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada expresses concern that the long-promised First Nations Clean Water Act (Bill C-61)  -- which would have set minimum standards for drinking water on reserves, acknowledged First Nations’ jurisdiction over water on their lands, and recognized safe drinking water as a human right -- will not be passed as part of the Fall 2025 legislative agenda.

Federation Advent Newsletter - December 2025

In this Advent Issue of the Federation e-newsletter, you can read several articles about this special time as well as updates on Committees’ events, visits to the International Centre, and recent Jubilee celebrations.

Call for a More Robust Response to Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

This letter to Prime Minister Carney (dated Sept. 12, 2025) calling for a much more robust response from the government of Canada to the violence and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has 52 congregational signatories from across Canada and insists that we can and must do more such as: cut off all military exports to Israel to Israel from Canadian manufacturers;  use targeted sanctions against Prime Minister Netanyahu and his cabinet if an immediate ceasefire by the IDF is not declared; collaborate with other countries to help establish a peacekeeping presence in Gaza to facilitate the distribution of food and other humanitarian aid; help secure a ceasefire and the release of hostages in addition to curbing the tangential violence which is occurring on all sides; and, join with other nations to build the capacity of Palestinians to govern themselves. 

Federation Fall Newsletter - September 2025

As we begin this Season of Creation, living in harmony with all is the focus of several articles in this Fall issue of the Federation newsletter including a children’s festival on water conservation, how trees have “always been intertwined with our spiritual traditions”, the beauty and gifts of coral reefs, and how Religious and justice groups are working together to build a more equitable world for the whole of creation.