From July 12–15, ORCIE was proud to join voices from across the globe at the G7 Jubilee People’s Forum in Calgary, where Chair of the Board Sue Wilson and Executive Director Genevieve Gallant represented our shared commitment to integral ecology and economic justice.
Held in the days leading up to the G7 Summit in Alberta, the Jubilee Peoples’ Forum in Calgary brought together people from across Canada to explore how debt cancellation, financial system reform, development issues, climate change, and ecologicaldebt are deeply connected—and why, as Sue Wilson reflects, these challenges must be addressed concurrently.
ORCIE, along with KAIROS, Development and Peace – Caritas Canada, Citizens for Public Justice, and the Canadian Council of Churches came together at the Jubilee People’s Forum to deepen our understanding of the interconnectedness of global debt, ecological harm, climate justice, and systemic inequality.
“Who Owes Whom?”: Understanding the Debt Trap
As Development and Peace vice-president Tashia Toupin aptly put it, the issue of debt can feel overwhelming—politically, economically, culturally, and ideologically. Yet the Forum helped to demystify these dynamics, showing how unjust debt, particularly in the Global South, is both a result of and contributor to structural inequality. ORCIE Chair Sue Wilson helped unpack these complex relationships through a lens of integral ecology.
“At the rally, a bystander came up to me and said, ‘Your group is concerned about a lot of issues.’ I looked at the signs the people around me were holding:Turn Debt into Hope. Climate Justice. Reform the Financial System. People before Profit. Who owes whom?Where he saw different issues, I saw the multifaceted and interconnected aspects of the Jubilee Debt Campaign.” — Sue Wilson, CSJ
Sue emphasized how unsustainable debt in the Global South is often driven by:
Global economic shocks such as the COVID-19 pandemic and war in Ukraine;
Predatory lending practices by private financial institutions;
International systems that force countries to prioritize debt repayments over development;
Lack of global rules on responsible borrowing and lending.
Debt cancellation, then, is not charity. It’s a form of justice—especially when viewed through the lens of ecological debt, the concept that the Global North countries, including Canada, owes a climate and resource debt to the South and Indigenous communities due to centuries of exploitation and emissions.
“This is not charity, but a commitment made in the 2015 Paris Agreement which states that countries must fund global climate actions according to their responsibility for the climate crisis and their ability to pay. Countries like Canada (wealthy, large historic climate polluter, and a key producer of crude oil and gas) must contribute our fair share towards addressing the impacts of climate change in the Global South (Canada’s Fair Share Platform).” — Sue Wilson, CSJ
What can be done?
The Global North can make payments on this climate debt by funding climate adaptation and mitigation in the Global South and by contributing to the Loss and Damages fund. The cancellation of unsustainable debts is another way of freeing up money so countries badly impacted by climate change can invest in climate adaptations and mitigation. If the Global North cancelled debt payments to low and lower-middle income countries, it could free up approximately $109 billion for climate action globally (Canada’s Fair Share Platform).” — Sue Wilson, CSJ
Solutions from the Forum: Advancing ORCIE’s Fall Advocacy
Participants at the Forum went beyond critique to present clear, actionable solutions—many of which will shape ORCIE’s upcoming advocacy with the federal government. These proposals include:
Cancelling unjust and unsustainable debt without conditions;
Supporting the creation of a UN Global Debt Framework for transparent and fair resolution;
Tripling Canada’s climate finance pledge to $15.9 billion/year, with a focus on grants over loans;
Enacting windfall taxes on oil and gas companies instead of continuing public subsidies;
Reforming trade rules to protect human rights, land, and ecosystems over corporate profit.
Media coverage of the G7 events was largely dominated by pressing geopolitical developments, including Trump’s arrival and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Yet ORCIE’s message was present and powerful. Coverage from The Catholic Register captured our participation in a spirited public demonstration alongside global partners, and CTV News documented the grassroots mobilization that unfolded in Calgary.
A key highlight was deepened collaboration with the Calgary Interfaith Council, a 30-year-strong alliance of diverse religious communities. This relationship opens new pathways for ORCIE to expand its interfaith advocacy work on economic and climate justice.
Hope in Action: A Global Movement
The Forum offered more than analysis—it fostered relationships, re-energized commitments, and created space for a shared vision. As our partners at Development and Peace beautifully reflected in their post-event summary, “Hope was created, nurtured, and shared” through this collective gathering. Their thoughtful reflection captures the spirit of the Jubilee People’s Forum and the momentum it generated.
As part of our work on the Jubilee 2025 Turn Debt Into Hope campaign, ORCIE-BCRÉI sent a letter to the Honourable Dominic Leblanc in February, during his short time as Finance Minister, as well as a letter to PM Mark Carney when he became the newly elected leader of the Liberals in March. These moments may seem like flashes in a pan (was this only a few months ago?) but they are part of setting the stage for in person meetings and keeps the urgent issue of debt cancellation and climate justice front and centre.
On the issue of climate finance and ecological debt, staff from ORCIE-BCRÉI and other Jubilee 2025 organizations met with Associate Assistant Deputy Minister Steven Kuhn from Finance Canada and a few other Directors as they were preparing for the 4th International Conference on Finance for Development https://financing.desa.un.org/ffd4. They were very encouraged by the conversation about both financial debt and ecological debt as Canada prepares for G7, G20 and COP30.
ORCIE-BCRÉI’s very own Darlene O’Leary—Coordinator of the Martha Justice Ministry with the Sisters of St. Martha in Antigonish—explores the enduring wisdom and prophetic urgency of Pope Francis’ encyclical. She draws out its core message of integral ecology, showing how its vision of interconnectedness deepens and strengthens our pursuit of economic justice—especially in this year of Jubilee.
Webinar Recap and Recording Available: From Ecological Debt to Ecological Hope
Thank you to everyone who joined our spring 2025 ORCIE webinar, From Ecological Debt to Ecological Hope. We’re grateful for the insightful presentations and the powerful conversations that took place.
We’re pleased to share that the full recording of the webinar is now available for those who were unable to attend or would like to revisit the event. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ujh3-bPLyik
During the webinar, speakers explored the deep connections between ecological and financial debt, highlighting how global financial structures contribute to both climate breakdown and economic injustice—especially in communities in the Global South.
As Darelene O’Leary reflected:
“The global financial structures behind the debt crisis are the same structures behind the climate and ecological crises facing the planet… We must move toward new models of economic life that respect human dignity, the common good, and the flourishing of earth systems.”
The voices from Brazil were particularly impactful, sharing the lived realities of ecological and financial harm—especially on women and children—and reminding us of the role of religious communities in bearing witness and speaking out for justice.
This event also highlighted the ongoing work of congregations in Canada and abroad, including the continued advocacy of the Sisters of St. Martha for corporate accountability and extractive industry regulation in line with Indigenous rights and sovereignty.
Coming Soon: English and French Translations
A second recording will soon be available with subtitles translating the original Portuguese presentations into English and French.
A Jubilee Inspiration for Action on Debt, Climate, and Development 🗓️ May 28, 2025 🕝 2:30 PM CEST 📍 Online (Zoom) Click here to register
ORCIE is honored to stand in solidarity with Caritas Internationalis and the Holy See Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development as they host a special global town hall: Pilgrims of Hope.
Marking the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’ and celebrating the 2025 Jubilee Year, this event invites us into a shared space of reflection and action on the pressing, interconnected issues of debt, climate justice, and sustainable development.
At a time when the call for Jubilee justice resounds more urgently than ever, this conversation gathers faith leaders, civil society actors, and global institutions to chart a hopeful path forward. We’re grateful for the leadership of our partners in convening this vital dialogue—and we hope you’ll join us in listening, learning, and acting together.
🌍 Let’s journey as pilgrims of hope, building a more just and sustainable future for all.
📬 For inquiries, contact: Alfonso Apicella | Caritas Internationalis | apicella@caritas.va
On May 12, 2025, the Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology (ORCIE) stood in solidarity with faith-based and environmental allies at the Rally for the Planet: No Faith in Fossil Fuels on Parliament Hill. This powerful, family-friendly event was the final stop of the two-day Pilgrimage for the Planet, a 200 km bike journey from Montreal to Ottawa calling on the Canadian government to endorse the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty—a bold step to stop the expansion of fossil fuel projects.
ORCIE’s participation—represented by Executive Director Genevieve Gallant, Advocacy and Communications Officer Sasquia Antúnez Pineda, and Treasurer Joe Gunn—reflects our commitment to working in coalition to demand urgent climate action rooted in justice and the care for creation. With the federal election just behind us, this is a crucial moment to push the next government toward real climate leadership.
Led by the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, the Pilgrimage and Rally brought together a broad coalition of partners including Fridays for Future Ottawa, CAFES Ottawa, OMI Lacombe (Le Centre Oblat), the Mouvement Laudato Si’ Movement Canada, KAIROS Canada, and ORCIE/BCRÉI. Learn more here: The Pilgrimage for the Planet
Together, we’re calling for a livable future—because climate justice can’t wait!
