The Office of Religious Congregations for Integral Ecology

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The Fair Share Platform for Global Climate Equity

Filed Under: Advocacy, Take Action

ORCIE has joined organizations from across Canadian civil society to call upon the government of Canada to fulfill our fair share of the global effort to confront the climate crisis.

Canada cannot take on the climate crisis alone. As one of the world’s top polluters and wealthiest countries, we must do our fair share globally, not just at home. As the 30th annual UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) approaches, Prime Minister Carney has a generational opportunity and responsibility to lead boldly on climate justice, economic transformation, and international solidarity.

Why this matters

The climate emergency was created and is accelerated by a deeply unjust global economic system that is unfairly distorted against Indigenous communities and the Global South. The time has come to reckon with Canada’s role in the international community. Canada can show leadership in supporting energy transitions around the world. We can also help transform unfair systems that have become barriers to climate action.

Doing our fair share means building a new package of support to the international community from the Canadian government – rooted in justice and led by social movements.

  1. Triple Canada’s climate finance to support the Global South with grants, not loans.
  2. Cancel unjust Global South debt and free billions for climate solutions.
  3. Make big polluters and the ultra-rich pay their fair share. 
  4. End trade rules that undermine climate action. 

Individuals are encouraged to sign the petition to send these demands to the Prime Minister and key cabinet ministers.

Religious congregations are invited to sign on as an organization and can do so through this form.

Read the full platform for a detailed breakdown of how Canada can do its part in the global climate fight. The Platform is a living document that is growing and evolving as our Fair Share movement expands.

ORCIE at the G7 Jubilee People’s Forum: Connecting the Dots on Debt Cancellation and Climate Justice

Filed Under: Advocacy, Communications, Media, News, Take Action

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 ecological debt 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

Read Sue’s full analysis here: Connecting the Dots: Jubilee People’s Forum and The Debt Cancellation Campaign | Sue Wilson

Let us continue connecting the dots—between faith, finance, and the future—and transforming systems that exploit into systems that heal.

Jubilee People’s Forum: A Voice Amid Global Headlines

Filed Under: Activities, Media, Take Action

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 at the People’s Forum was present and reflected a growing call to recognize ecological debt and lift the burden on low-income countries.

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.

📖 Read the full reflection by Development and Peace: Creating Hope at the G7 Jubilee People’s Forum

Read and watch more about the Jubilee People’s Forum and the G7 in the media: 
📰 The Catholic Register – March to protest G7 leaders
📰 CTV News Calgary – Protesters Gather at Designated Zones

Let us continue connecting the dots—between faith, finance, and the future—and transforming systems that exploit into systems that heal.

Forging the Path Ahead: Insights from the People’s Forum and ORCIE’s Fall Advocacy

Filed Under: Activities, Communications, Take Action

What are we calling for?

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.

Read Sue’s full analysis here: Connecting the Dots: Jubilee People’s Forum and The Debt Cancellation Campaign | Sue Wilson

Join Us for a Global Dialogue on Debt Justice

Filed Under: Activities, Communications, Take Action

Beyond Default: The Liberating Power of Debt Reform
Date: Monday, July 14, 2025
Time: 8:30 AM EDT
Location: Online via Zoom
Register here

ORCIE is proud to co-sponsor the upcoming global webinar Beyond Default: The Liberating Power of Debt Reform, an official side event of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF). Hosted by the Congregations of St. Joseph NGO to the United Nations, this timely conversation brings together global voices to explore pathways toward long-term debt sustainability, justice, and ecological accountability.

The event will focus on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 17.4, addressing the urgent need to confront unjust global debt burdens that hinder the flourishing of communities across the Global South. Participants will engage with key themes including health equity (SDG 3), gender equality (SDG 5), and decent work (SDG 8), all through the lens of debt reform and ecological justice.

We’ll hear from inspiring speakers who are working at the intersection of economics, justice, and faith, and who are mobilizing around the Global Jubilee Year Campaign—a call to transform unjust debt structures and reimagine global solidarity.

Co-Sponsors:
Alongside ORCIE, this event is co-sponsored by the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary–Loreto Generalate, Caritas Internationalis, and the NGO Committee on Financing for Development. Canadian partners include Development and Peace – Caritas Canada, CSJ Federation Office for Systemic Justice, Centre Oblat, and the Mary Ward Centre.

We encourage all members of congregations, advocacy networks, and justice-seeking communities to attend and spread the word. Let’s come together to reframe the conversation on global debt and embody a new vision rooted in justice, sustainability, and solidarity.

Together, let’s turn debt into hope.
Click here to register.