Morning

Members viewed the humorous video - Roughing it in Montreal.

1. Nominations Committee Report

AGREED to adopt the final report of the Nominating Committee regarding elections to Standing Committees.

Note: the following names are to be added to the list of members of the Council of General Synod (see Daily Report, Monday, May 25, p. 1)

The Primate The Most Rev. Michael Peers

Prolocutor The Ven. Rodney Andrews

Deputy Prolocutor Mrs. Diane Brookes

The Chancellor Mr. Justice David H. Wright

3. No Debate List

AGREED to request the Primate to extend sympathy on behalf of the Synod to His Holiness Bartholomeo, Patriarch of Constantinople, in light of the recent attacks upon Orthodox Christians in Istanbul. (A-94)

AGREED to direct the Faith, Worship and Ministry Committee to prepare collects appropriate for use with the three-fold cycle of the Revised Common Lectionary, consulting ecumenically. (A-96)

AGREED to request the Government of Canada to actively encourage the Mexican Government to a) immediately renew meaningful dialogue and peace talks with the Zapatista National Liberation Army; b) to honour previously agreed-to-accords signed between the Zapatistas and the Mexican government, and c) to find peaceful solutions to the increasing violence in the State of Chiapas, taking the specific concerns and needs of the state's indigenous population into account. (A163)

AGREED to express appreciation to Jane Stewart, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development for initiative shown in beginning a serious response to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and, request an apology from the Prime Minister for the pain caused by the Residential Schools policies; to request the convening of a meeting between the First Ministers and Aboriginal leaders; to ask the Federal Government to recognize the experience of the churches in the process of healing and reconciliation; and to ask the Federal Government to consult with leaders of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis Governments in formulating detailed responses to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, remembering to include representatives from women's youth, and urban Aboriginal organizations. (A185)

AGREED to support the apology of the Primate from 1993 by having Financial Management and Development Committee devote staff assistance towards the securing of adequate and continuing funding for the Aboriginal Healing and Reconciliation Fund. (A186)

AGREED to concur in the affirmation and recognition of the Labrador Métis peoples, as outlined in the recommendations of Volume 4, section 3 of the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples; and call upon the federal and provincial governments concerned to enter without delay into constructive dialogue with the Labrador Métis Association in all areas of concern expressed within the Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, which are designed to advance the full and equitable implementation of the Labrador Métis' land title, fishing, harvesting and other rights, and to meet the educational, spiritual and other community needs of the Labrador Métis; and to promote education regarding the cultural identity and history of the Labrador Métis through the work and programs of the Anglican Council of Indigenous Peoples, the Council of the North and the Eco-Justice Committee. (A187)

AGREED to request the Financial Management and Development Committee to study the feasibility of establishing a national group insurance plan for Church property and liability and third party liability insurance which dioceses could join, if they so desired (B-40)

AGREED to 1) affirm support of the United Nations' work for religious freedom worldwide; 2) affirm the mission partnerships of the Provinces of the Anglican Communion, responding to their guidance as to the appropriate help this Church can provide to combat religious persecution in their home countries; and further 3) direct the Eco-Justice Committee and PWRDF to review the most appropriate ways in which the Anglican Church of Canada can respond to religious persecution abroad 4) encourage the House of Bishops, the Eco-Justice Committee, PWRDF and all other relevant committees of the National Church: to be advocates for victims of religious persecution; to continue to respond to the needs of Anglican Churches experiencing persecution; to explore ways in which the suffering of persecuted Christians and other religious groups can be addressed through international diplomacy, and that this resolution be commended to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Anglican Representative to the United Nations, the Canadian Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches, and that all congregations of the Anglican Church of Canada be encouraged to pray regularly for persecuted Christians and to observe the annual International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. In 1998, the date will be November 15th. (C-12)

AGREED that Primate's World Relief and Development Fund be requested to consider a substantial increase in its Canadian Program. (C-17)

AGREED to strongly encourage the Council of the General Synod to continue its deliberations regarding Church Army membership in the General Synod.

(C-22)

AGREED to reaffirm a commitment to a just and speedy settlement of unresolved aboriginal claims and, through the Primate, urge the governments of Canada and British Columbia to conclude the treaty with the Nisga'a people, as expeditiously as possible, honouring all commitments already made. (C-25)

2. Resolutions

AGREED that Part II of Canon III, Procedures for the

election of a Primate, be repealed and replaced with a new section II.(A-69)

AGREED to 1. to express to the Government of Canada its concern for the decrease in foreign aid spending; 2. and to urge the Government of Canada to renew its commitment contained in its statement "Canada in the World", to make progress towards the Official Development Assistance target of 0.7% of GNP but urged that this commitment not be qualified by the words "when Canada's fiscal situation permits";

3. to urge the Government of Canada to set out a framework for reforming Official Development Assistance (ODA) focusing on the elimination of poverty and including a timetable for renewed ODA growth. (A-160)

AGREED to acknowledge and commend. The Sacred Walk for Healing that the people of north-western Ontario and Manitoba began in March 1997. We encourage all people to support them in this vision of hope for healthy families and communities as The Sacred Walk for Healing continues to Ottawa to meet with the Honourable Jane Stewart, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and to urge her continued support for reconciliation. (A188)

AGREED to respectfully request the Prime Minister to apologize to those Inuit families and individuals from the east coast of Hudson Bay and from certain points of Baffin Island and their descendants, who were displaced from their communities and traditional hunting areas to the High Arctic in the 1950's,. (A189R)

Afternoon

3. Jubilee

The Canadian Ecumenical Jubilee initiative is part of a global collaboration the call to Jubilee. It is inspired by the biblical vision calling for the cancellation of debts, redistribution of wealth and the renewal of the earth. Debt remission is part of a much broader campaign toward a fundamental re-ordering of our global economic system that will serve people's needs.

The Most Rev. Glauco Soares de Lima, Ms. Adele Finney, the Rev. Arthur Anderson and the Rt. Rev. Barry Jenks told the Synod about the Canadian Jubilee. More information can be obtained from the Canadian Ecumenical Jubilee Initiative, P.O. Box 772, Toronto, ON. M4Y 2N6. Tel. 416-922-1592; Fax 416-922-0957; E-mail [email protected]. Website www.web.net/-jubilee.

4. Manitoba Flood

The Rt. Rev. Patrick Lee, expressed the gratitude of the people of Manitoba to Anglicans from coast to coast who sent financial contributions and letters of encouragement and love during the Flood of `97.

5. Human Rights Principles

DEFEATED a resolution to adopt the "Covenant of Protection" (Proposed Human Rights Principles) (A130)

6. Partners

The Rev. Emmanuel Lapierre, Associate Director at the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism, spoke about the centre and the continuing dialogue between the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches.

Richard Parkins, Director of Episcopal Migration Ministries, said that although he had only been at the Synod for 2 days, he was impressed with the extent of involvement and understanding he was able to achieve. He noted the leadership shown by the youth. He spoke with appreciation about the sharing of issues with all orders participating concurrently in deliberations and thanked the Synod for its action on the resolution re the Sudan, noting that it would be received with the greatest appreciation in that country. He also commented on the Synod's emphasis on global justice issues. As new partner, he said that it is with a deeper sense of joy that he is a part of the Anglican Communion because of his experience with General Synod.

The Rev. Randall Chase, who has been a partner to our Council of General Synod since 1995 when Preparing the Way was passed by Synod noted that the Anglican Church took a risk to "travel light" and this will be held up to other Anglican Churches as they look for new ways of working. He said that he has heard many voices in the debates at Synod and witnessed the struggles.

Many members came thinking that the time of change was over. "My sense is that you need to put your seat belts on, you are in a time of transition that is about to draw you deeper, bring you closer to the heart of Christ. I project that you are on the verge of going deeper in mission and ministry."

Ran shared reflection on General Synod physical structure and agenda. It's time for a Second Generation approach to First Nation issues and to be open in the future to add more women to the House of Bishops and recognized the significant contribution of Church House staff.

Ran thanked the Primate and all those that he has worked with over the past 4 years.

Evening

DEFEATED a resolution to adopt the document A Proclamation of Responsibility.." (C-20)

AGREED to approve the 1997 audited consolidated financial statement of the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada (A231)

Note: Canon Michael Iveson on behalf of the Financial Management and Development Committee, urged members to check their parishes and synod offices to ensure that any equipment that is computer dependent is compatible to the year 2000.

AGREED that mindful of Christ's commandment to love our enemies,

* to call upon Anglicans to study Just War theory and its implications for Christian response to war and militarism; and

* to request that the Eco-Justice Committee establish a task group to provide basic information and materials that will assist dioceses and parishes in this study and to facilitate the exchange of views in response to this call.(C-10)

AGREED to support their leaders' call to the Canadian government to:

* affirm abolition as the central goal of Canadian nuclear weapons policy;

* urge all states to begin immediately and conclude by the year 2000, a Convention for eliminating nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework;

* urge all nuclear weapons states to take their nuclear forces off alert status and commit themselves to no-first-use of nuclear weapons;

* renounce any role for nuclear weapons in Canadian defense policy, and call on other countries, including Russia and Canada's NATO allies, to do likewise;

* review the legality of Canada's nuclear weapons-related activities in light of the 1996 International Court of Justice ruling, and then move quickly to end all activities determined to be of questionable legality;

* embrace publicly, the conclusions of the 1996 Canberra Commission report, including its recommendations that the nuclear weapons states commit themselves unequivocally to the elimination of nuclear weapons and agree to work immediately on the practical steps and negotiations for its achievement, and that the non-nuclear states join in cooperative international action to implement this commitment;

* commend the church leaders' statement to dioceses and parishes, and urge Anglicans to engage themselves in the mounting public efforts to achieve these steps toward the abolition of nuclear weapons and, in particular, the initiatives of Project Ploughshares. (C-11)