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Outreach Opportunities Fund supports Alzheimer Society of BC

Lifespan, Social JusticeJuly 4, 2025

From July 2025 to October 2025, our Outreach Opportunities Fund recipient will be the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia (ASBC).

Alzheimer Society of BC’s vision is “a world without Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and that world begins with a society where people affected by dementia are welcomed, supported and included.”

ASBC works with people with lived experience in order to mobilize a broad community of care and support research into the disease to ensure people affected by dementia are not alone.  For more information, please visit their website: https://alzheimer.ca/bc/en

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Vancouver Unitarians Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and the Doctrine of Terra Nullius

IPA, Resolutions, Social JusticeJune 10, 2025

The Vancouver Unitarians’ congregation formally endorsed the Canadian Unitarian Council’s (CUC) motion  passed on May 19, 2023 to “Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery” later amended in May 2024 to also include repudiating the doctrine of Terra Nullius.

This resolution builds on the work that members of the Environment, IPA and SJ teams started in 2022.  Here is a recording  of the Doctrine of Discovery and Terra Nullius Forum held on November 20, 2022. This forum was instrumental in helping the CUC draft and approve their motions to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and the Doctrine of Terra Nullius. The resolution was passed at the Extraordinary General Meeting on June 8, 2025.

The Doctrine of Discovery comprises several 15th century papal bulls proclaiming that Christian nations had the right to take possession of the lands of non-Christians to save their souls by Christianizing them. The Doctrine of Terra Nullius (vacant land) was considered to apply to land not yet occupied by Christians, so sovereignty, title and jurisdiction could be claimed over it.

Please click here for a timeline of repudiation by major religious groups and other additional information.

Please click here for additional reading materials related to this resolution.

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Social Justice – News and Thank Yous

Blog, Social JusticeMarch 21, 2025

The SJ Team would like to express our thanks to Tim Smith for stepping forward to be the captain of Team Vancouver Unitarians in the 2025 Coldest Night of the Year Walk. He was joined by Hisako Masaki and the team raised $878.00.  The funds raised were tax-deductible contributions to support and serve people and families experiencing hurt, hunger, and homelessness in the DTES community. Thank you to all the Unitarians and Tim’s co-workers for their greatly needed donations.

 On January 26, Vivian Davidson-Castro presented her film, Food Synergy, a one-of-a-kind feature documentary in the sustainability genre. The documentary uncovers the challenges and, more importantly, the solutions that everyday food heroes locally and across the world are enacting in each level of the food supply chain to make food loss and waste a thing of the past.

There is so much that each of us can do to reduce food waste.  The Food Donor Encouragement Act was passed by the BC Legislature in  1997 and it provides guidelines for donation of food by individuals and businesses. Please contact Vivian if you have questions about food waste.  If you would like to financially support future screenings of Food Synergy, please donate here.

Upcoming Events

On May 18th, the SJ Team is hosting a free screening of Where Olive Trees Weep. Where Olive Trees Weep offers a searing window into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation.   Please visit the event page on the VanU calendar for more information and to reserve your free ticket.

The Social Justice and IPA teams have submitted a Resolution on the Endorsement of the CUC Motion to Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and the Doctrine of Terra Nullius. This resolution will be voted on by the VanU congregation at the June 8, 2025 AGM.  A forum was held on Feb 23. The slide deck for this forum can be found here. Please click here for additional reading materials related to this forum.

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Outreach Opportunities Fund supports Salal SVSC

Social JusticeMarch 5, 2025

From March 2025 to June 2025, our Outreach Opportunities Fund recipient will be Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre.

Founded 40 years ago, Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre is the largest sexual assault centre in British Columbia, operating on the stolen and unceded Coast Salish Territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples. Salal provides free-of-charge support services to women, trans, Two-Spirit, nonbinary, and gender diverse survivors of sexualized violence. Gender-based violence is systemic, and our work goes beyond service provision to include advocating for, and enacting change within our society to create safer communities. For more info please see salasvsc.ca

Click here for more information on our Outreach Opportunities Fund.

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Social Justice Forum Resources

Blog, Social JusticeMarch 4, 2025

This post will contain links to slide decks and other online resources for past Social Justice Team forums.

February 23, 2025 – Resolution on the Endorsement of the CUC Motion to Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and the Doctrine of Terra Nullius. This resolution will be voted on by the VanU congregation at the June 8th AGM. The slide deck for this forum is available here. Please click here for additional reading materials related to the Feb 23, 2025 forum.

March 9, 2025 – Let’s Talk about Peace Building. The slide deck for this forum is available here.

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Environment Team News

Blog, Environment, Social JusticeDecember 18, 2024

Environment team members Catherine Hembling and Rosemary Cornell attended a lively book launch and productive group discussion of how to be more effective climate activists on Pender Island on December 7.  Catherine is one of 25 Trans-Mountain (TMX) pipeline arrestees featured in a recently published anthology, Standing on High Ground: Civil Disobedience on Burnaby Mountain, co-edited by Rosemary Cornell, Adrienne Drobnies, and Tim Bray.  https://btlbooks.com/book/standing-on-high-ground.

Pender Island is home to five TMX arrestees, including Barbara Stowe, the daughter of Greenpeace founders. Barbara organized the Pender event. In the same spirit, the Environment Team is sponsoring a forum, Climate Activism. What we can do to make an impact, on January 5, 2025 in the Fireside Room at VanU.

This event will include a panel featuring TMX arrestees and a general discussion of best options for moving forward in community to defend a more secure future. The book will be available at the event (please bring $20 cash). Please invite friends and come to learn and share ideas.

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The Social Justice Team’s work in 2024 and plans for 2025

Blog, Social JusticeDecember 13, 2024

During 2024, the SJ team organized several events to call for peace and justice. In April, the team called for a ceasefire in Gaza with lasting justice in Israel/Palestine and in May, coordinated a photo with over 80 people gathered in the sanctuary.

In June, the team submitted a resolution to endorse the statement by the Canadian Unitarian Council and Unitarian Universalist Ministers of Canada calling on the State of Israel and on Hamas to agree to a permanent ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages.

In September, during the annual water ceremony, the team invited the congregation to stand in solidarity with those in Palestine, Sudan and Indigenous communities who do not have access to safe drinking water.

In 2025, the SJ team will continue calls for peace and justice by working within VanU and with other organizations. On January 26th, Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) will be hosting an author talk at 7pm at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts  ( 149 West Hastings, Vancouver).   The SJ team invites everyone to attend Solidarity is the Political Version of Love: Lessons from Jewish anti-Zionist Organizing – Author & Panelists Discussion.  This event features authors: Rabbi Alissa Wise and Rebecca Vilkomerson, as well as Indigenous author, Chief Rueben George and filmmaker, Avi Lewis. Tickets are free for students with ID, $6.55 for seniors, $11.79 for general admission. Proceeds go to We Are Not Numbers, a Palestinian-led non-profit organization sharing stories from the next generation of Palestinian writers and leaders. Tickets may be purchased here.

Building on the efforts of many past and present VanU members, the Social Justice Team has been busy working on a Resolution on the Endorsement of the CUC Motion to Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and the Doctrine of Terra Nullius.  The team is  grateful to John Omielan who proposed and drafted the resolution with input from the SJ Team. The Social Justice and IPA teams are co-sponsoring this resolution.

On February 23rd, there will be a forum to give the congregation an opportunity to ask questions and discuss this resolution. Individual members of the Environment, IPA and SJ teams presented a forum in November 2022 on the Doctrine of Discovery. Here is a link to a recording of the forum  on the previous UCV website.  This forum was instrumental in helping the CUC draft and approve their motions to repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery and the Doctrine of Terra Nullius.

The Social Justice team has sold white peace poppies every November to recognize all victims of war and the team assembles wreaths for the annual Let Peace be Their Memorial ceremony. This past November, the team hosted the first Peace Building reception that provided ceremony attendees a chance to socialize, meet event hosts and wreath layers, and visit display tables set up with information about peace building activities at VanU and beyond.

The Social Justice team plans to create more opportunities for discussion about peace in 2025. On March 9th, SJ/IPA members Debra, Hisako and Huguette will be speaking at the forum entitled Let’s Talk about Peace Building.  The SJ team invites all VanU members to attend and share their thoughts.

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Outreach Opportunities Fund supports UNYA

Social JusticeNovember 16, 2024

From November 2024 to January 2025, our Outreach Opportunities Fund recipient will be UNYA

The Urban Native Youth Associationunya.bc.ca

UNYA strives to support Indigenous youth by providing a diverse continuum of advocacy, preventative and support services that respond to their immediate and long-term needs. Today, UNYA delivers 20+ programs, with 175+ volunteers, 100 staff, and more than 300 community partners. For more info please see unya.bc.ca

Click here for more information on our Outreach Opportunities Fund.

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Vancouver Unitarians call for Permanent Ceasefire in Israel/Gaza and release of hostages

Resolutions, Social JusticeJune 11, 2024

The Vancouver Unitarians’ congregation formally endorsed the statement by the Canadian Unitarian Council and Unitarian Universalist Ministers of Canada calling on the State of Israel and on Hamas to agree to a permanent ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages.

The statement calls on the Government of Canada to stop shipments of weapons to Israel and instead advocate for “a lasting peace with self-determination, civil, religious, and political rights as a foundation.”

Canadian Unitarians are urged to write to their Members of Parliament to voice their support of a permanent ceasefire, the return of all hostages, and the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian aid in Gaza. 

The resolution was passed at the Extraordinary General Meeting on June 9, 2024.

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Social Justice Team amplifies calls for a ceasefire and peace with justice in Gaza

Social JusticeApril 6, 2024

Social Justice Team’s Call for a Ceasefire in Gaza and Peace and Lasting Justice in Israel/Palestine

May the guns and bombs be stilled.
May food, water, health and medical supplies and services resume.
May essential shelter be built.
May the anguish and pain of all who are suffering in this conflict,
Israeli and Palestinian, be met by renewed efforts
for a just and lasting peace.

The above statement was written by members of the congregation who took part in the Middle East Listening Circle on Tuesday [March 26, 2024] and who asked that a candle be lit for the people of Gaza, and that a moment for silent reflection be held on March 31, 2024.

The Social Justice Team endorses this statement and wishes to inform Vancouver Unitarians (VanU) members of the recent statement by the Canadian Unitarian Council and the actions it is proposing. Please read the full CUC statement here.

VanU members interested in joining fellow members in planning actions directed at calling for a ceasefire and supporting those suffering, please contact Nancy Barker at neb2525[at]gmail[dot]com or Michael Clague at Michael[at]clagueconsultants[dot]com or Yvonne Marcus at yvonnemarcus[at]gmail[dot]com

Excerpts from CUC March 16, 2024 statement:

“The Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC) and Unitarian Universalist Ministers of Canada (UUMOC) are calling on the State of Israel and on Hamas to agree to a permanent ceasefire and the immediate release of all hostages. We call on Canada’s government to stop supplying weapons and instead advocate for a lasting peace with self-determination, civil, religious, and political rights as a foundation.”

“We uphold the decision of the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ), which ordered the State of Israel to take all measures within its power to prevent killing, or causing serious bodily or mental harm, to Palestinians; to stop inflicting actions intended to bring about the destruction of Palestinians; to prevent and to punish the public incitement to commit genocide; and to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian aid in Gaza.”

“In addition to calling for a ceasefire, the return of all hostages, and continued humanitarian aid, we urge Canadian Unitarian Universalists to write to their Members of Parliament. We also encourage you to support the efforts of faith-based, non-governmental, and/or humanitarian organizations working at the local level to bring peace, stability, and aid to Gaza and other regions impacted by war.”

The Social Justice Team’s Call for a Ceasefire in Gaza and Peace and Lasting Justice in Israel/Palestine is in service of the VanU Vision and Principles, namely, our Vision states that: “our Unitarian community has served the greater Vancouver area through advocacy for peace, social justice, civil rights, environmental stewardship;” the First Principle of VanU calls on us to affirm and promote “The inherent worth and dignity of every person;” the Second Principle of VanU calls on us to affirm and promote “Justice, equity, and compassion in human relations;” the Sixth Principle of VanU calls on us to affirm and promote “The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;” and the Eighth Principle of VanU calls on us to affirm and promote “Individual and communal action that accountably dismantles racism and systemic barriers to full inclusion in ourselves and our institutions.”

Image credit: Brett Wharton / Unsplash

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Intersection event a success

Groups, IBPOC, Social JusticeJanuary 25, 2024

On a cold rainy January 20 evening, almost 80 people gathered in community to share a warm, educational, and uplifting event called: Exploring the Intersections between Colonialism, Racism, and Climate Change.

 This was the first time that all four of the VU Action Teams (IPA, Environment, Social Justice, Refugee) collaborated and it showed in the variety of offerings throughout the evening.

  • The photo exhibition Dispossessed But Defiant was set up in the alcove
  • An amazing potluck dinner was set up which included vegetarian, vegan, teen friendly options, and a separate gluten-free table 
  • Four amazing, youngerish IBPOC speakers: Severn Cullis-Suzuki, Kwiis Hamilton, Kyi Min Saw, and Esther Leung-Kong. They talked about  human rights, colonialism, capitalism, the immigrant experience, Indigenous knowledge, and how it is connected to the environment and Climate Change.
  • VU members Vivian Davidson(emcee), Tamiko Suzuki, Huguette Sansonet and Rev. Shawn Gauthier spoke before dinner.

Parts of the evening were filmed and will be available on the VU website shortly.

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