2005/2006 Budget Proposal
OSSL (Ontario Student Solidarity Local):
Strategy for JusticeFaculty Advisor: Gideon Strauss(or possibly Harry VanDyke)
Organizer and CLAC liaison: Brian DijkemaExecutive Summary:VISION
The vision of the OSSL is to promote Christian social principles, justice in the workplace and a Christian approach to vocational issues.
MISSION
The mission of the OSSL is to provide its members with benefits such as, resume development, internships, and job placement; educational opportunities through speakers, workshops and retreats, discussions, conferences and our resource libraries; and to apply such learning through political and social advocacy.
PRINCIPLES
Human Dignity
All humans (regardless of age, health, gender, ethnicity, or religion) are created by God in His own image and so must be treated justly.
Work Ethic
Work is a gift from God for the purpose of cultivating creation in service to others for God’s glory and so must be performed diligently and responsibly.
Sabbath
Rest is also a gift from God for the purpose of refreshing ourselves and specially acknowledging God’s goodness and so must not be neglected.
Peaceful Resolutions
Human interaction is normed by God and so injustices and conflicts must be corrected and resolved through peaceful and legal measures.
Cooperation
Humans were created by God to live in a society and so must work together whenever such cooperation does not violate God-given norms.
Quantitative Summary:Last year our club, although small and not as active as the year previous, committed itself to a number of different activities both on and off campus:
1. We held a letter writing campaign in support of wrongfully imprisoned Cuban trade unionists.
2. As well as hosting socials, we hosted several film evenings in which we discussed issues of culture clash both internationally and locally; issues of unions, making trade fair, fair wages, and poverty; work, the free-market and justice; arts and culture; and the ways in which individuals and organizations of the media are influenced to shape the social agendas of knowledge and, ultimately, beliefs. You may view our website for more information about these evenings: www.ossl.blogspot.com
3. On three occasions we had the privilege of hosting guest speakers. The first was in October when Alberto and Adolfo, two Mexican Christians committed to the promotion of Christ's lordship over all of life, spoke on the topic of Social Justice and the Reformed worldview in Mexico. The second was a mini fireside chat on the War in Iraq, with Dr. David Koyzis as our guest speaker. Our third speaker was an OSSL sponsored chapel on how to live a confessional lifestyle, led by Paul Morris, lead pastor of the Oakville Meeting House.
4. An OSSL representative, along with our CLAC liaison, an ICS chapter member, international CLAC representatives, and some Cuban contacts traveled to Ottawa to stand before the parliamentary Sub-Committee on Human Rights International Development to try and persuade the Canadian government to reassess and change the current policy towards the human rights situation in Cuba. For a formal report on this occurrence please inquire about the Solidarity Update newsletter.
This year, OSSL has approximately 50 students on its email list and there is a potential for recruiting more students to become ACTIVE through word of mouth and different events that the club hopes to host both on and off campus this year. The board of OSSL would like to develop thoughtful and creative strategies for seeking justice, dignity and respect for workers; to develop a Christian perspective on social action for justice in the workplace; to organize events and “happenings”; to abolish apathy and indifference; and to speak out against oppressive labour practices – wherever they are perpetrated. This year is dedicated to concrete action and responsibility in light of our vision to connect our ideas with the reality in which we live. We believe that we are called to be justice seekers just as other activist clubs at various universities believe, however, we believe further that ultimately it is our Christian duty to fight for and raise awareness about oppressed people of God's creation. We would like to thank-you Senate for your financial considerations this academic year!
-Posted by Andrea Hensen
This year OSSL wishes to: Proposal•Host movie nights
•Organize letter writing campaigns
•Design club t-shirts to serve the identity of the club
•Host an information and beginning of the year welcome social as well as monthly socials and/or guest speakers
•Sponsor a Cuban Cultural Festival (featuring Cuban food, music, and artists), in an effort to raise awareness about political and social justice concerns in places such as Cuba and Columbia for the potential of a protest(s) put on by CLAC
•Sponsor a retreat in the area with guest speakers from CINO (Culture Is Not Optional) to discuss fair trade, the Worker Rights Consortium , and their magazine Catapult ; CPJ (Citizens for Public Justice) and their publication of the Catalyst; and WRF (Work Research Foundation) and their publication of Comment
•Sponsor a forum in conjunction with the WYA (World Youth Alliance ) on Human Dignity
•Sponsor a group of students to attend the Worldview Conference at the ICS (Institute for Christian Studies) in October
•Sponsor a group of students to attend the Jubilee Conference in Pittsburgh hosted by the CCO ( the Coalition for Christian Outreach)
•As we are an allied organisation with the WYA (World Youth Alliance), we have been invited to New York to participate in a basic workshop which would introduce students to the human rights, diplomacy, and cultural aspects of the WYA, with a specific discussion of one of the US commissions or conferences.
