News Archives » North America
Oblates Gather for International Immigration Symposium in Toronto July 1st, 2009
Oblates from North America, Asia-Oceania, Europe, Africa/Madagascar and Latin America gathered in Toronto from June 8-12 to learn, strategize and sensitize themselves on the challenges of migrants and immigrants in every area where the Oblates are working. It was also a moment to share the distributions of migrants where Oblates work. This is the first Oblate international symposium on migration, and was convened by the Assumption Province in collaboration with the Oblate General Administration in Rome.
Report and Recommendations of the Symposium (Download PDF)
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Chevron Human Rights Resolution Supported by Oblates June 18th, 2009
Using a proxy from the Missionary Oblates, Michael Eisenscher of U.S. Labor Against the War addressed the Annual General Meeting of the Chevron Corporation on May about the company’s efforts to profit from Iraqi oil. The company profited, in particular, from a widely-opposed oil law that would give foreign corporations like Chevron almost complete control of Iraq’s oil industry, to the detriment of the rights of ordinary Iraqis.
Members of the True Cost of Chevron coalition presented their alternative annual report directly to Chevron management and CEO David O’Reilly (who disparagingly responded during the meeting that it “deserves the trash can”). Edited and painstakingly researched by Antonia Juhasz, with help from a coalition of over a dozen groups, “The True Cost of Chevron” highlights the tragic human consequences that are the flip side of the record profits Chevron collected in 2008. It can be downloaded for free at http://truecostofchevron.com/report.html
Chevron is finding itself increasingly in the spotlight over the harmful consequences of its operations, and shareholders are deeply concerned, as evidenced by the 28% support yet again this year for the resolution calling for a clear human rights policy. 28% is considered extremely good performance for a shareholder resolution of this type. Investors representing billions of dollars in Chevron stock have spoken up in support of greater social responsibility, and although the True Cost of Chevron’s coalition’s speakers inside the meeting were treated dismissively by CEO O’Reilly, Chevron is taking notice.
Oblates Join Religious Coalition Calling for Investigation by US DOJ into use of Torture June 10th, 2009
The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate’s Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation office has joined the Torture Abolition Survivors Support Coalition and more than 180 other organizations in calling on Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate and prosecute members of the Bush administration for violations of US and International law pertaining to torture.
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Demand for a Globally Negotiated and Increased SDR Funding Without Conditionalities June 3rd, 2009
Stop increased funding to the IMF which only makes it a stronger enforcer of developed country restrictions through conditionalities.
NGOs Oppose Nearly 100-Billion-Dollar Pledge to IMF
WASHINGTON, May 31 (IPS) – A broad coalition of civil society groups, as well as some U.S. lawmakers, are fighting what they call a “blank cheque” from the U.S. to expand funding for the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
On May 22, the Senate passed a 91.3 billion-dollar-wartime spending bill that included 108 billion dollars for the Washington-based Fund. The bill will now have to be reconciled in a conference committee between the Senate and the House of Representatives whose own version omitted any IMF funding. The funding was the U.S. part of a larger package agreed by the G20 leaders at their April meeting in London, where they pledged to provide 1.1 trillion dollars in additional funding to the IMF.
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Oblates welcome First Nations Representatives in Rome May 21st, 2009
On April 29, Pope Benedict XVI held a special audience with Canada’s Assembly of First Nations National Chief Phil Fontaine and a delegation of First Nations Elders and former alumni of residential schools. The Canadian Catholic Church was also represented by Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg, President of the Episcopal Conference, and a delegation of missionary congregations involved in the residential schools. Fr. Timothy COONEN, the bursar of OMI Lacombe Province, represented the communities of men religious.
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