Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, has joined other leaders of the Canadian Council of Churches in calling the Canadian government to respond to crises in the Middle East.
In a May 17 letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the 24 leaders of CCC member churches outlined their concerns and recommendations:
“We are concerned about the continuing humanitarian tragedy unfolding in Syria; the uncertainty and turmoil with democratic transitions in Egypt; the unresolved decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and the rising tensions and stresses within and between various countries in the region.”
They encourage the government to take action, including robust response to the needs of displaced peoples, leadership in the area of human rights, and assistance for churches as they “work with local peacemakers and providers of humanitarian assistance in the region.”