wfn.org | CANADIAN BISHOPS APPEAL TO PRIME MINISTER FOR FARM AID

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Canadian bishops appeal to Prime Minister for farm aid  
Rural communities faced with economic, social crisis  
 
WINNIPEG, Canada/GENEVA, 16 February 2000 (lwi) - The six bishops of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) have written to Canada's Prime
Minister, the Rt. Hon. Jean Chrtien, asking him to clarify his government's
vision for the future of rural communities.  
 
According to a news release from the ELCIC, the church leaders' concern was
prompted by reports by local pastors to the bishops of the serious situation
facing many farm families in the grain sector in parts of Western Canada and
Ontario. "Many rural communities are devastated economically, socially and
emotionally by a combination of poor crops and the dramatic drop in support
for grain farming," wrote the bishops. 
 
In their joint appeal, the ELCIC representatives namely Telmor Sartison
(National Bishop), Michael Pryse, Richard Smith, Allan Grundahl, Stephen
Kristenson and Raymond Schultz have urged the Canadian premier to take
immediate action to provide additional funding assistance for those directly
affected. They said in the letter: "We believe farmers are not solely to blame
for the crises they face. We cannot abandon them in this moment."  
 
While calling for some immediate short-term action, they also noted that the
current farm crisis, "reflects the need for a new long-term security strategy
to insure a safe and healthy food supply for our people. [This] requires a
more adequate response from all of us," they wrote.  
 
 
(The LWF is a global communion of 128 member churches in 70 countries
representing nearly 59.5 million of the world's 63.1 million Lutherans. Its
highest decision-making body is the Assembly held every six or seven years.
Between Assemblies, the LWF is governed by a 49-member Council, which meets
annually, and by its Executive Committee. The LWF secretariat is located in
Geneva, Switzerland.) 
 
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