Jessie Parkinson, National Chairperson of Social Justice, September 15, 2025
TO: Provincial Presidents and Secretaries
CC: National Officers (for information)
National Life Member Liaison
Resolution 2025.04 Federal Government to Complete the Development of the Office of Palliative Care
Please forward this message to chairpersons of social justice
according to your provincial communications protocol.
My dear sisters in the League,
I am delighted to introduce myself following my election as a national standing committee chairperson and my appointment by National President Betty Colaneri as chairperson of social justice. I have been a member for 23 years and am a retired lawyer from New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. If you are curious about me, please see my biography on the national website under Meet Our Executive.
Delegates adopted four resolutions at the 2025 national annual meeting of members on August 13th during the national convention. I have enclosed them for your reference.
I invite chairpersons of social justice at all levels to review these resolutions and perhaps choose one upon which to act. All are significant and timely, but there may be one that speaks to them more strongly than the others. It helps if one works on issues they feel passionate about.
As an example, Resolution 2025.02 cites several scientific works defining when life begins. Members and parish communities may not be aware of the depth of research and support, so parish councils may want to host a guest speaker on the topic. The action plan offers a number of ways to support this resolution.
League sisters in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) need members’ help. Resolution 2025.03 calls on the federal government to strengthen its support for chaplains to provide faith-based care to members and families of the CAF. Please ask your diocesan counterparts to encourage councils to review the action plan, educate members and write letters of support, including asking for the retraction of the “Chaplain General Directive on Chaplain’s Spiritual Reflection in Public Settings,” dated October 11, 2023.
Cybercrime is an increasingly alarming concern for Canadians. Resolution 2025.01 urges the federal government to act upon the recommendation of the auditor general in “Report 7-Combatting Cybercrime” by creating a unified and centralized reporting system for individuals. It is recognized that larger institutions, government organizations and national security are well protected, but not individual members of the public. The list in the action plan deals with helping overcome this deficiency as well as educating members on protecting themselves.
Once again, the League asks the federal government to provide sufficient resources to strengthen access to palliative care. Resolution 2025.04 calls on the federal government to complete the development of the Office of Palliative Care in order to provide early, universal and equitable access to community palliative care through the creation of national policies and standards.
Please do not feel overwhelmed by this lengthy missive! As I suggested, chairpersons at all levels should feel free to choose just one and run with it. Or perhaps discuss one at each successive meeting and act upon them all. Resolutions, without action, are pieces of paper.
At this difficult time in history, I pray that Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer, from his death on the cross and his resurrection, shows us the way to a new beginning. I pray that his beloved Mother, Mary, who watched in sorrow, gifts us with the patience and perseverance to trust in him always.
Faithfully yours,
Jessie Parkinson
National Chairperson of Social Justice