Sean Frankling

The first of these motions requests the primate of the Anglican Church of Canada to sign a letter from the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, a nonprofit that aims to rally civil society around the world to phase out fossil fuels. The organization’s faith letter, which General Synod requested the primate sign, calls governments to end expansion of coal, oil and gas production; phase out existing production in a fair and equitable manner, providing for the differing needs of developing countries and more dependent regions; and “ensure a global just transition to 100% access to renewable energy globally,” enabling all communities, including the global South, to flourish. 

General Synod has voted to add additional advocacy, ministry and communications to the support the Anglican Church of Canada offers to migrant farmworkers. The assembly, which is meeting in London June 23-June 30, heard a presentation from the Rev. Enrique Martinez of the parish of Long Point Bay and director of the Huron Migrant Farmworkers Ministry, which provides meals, spiritual care, mental health support and bicycles to migrant workers in the diocese of Huron; and from Chris Sorio, a member of migrant justice advocacy group Migrante Canada and of the Public Witness for Social and Ecological Justice Coordinating Committee. 

The orders of clergy and laity have elected Bishop Shane Parker of the diocese of Ottawa as the new primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. Parker was not on the list of candidates announced prior to the primatial election or on the first or second ballots of the day, but the Order of Bishops—which, according to church canons, nominates but does not vote for primatial candidates—added his name to the list of candidates on the third ballot in response to a motion from the Order of Laity asking for more candidates. He was finally elected on the fifth ballot, on which he appeared opposite only Bishop Ryscilla Shaw of the diocese of Toronto.