Fairtrade connects producers, businesses, and consumers in a global system of sustainable, ethical trade to improve the lives of farmers and workers in developing countries.
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Franciscan Voice Canada is a Fair Trade Faith Group Advocate, to act as an advocate for Fair Trade to our Canadian Franciscan family providing information and ideas to support Fair Trade for a more just and sustainable world.
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Formation: Andrew Conradi ofs, has prepared a powerpoint presentation titled, Fair Trade, a Franciscan Perspective. It can be used by fraternities and other groups to help better understand Fair Trade from a Franciscan perspective. Click on the link to download the file. Consider using this program for an upcoming fraternity meeting.
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The Latest News from FAIRTRADE
Choose the World You Want
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Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream supports Fair TradeDid you know that all Ben & Jerry’s flavours are made with Fairtrade ingredients, learn more here. THE BEN & JERRY’S NETFLIX & CHILL’D DIGITAL SCOOP SHOP IS OPEN! |
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This Fairtrade Month, we’re asking you to CHOOSE |
Every trip to the grocery store or online shop is an opportunity to choose the world you want. We want a world where farmers get paid a fair price for their goods, women thrive and the environment is prioritized.
THE POWER OF STORY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD Learn More and Help Also see the video "Guardians of the Rain Forest" (12:50) < Video 0.59
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FAIRTRADE IS FOR PEOPLE & FOR PLANET
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Farmers say the climate emergency is one of the number one threats they face. Millions of farmers around the world who rely on agriculture for their livelihoods are among the worst affected. |
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Urgent action is needed from everyone in order to address the climate crisis and hold the global rise in temperature to 1.5 degrees or less.
Fairtrade is a choice for nature, and a way of farming that safeguards both humans and the environment. Fairtrade is supporting farmers and workers adapt to the changing climate, and is helping to mitigate other major environmental problems, like biodiversity loss, soil degradation, the use of harmful chemicals and excessive water consumption. LEARN MORE
Fairtrade is a choice for nature, and a way of farming that safeguards both humans and the environment. Fairtrade is supporting farmers and workers adapt to the changing climate, and is helping to mitigate other major environmental problems, like biodiversity loss, soil degradation, the use of harmful chemicals and excessive water consumption. LEARN MORE
Happy International Women's Day! - Meet Edith, a Fairtrade Cocoa Farmer
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Celebrating the women of Fairtrade, upcoming events like the Fairtrade Awards, Fairtrade bananas at Longo's, news about Ivorian cocoa farmers' income and a proposed Bill to disclose forced labour in Canadian supply chains.
Edith is a Fairtrade cocoa farmer living in Côte d'Ivoire. She is a leader, a farmer and a single mother. Edith’s life hasn’t been easy, but her experiences have inspired her to change things for the better for herself, her family and her community.
Fairtrade Newsletter March 2020 |
March 8, 2020
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Fair Trade Conference, March 13 - 14, Calgary, Ab
February 20, 2020
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We’re 3-weeks out and are looking forward to welcoming Don Pilar Ramirez from the Dominican Republic to talk cocoa, Rodolfo Penalba from Honduras to talk climate change, Nelson Camilo Melo Maya from Colombia and Ludy Esperanza Laynes Díaz from Mexico to talk coffee.
In short, you won't want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to hear four Producers talk about the issues that matter most to them. Conference details. |
Valentines - Fair Trade flowers may be an option!February 4, 2020
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You buy flowers as a symbol of life and love. Why not choose flowers that also aim to improve the livelihoods of the people behind the bouquet?
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Where can I get Fairtrade flowers in Canada?
Look for single-sourced bunches, as well as mixed-source bouquet combining Fairtrade and local flowers at Sobeys and selected Foodland stores in Ontario, and Choices Markets in BC. Western Canada Sobeys will also offer Fairtrade roses in about 300 stores, as part of their Valentine’s Day promotion. You can also find Fairtrade at a good number of independent florists across the country. If your grocer does not carry Fair Trade flower let him know your preference for Fair Trade products. LEARN MORE... Read the latest Fair Trade magazine |
Photos taken at Mount Meru by Didier Gentilhomme
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Bananas - The Looming Bananageddon & Signs of Hope, an Interview
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October 1, 2019, revised October 15, 2019
This disease is a wakeup call for everyone. It’s time to rally to protect that little banana, and the farmers and workers we rely on. Their message is that we really are not paying enough for bananas, period. There has to be a huge change in consumer expectations. An understanding that if we only want to pay a low price, then maybe that product shouldn’t be fresh bananas.
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Bananas are ubiquitous. They are one of Canada’s most popular fruits, a healthy, handy snack rich in potassium. And maybe most importantly, the basis of one of the world’s greatest comic gags. But there’s a pall over the industry. Our favorite yellow fruit is in a precarious position.
The headlines are bleak, “Alarm as devastating banana fungus reaches the Americas” in Nature, “An Unstoppable Fungus Might Make Bananas Go Extinct” in Vice. But like much in the news, the headlines miss the subtlety of the situation and can contribute to a feeling of helplessness. So what can we do? They say "the truth is, a lot". LEARN MORE...... |
Does it seem right to you that banana workers and their communities have to take on these costs? We don’t think so either.
BUT WE CAN CHANGE THAT, WITH YOUR HELP
Tell your favorite retailer that you’re willing to pay a little bit more for Fairtrade bananas that care for people and planet. LEARN MORE TAKE ACTION
We at FVC feel that as consumers our expectations led to the one designer banana and it is now at risk by a fungus. We expect that more resistant banana varieties are part of the answer. Moving away from big agriculture and giving more attention to the smaller farmer, through Fair Trade, is better answer. - FVC
BUT WE CAN CHANGE THAT, WITH YOUR HELP
Tell your favorite retailer that you’re willing to pay a little bit more for Fairtrade bananas that care for people and planet. LEARN MORE TAKE ACTION
We at FVC feel that as consumers our expectations led to the one designer banana and it is now at risk by a fungus. We expect that more resistant banana varieties are part of the answer. Moving away from big agriculture and giving more attention to the smaller farmer, through Fair Trade, is better answer. - FVC
FAIRTRADE IN YOUR INBOX - July 2019
July 16, 2019
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INVESTING IN WOMEN FOR A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE
What do you consider fair pay for a day’s work? If you’re a cocoa farmer in the West Africa, you’d need $3.13 per day to support a decent livelihood, which sounds attainable, until you consider that the average income for cocoa farmers currently stands at $1.26 per day. Poverty, with few options outside of cocoa, is the reality for the majority of cocoa farmers in West Africa. What is more, this poverty disproportionately affects women, who are often responsible for the household economy - childcare, food preparation, and budgeting. They are also often pulled in to help in the fields as families struggle to survive.... |
Photo by Sean Hawkey
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...The World Bank estimates that countries lose $160 trillion USD in wealth due to earnings gaps. Women need (and deserve) equal economic opportunity, and the ability to earn and make decisions around money and the household economy.
For too long risk has been pushed to the beginning of the supply chain where those who have the fewest resources are left to deal with the consequences. In few places is the need for a living income as stark as West Africa. Though farmers in the countries produce more than 60% of the world’s cocoa, the income they earn is far below global poverty indicators. According to a study conducted by True Price and Fairtrade, only 42 percent of cocoa farmers in the Ivory Coast earn above the extreme poverty line, and only 23 percent above the poverty line.... CHECK OUT THE JULY NEWSLETTER
For too long risk has been pushed to the beginning of the supply chain where those who have the fewest resources are left to deal with the consequences. In few places is the need for a living income as stark as West Africa. Though farmers in the countries produce more than 60% of the world’s cocoa, the income they earn is far below global poverty indicators. According to a study conducted by True Price and Fairtrade, only 42 percent of cocoa farmers in the Ivory Coast earn above the extreme poverty line, and only 23 percent above the poverty line.... CHECK OUT THE JULY NEWSLETTER
FAIRTRADE IN YOUR INBOX - June 2019
June 20, 2019
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SMALL-SCALE COCOA FARMERS DESERVE MORE AND GET IT AS GHANA AND THE IVORY COAST MAKE PRICE ANNOUNCEMENT
On June 12, the Ivory Coast and Ghana made a bold move suspending the trade of cocoa and mandating a minimum price of $2,600 per metric tonne to protect farmers suffering from volatile prices. Though small-scale farmers in the two countries produce more than 60% of the world’s cocoa, the income they earn is far below global poverty indicators. Last year, Fairtrade released research showing that 58% of farmers in the countries had incomes below the extreme poverty line.
Fairtrade applauds the announcement from the two countries. This move is an important first step to shore up cocoa farmers’ income and bring more balance to cocoa supply chains that are too often tipped in favor of traders and large companies.
JUNE NEWSLETTER - READ MORE
On June 12, the Ivory Coast and Ghana made a bold move suspending the trade of cocoa and mandating a minimum price of $2,600 per metric tonne to protect farmers suffering from volatile prices. Though small-scale farmers in the two countries produce more than 60% of the world’s cocoa, the income they earn is far below global poverty indicators. Last year, Fairtrade released research showing that 58% of farmers in the countries had incomes below the extreme poverty line.
Fairtrade applauds the announcement from the two countries. This move is an important first step to shore up cocoa farmers’ income and bring more balance to cocoa supply chains that are too often tipped in favor of traders and large companies.
JUNE NEWSLETTER - READ MORE
Fair Trade in your inbox - May 2019 (the newsletter)
May 16, 2019
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We are already half way through Fairtrade Month! Our team has been so inspired by the different activities and initiatives happening across the country. From product launches, to in-store deals and Fair Trade designation ceremonies, our Fairtrade fam sure knows how to celebrate!
Here are some highlights of the activities happening this month across the country:
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How do you make Fairtrade part of your every day?
April 26, 2019
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Let’s look back at the decisions you’ve made today that brought you to the moment before you opened this email. Can you pinpoint the choices you made that are dependent on other people? Like how someone grew the coffee beans you brewed this morning, or how a person sewed the shirt on your back? Yeah. Once you think about those daily decisions, you start to realise how inextricably linked your choices are to the livelihoods of other human beings. While this realisation can quickly become overwhelming (I’ve often been stuck standing in the middle of a grocery aisle wondering if the organic quinoa I am holding is linked to child labour), if we make the commitment to be more conscious consumers, those small every-day decisions can have a big impact on the lives of farmers and workers in the Global South.
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FACTS AND FIGURES
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April 25, 2019
Ever wondered how many farmers and workers around the world participate in Fairtrade? What they grow and where? How Fairtrade sales are doing globally? (Estimated figures in Canadian dollars.) |
How Bad Can Chocolate Be?
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April 15, 2019, Catholic Health Association of the United States
CHA and its members are raising awareness about human trafficking through the ministry-wide initiative, “Faithfully United Against Human Trafficking.” Easter season is an opportunity for all of us to turn our attention to the plight of children who toil to bring us the chocolate we love and consider actions we can take to help bring about change. HERE’S THE ISSUE: Thousands of children in West Africa are forced to labor in the production of cocoa, chocolate’s primary ingredient. The West African nation of Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) is the leading supplier of cocoa, accounting for more than 40 percent of global production. Low cocoa prices and thus the need for lower labor costs drive farmers to employ children as a means to survive. The U.S. Department of State estimates that more than 109,000 children in Cote d’Ivoire’s cocoa industry work under “the worst forms of child labor,” and that some 10,000 are victims of human trafficking or enslavement. Video: The Dark Side of Chocolate (2010, 45 Mins) |
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YOUR ACTIONS CAN CREATE CHANGE. HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP: |
• ASK your local stores to stock chocolate that is “fair trade”
• PRAY for these young victims and all victims of trafficking • LEARN more (watch the video) and let your friends and family know |
Government of Canada Commits to Ending Child and Forced Labour in Corporate Supply Chains
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OTTAWA, Feb. 12, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)
The Government of Canada announced on Friday that it would initiate consultations on corporate supply chain legislation this year. The statement is a positive step towards requiring Canadian companies to take action and report on their efforts to address child labour, modern slavery, and other human rights violations, according to a coalition of Canadian organizations including Fairtrade Canada, World Vision, UNICEF Canada and Save the Children. |
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“This is a move in the right direction; the Government of Canada is showing that it is taking this problem seriously,” says Michael Messenger, President and CEO of World Vision Canada. “But the need for Canadian supply chain legislation is urgent. Each year, more than $34 billion of products are imported into Canada that may have been made by child or forced labour. Millions of children’s futures depend on this legislation.”
“Taking action to protect children is a key Canadian value; it’s who we are and it’s every child’s right,” says Bill Chambers, President and CEO of Save the Children Canada. “Reducing the likelihood of child labour and human rights abuses in corporate supply chains transcends partisan politics and is something all political parties and leaders should rally behind. The coalition of NGOs looks forward to working closely with the government and others in the months ahead to contribute their expertise to a time-bound and inclusive process towards this legislation.” ...Learn More Sign the Petition |
Karan, 12, engaged in child labour in India’s footwear industry. - World Vision
This is another great reason to buy Fair Trade wherever we can. FVC |
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February 11, 2019
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Localizing the SDG's Through Fair Trade
The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals aim to end poverty ‘in all its forms, everywhere’, while leaving no-one behind. While all SDGs are relevant for Fair Trade, Fair Trade has a role in promoting the following ones: |
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Fair Trade Canada - Needs our helpJanuary 10, 2019 - Fair Trade Canada
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Right now, it's impossible for us to be informed consumers because of a lack of corporate transparency.
Thanks to vocal supporters like you, the Government of Canada is reviewing a report looking at Canada's connection to child labour. They are preparing a formal response to decide if they will introduce legislation in Canada. Your voice has the power to influence their decision. This is a crucial time to let our Government know that you support supply chain legislation. Take action now; sign the petition. |
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A Call to Action: Ending The Use of All Forms of Child Labour in Supply Chains
In mid-October, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development released its report on "Ending the Use of All Forms of Child Labour in Supply Chains". This is an important first step, Read more here. "The International Labor Organization estimates that 40.3 million people are affected by modern slavery. One in four of these people are children. These are hard realities to face, but we need to wake up and take action to put an end to these brutal violations on our fellow human beings." To read Julie Francoeur's article on this topic in The Star, ...click here. |
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The Fair Trade movement joins forces with the United Nations
The Brussels-based Fair Trade Advocacy Office and UNCTAD are joining forces to improve the living and working conditions of artisans, workers and smallholder farmers and producers in Africa, Asia and Latin America. To read more, click here. |
Why Canada Needs to Stand Against Forced Labour in Supply Chains
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October 2, 2018
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In 2014, three Eritrean refugees filed a lawsuit in Canada against Nevsun Resources Ltd. They accused the mining company, headquartered in Vancouver, BC, of being complicit in the use of forced labour during the construction of a mine in which Nevsun holds a 60 percent majority ownership.....Despite global rallying around the cause—and because Canadians consumed up to $34 billion worth of products that were possibly made by child and slave labour in 2016—Canada risks falling behind.
The Canadian House of Commons recently tasked the Subcommittee on International Human Rights to investigate and study the issue of firms using forced labour in their supply chains, seeking input from Canadian civil society groups, non-governmental organizations, industry associations, politicians, and government officials. READ MORE WHAT CAN I DO? Write or call your MP, be a voice - FVC |
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Fair Trade Pledge
The National JPIC Commission of Canada wants your pledge
The Chapter of the National Fraternity of Canada, OFS held at Châteauguay, Québec passed a resolution on 25 May 2012 which asks fraternities to: “commit, where and when possible, to purchase Fair Trade and organic coffee, tea, chocolate and sugar for all meetings; and positively encourage the fraternities’ brothers and sisters to make the same commitment for their own individual use.”
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Therefore the Council of the Regional Fraternity of Eastern Canada asks the sisters and brothers to buy Fair Trade products whenever possible. These products are becoming increasing available. Store clerks should be able to help you find available Fair Trade products on their store shelves. Fair Trade products certified by Fair Trade Canada can be identified by the logos shown below (on the left the new international logo which is gradually replacing the old Canadian logo on the right).
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A reminder of two papal statements (there are many more) on why we should adopt fair trade:
“Hence, in every case, a just wage is the concrete means of verifying the justice of the whole socioeconomic system and, in any case, of checking that it is functioning justly. It is not the only means of checking, but it is a particularly important one and, in a sense, the key means.” (Bl John Paul II, Laborem exercens, 1981, n. 19) “ ... purchasing is always a moral — and not simply economic — act. Hence the consumer has a specific social responsibility .... Consumers should be continually educated regarding their daily role which can be exercised with respect for moral principles ....” (Benedict XVI, Caritas in veritate, 2009, n. 66) |
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Make the pledge
purchase FAIR TRADE
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Vancouver International Soccer Festival – A Fair Trade Event
June 10, 2018
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The 13th annual Vancouver International Soccer Festival took place July 7-9. A designated Fair Trade Event since 2013, and the only ongoing Fair Trade sporting event in Canada, the VISF is a great example of collaboration between Fairtrade Canada licensees and Fair Trade Programs. Planning for the 2018 Event is underway. |
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Introducing Fair Trade and Franciscan Voice Canada Partnership
Fair Trade Faith Group Program - Franciscan Voice Canada
by Torrye McKenzie, Program Manager, Canadian Fair Trade Network, 16 April 2018 There are 7.5 billion people on planet earth. We all share the same basic needs, yet many lack access to clean water, nutritious food, quality education and/or basic health care. Ending these injustices is an incredible challenge, but it is possible. As individuals we can help build a better tomorrow for everyone by supporting fair trade. We depend on others to grow many of the products we enjoy everyday: cocoa, coffee, fruits, vegetables and more. Unfortunately, the supply chains that bring these products to Canada are long and convoluted, which can often lead to exploitation. Fair trade helps to protect farmers and workers who are the most vulnerable to low pay, poor working conditions and environmental devastations. With fair trade, producers receive a guaranteed minimum price for their products which recognizes the incredible effort it takes to grow food and produce goods. Fair trade standards also promote gender equality, protect the environment, restrict the use of modern slavery and include a social premium on top of wages for community development projects. You can join the fight for fairer terms of trade by becoming a Fair Trade Faith Group! Seeking justice in the world is a fundamental concept of all faiths. Through supporting fair trade, congregations can pursue that goal and exemplify ethical leadership towards a world that reflects these values. Fair Trade Faith Groups make the connection between trade and poverty and commit to using Fairtrade certified products including tea and coffee. Having these products available at all gatherings and activities sends a strong and clear message of living the values that the faith group stands for. |
How to get started
The Fair Trade Faith Group designation is awarded to faith groups that meet all the criteria within these three requirements: 1 - Committee A Fair Trade Committee must be formed by members and leaders of the congregation to ensure continued commitment to the Fair Trade Faith Group designation. 2 - Product Availability There must be available for both congregants and visitors Fairtrade certified coffee, tea and a third product from a different category, such as sugar, chocolate, or bananas. 3- Visibility and Awareness The faith group must be promoting its fair trade commitment by having promotional and informational material available to both congregants and visitors. Visit www.cftn.ca/fair-trade-faith-group-materials for full Fair Trade Faith Group Program Requirements. Visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FairTradeFaithGroupGroupeReligieuxEquitable to fill out the online application |