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Winnipeg, Man.
MCC Ottawa office marks 25th anniversary

Some MCC Ottawa office highlights: Helped MCC Canada formulate the Food Bank in the mid-1970s, which later became the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Played a key role in negotiating a refugee agreement between MCC and the federal government so Mennonite churches and groups could sponsor Vietnamese boat people. Other denominations quickly adopted the same model. Made major appeals to citizenship authorities that have enabled over 20,000 Kanadier Mennonites from Latin America to gain Canadian citizenship. Advocated for a greater Canadian response to Cambodia. As a result, when the Cold War thawed, Canada was quicker to provide aid and assist in the peace process than many other Western nations. Helped persuade the Canadian government to permit the CFGB to use federal grants for food aid to North Korea in 1997. Contributed early this year to a Parliamentary Committee’s recommendation that the economic sanctions against Iraq be lifted. Worked at Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) funding issues. MCC receives almost $3 million a year in CIDA grants. Built bridges by working with Kanadier Mennonites by being involved in both ecumenical and evangelical groups, and by working with issues in ways that seek common ground and minimize adversity.  – MCC Canada

Few Mennonites would question Mennonite Central Committee’s presence in Ottawa’s corridors of power these days but that certainly wasn’t the case 25 years ago when the office first opened after several years of impassioned debate.

“It was a bit of a hard sell to the (Mennonite) conferences,” recalls Abe Wiebe an early MCC Canada board member, representing the Sommerfelder Conference.

There were concerns that Mennonites shouldn’t be involved in political advocacy; that staff at the office would adopt a particular political party’s point of view; and staff would not be able to speak for all groups of Mennonites on particular issues.

There was also a suspicion that the need for an Ottawa office was driven by MCC Canada staff and did not really reflect the wishes of the larger Mennonite constituency, says Siegfried Bartel of B.C., who was also a board member at the time. Bartel was one of those who had serious misgivings about MCC having an office in Ottawa.

MCC Canada marked the 25th anniversary of the Ottawa office September 29-30 with dialogue and discussion sessions and a celebration dinner in Winnipeg. MCC staff involved in advocacy work met with Ottawa office staff to discuss a range of issues as did representatives from various Mennonite conferences.

During discussions with conference leaders – from Old Colony, Sommerfelder, EMC, EMMC, MB and Mennonite Church Canada groups – it quickly became clear that the fears and concerns about MCC’s work in Ottawa have all but vanished. It also became clear that the person most responsible for winning over the critics has been Bill Janzen, who has directed the office nearly all these years.

“The churches have gained confidence in what you did,” Wiebe told Janzen at the meeting with conference leaders. “I would personally like to thank you. You have represented us well.” Other leaders expressed similar sentiments.

About 140 people attended a special celebration dinner, including people like Bartel who witnessed the birth of the Ottawa program. Also in attendance were some of the staff who have served in the Ottawa office over the years, including Freda Enns, Joanne Epp and Monica Scheifele. MCC Canada executive directors J.M. Klassen and Dan Zehr, who helped nurture the early Ottawa program, attended as well.

“What made it (the program) acceptable over the years in large measure, was the person who occupied the position,” said J.M. Klassen. MCC searched long for the right person to fill the position initially and finally settled on Janzen. “We didn’t know Bill Janzen that well and we didn’t know how well he would be able to do what he was expected to do,” admitted Klassen.

Janzen thanked people for their generous and long-standing support.

Federal politician Bill Blaikie was the keynote speaker for the evening. A United Church minister, Blaikie spoke of the importance of churches speaking out on political and economic issues. “We (as Christians) need to make choices. The Bible calls us to do that,” he said. Blaikie was critical of people’s and government’s infatuation with global trade and financial markets. In the end, life is about how you treat each other and how you help the poor, he said. “God will not ask, ‘Did you please the moneylenders?’, or ‘Did you balance your budgets?’ ”

 – MCC Canada

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Last modified December 3, 2000.

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