Since the announcement of the suspension of its activities, the board of directors of the Centre justice et foi (CJF) has been focusing on strategic reflection efforts surrounding its future. However, the increase in public statements by a group of temporarily laid-off employees calls for a public response. This letter is a response to “Our version of the facts,” a text by them, a shortened version of which was published in The duty from June 25.
First, we would like to remind you that at no time was the decision of the board of directors intended to wipe the slate clean by pushing the team to resign in order to relaunch, without it, the Justice and Faith Center in a watered down version, as reported in the last article in the journal Presence.
On the contrary, the board of directors has taken several actions that completely contradict this statement. From the outset, the CJF board of directors made the decision to maintain the permitted group insurance coverage and to assume the entirety of the group insurance premiums, i.e. the employee and employer portions. .
In addition, the CA took steps to modify the Supplementary Unemployment Benefits Program with Service Canada to include temporary work stoppage. This approach allows employees who currently receive employment insurance benefits to receive weekly remuneration of 95% of their usual salary.
Although some employees have chosen to criticize this decision publicly, it is an action taken in good faith. No employee or partner had requested it.
But above all, what has characterized the last few months is the progress of work on the major directions for the future of the CJF. In this regard, the board of directors held several extraordinary sessions, in addition to its usual meetings, conducted numerous discussions with various long-standing partners and hired consultants to support it in the strategic thinking process.
We have mentioned to CJF employees that they will have a role to play in the ongoing strategic thinking. That said, although we recognize their great experience and competence and their essential contribution to this major work, it is incumbent on a board of directors to first establish the framework within which the activities of an institution can be carried out in a manner responsible. This corresponds to the perspective of the Jesuit Constitutions, which assign to governance the creation of a space in which those who carry out the mission can exercise their own discernment on the means to be deployed to accomplish said mission. Once this crucial step is completed, employees will be called upon to collaborate in a timely manner, and it is up to the Board and its general management to determine what this moment will be.
The CJF recognizes the legitimacy of the feelings that animate the authors of this letter towards the board of directors. However, it notes that they have also chosen to attack, in the public arena, the CJF’s general director by stating the following: “Let us recall that the latter, still on probation, has only been in office since June 2023 (not counting three months of absence), and that she has no roots in the Jesuit and Ignatian world. How can we not find that our expertise is not respected, seeing that the Jesuits feel obliged to publicly signify their support for a new management that is said to have a “vision” and “ideas” – of which we know nothing – and which, visibly, require our sidelining in order to assert itself? All this raises many questions.”
It is unacceptable that the people behind this letter attack in a completely gratuitous manner a dedicated, competent woman and, above all, who is not at the origin of the temporary suspension of the center’s activities. . Furthermore, the completely legitimate feelings caused by the current situation cannot under any circumstances justify damage to the reputation of the CJF, and even less so the sending of hostile emails to the general director and certain members of the board whose tone and the comments are totally inappropriate.
Finally, the CJF wishes to emphasize the fact that the layoff of employees is indeed temporary. The real reasons behind the temporary interruption of the center’s activities were clearly explained from the start to employees, partners and in the public arena. In summary, the mission of the CJF has been developed over many years and is the work of God; we fully support it and it is in no way questioned. Current discernment concerns how to achieve this mission given the limited financial and operational resources of the CJF. Contrary to what has been mentioned in the past, this decision has no political motive.
The Board of Directors strongly believes in the mission of the Centre for Justice and Faith and intends to continue its activities with those who will collaborate in good faith, at the appropriate time. The CJF remains committed to participation, to the fundamental practices of the Society of Jesus and to the integration of diverse perspectives to achieve shared understanding and commitment.