We wear ribbons for all kinds of worthy causes these days- pink for breast cancer, yellow for soldiers serving overseas, red for HIV/AIDS, purples for epilepsy. Today, John and I were part of a huge ribbon that stretched over 700 feet and several blocks.
This huge ribbon made up of over 170 banners from across the country was an initiative of Kairos Canada a Christian Justice organisation. The banners displayed images and messages of solidarity with our First Nations people, and called on the Canadian government to implement the articles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (which turns into the rather unfortunate acronym of UNDRIP). 
We marched carrying the banners from Victoria Island to Parliament Hill and then to the Human Rights Monument. There were singers, drummers and speech makers. But for me, the most impressive statement and the most moving was the banners themselves- small lengths of fabric from all across the country-Halifax NS , Victoria BC, Calgary AB, Nunavut, Belleville, ON, Montreal QC and many points in between. Before the march began I wandered through the many rows of banners joined together on the ground, and I was awestruck by the variety of creativity, colours, images and words, all on the same theme of solidarity with First Nations.
Each banner tells a story- or rather two stories- a story about the group who made it and a story of their prayers for their First Nations brothers and sisters. The groups are Christians- United Churches, Anglicans, Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Christian Reformed and Presbyterian. They are Unitarians and Quakers, Karios Chapters, Unions and NGOs. The prayers are for basic equality in areas like education, clean water and health care, and for recognition of land claims and treaty rights. Though you would never have known it from our most recent election these things matter to many Canadians.
One banner stops me in my tracks- its message so profound and so simple “God's love is more powerful than racism.” It’s a perfect summary of Paul’s words to the Romans- For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 8:38
Today, surrounded by people and messages of faith and solidarity and good will, I am proud to be a Christian, a member of Kairos Quinte, a United Church minister, and a Canadian, even though I know we are still a long way from God’s kingdom come. Speaker Cindy Blackstock, from the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada summed it up for me- “Canada is a great country, but we can be better.” May God make it truly so! 
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