After 14 days, December 17 was my final day of fasting for Darfur. I broke my fast and enjoyed a lovely lentil soup from my daughter, Kirsten, and a tasty apple for dessert – they were delicious!

As I return to other duties also I will remain part of a team of people across this country that shared in the Christmas for Darfur Campaign and the hope that Canada will do its part in the UN Mission for Darfur. I am very thankful and greatly encouraged by our collective actions. Our Darfuri friends including Ameera, Mustafa, Siddiga, Muamar, Abdallah and Amir have been with us in Ottawa to share in the discussions with people like Romeo Dallaire (Senator), David Kilgour and Grant Mitchell, as well as MP’s including Jason Kenney, Kevin Sorenson, Glen Pearson, Michael Ignatieff and others. Tara Tavender at Save Darfur Canada was a great resource to us all in official meetings. Many Canadians, individuals, groups and United Church members have taken up the call for action to protect human rights and justice in Darfur. This must build in the New Year with all MP’s hearing our concern, in respectful words, about this issue.

While we have heard nothing from the Government of Canada on the UN Mission in Darfur we will renew our efforts in the New Year and trust that we can count on a your support for 26,000 peace-keepers (requested by the UN) and the resources they need to succeed.

My thanks and great admiration for my two staff people – Mike Fotheringham and Anne Miller, as well as volunteer extraordinaire Holly-Ann Penny who, together, spearheaded the Campaign at this end of the country. Many thanks also to Kevin Taft and my caucus colleagues, as well as my constituency association, for their understanding and great support of my efforts. Thank you to Judy Chapman (who fasted in solidarity with me), and Scarboro Church, as well as David Giuliano the United Church Moderator, for all of their support.

Finally my heartfelt thanks to my family and especially to my wife, Laureen, for her untiring support and continued commitment at home through this intense 14 days. I have no doubt this will be a memorable Christmas for us – and we will not forget that this Season of Hope and Peace must extend to all citizens of the world; especially now for Darfur!