ESSENTIALS sees itself as the theological and spiritual rallying point for historic Christian orthodoxy in the Anglican Church of Canada and calls on the Canadian church to embrace and live by its orthodox Christian heritage.

The motion made the distinction between the Federation, those who represent orthodox Anglicans deeply concerned about the drift away from orthodoxy but believe they are not in impaired communion or broken communion with the Anglican Church of Canada, and the Network which believes the national church or their diocese IS in broken relationship with them and the rest of the Anglican Communion. The resolution praised the Federation for trying to work within the structures but wrongly accused the Network of having left the Anglican Church of Canada, which it has not.

"At no time was the Network ever consulted or invited to speak to Diocesan Council nor was the ACIC," said the Rev. David Short, rector of St. John's, Shaughnessy in Vancouver, the largest Anglican parish in Canada.

"They have empowered the bishop to take the necessary legal action to toss out any licensed clergy or any parish of the Diocese who choose to declare themselves to be a Member of the Anglican Network in Canada or the Essentials Network or the Anglican Communion in Canada" said Cheryl Chang, Vancouver based, Executive Director of the Anglican Network in Canada and a licensed attorney.

"This became public knowledge through the diocesan newsletter called TOPIC which is part of the national Anglican Journal under the headline "Network Nixed." The grand irony is that the Topic was published in precisely the same week that the Archbishop of Canterbury recognized the Anglican Network (both US and Canada) as being in full communion with Canterbury," she said

Dr. Williams recognized the Anglican Communion Network and the Anglican Network in Canada as full members of the Anglican Communion at the recent South to South III meeting of Primates of the Global South in Egypt. Together they represent more than two thirds of the global communion.

"A double irony is that the Global South leaders in their statement called for the discipline of the North American provinces (Canada and the US) for being intransigent on sexuality issues " said Short.

"Bishop Ingham is threatening anyone in his Diocese who openly acknowledges a relationship with the Network which affirms the founding principles of the Anglican Church of Canada and commits to remaining in full communion with the global Anglican Communion if the Anglican Church of Canada 'walks apart' as the Windsor report warned." he said.

This is a blatant attempt to crush orthodoxy in the diocese, said Chang.

"The truth is the diocese is already in broken communion with the global church and this has made us orphans within the diocese", she said.

"From a diocesan point of view they have walked apart, not us. The wonderful irony is that the diocese pretends that they are the legitimate expression of authentic Anglicanism when in fact they are not. While the diocese and Bishop Ingham are trying to "outlaw" those in the Network and the ACiC, they have themselves been "suspended" by the vast majority of the Global South and the Anglican Consultative Council, which occurred in Nottingham recently.

St. John's (Shaughnessy) is one of several parishes that have not paid assessments to the diocese of New Westminster since 2002. Recently the diocese called for a special financial synod to deal with the growing shortage of income coming to the diocese. They have planned to up the basic assessment rate, which has been a flat 12.1 per cent of parish operating revenue, and to increase it to 15.55 per cent for smaller parishes, 16.65 per cent for the middle group, and 17.55 percent for the top third of parishes.

In May of this year the annual Diocesan Synod decided that Stewards in Action, established 15 years ago, will end December 31. At its peak SIA - a voluntary program of giving - raised over $800,000 annually, but recently had brought in less than half of that amount.

END