WHEREAS the remits under the Barrier Act of 2019 seek to change the doctrine and practices of The Presbyterian Church in Canada in foundational ways, and

WHEREAS through no fault of its own, and in order to respect public health regulations and intentions due to COVID-19 issues, the Presbyterian Church in Canada was unable to conduct a General Assembly in 2020, and to consider the results of Remits B and C (2019) as it normally would, and

WHEREAS The Presbyterian Church in Canada prides itself on being inclusive, and

WHEREAS Assembly Council has decided to move forward with a digital General Assembly in 2021 which will exclude participation of important Commissioner voices of those who do not have the computer skills, equipment, or the effective high speed internet connection, likely including those who live in rural areas, and those who may be more mature, less-educated, and financially challenged, and

WHEREAS the potential for technical challenges to an online meeting are high,  many have experienced large group disruptive or ineffective videoconference meetings, particularly with acknowledging and allowing individual speakers to have their turn, glitches and difficulty in determining close votes, and other basic requirements frustrated by the media being used, and

WHEREAS these frustrations will be exacerbated by over two hundred commissioners attempting to have their voices and votes, heard and considered, and

WHEREAS the results of Remits B and C (2019) deserve complete and comprehensive consideration and debate which cannot be done as effectively on-line, and

WHEREAS the on-going work of the General Assembly needs to be attended to,

THEREFORE the Session of Grace Presbyterian Church, Orleans hereby overtures the next General Assembly to limit the business brought before the General Assembly in 2021 to matters normally brought forward under the “Consent Agenda” and other non-contentious matters; and that specifically the matter of Remits B and C (2019) be postponed until such a time as General Assembly is able to meet face to face to allow for due process, or to do otherwise as General Assembly in its wisdom may deem best.