In June, RJC alumnus William (Bill) Janzen (1962) received a call from the office of the Governor General notifying him that he would be appointed to the Order of Canada. Receiving this honor is in recognition of Bill’s contributions to government policy, refugee resettlement, citizenship, development aid and peacebuilding. Bill’s lifelong commitment to service is a value that he traces back to his time as a student at RJC.
Growing up in the Mennonite village of Blumenheim, SK about 20 miles south of Rosthern, attending RJC at first was a bit of a culture shock for Bill. “RJC gave me another insight into a different way of living out a Christian faith, and living it out in the world that I’m forever grateful for,” he says. At the time, it was less common for students from Bill’s colony community to attend RJC, however his father wanted the children in the family to finish high school, as most in his community didn’t go past grade 8, and he was encouraged by a teacher at his country school, also named Bill Janzen (1954). “Bill introduced us to the idea of going to RJC and it really opened my eyes to a new experience.”
While he was a student at RJC, Bill says it was the disposition of the teaching staff that helped him grow in confidence and try new things. “Elmer Richert was the hockey coach and pushed us hard and Joe Neufeldt organized a drama, which I was a part of,” he says. However, it was a chapel visit by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) that had a particular impact on Bill’s life, “It excited me, the type of work they were doing,” he says, “I remember talking to one of the teachers that I was interested in working with MCC, but being worried that I wasn’t qualified […] they encouraged me to do it anyway.”
Immediately after high school, Bill worked for a year on the farm and maintained connection with the Rosthern community and RJC staff by playing with the Rosthern Wheat Kings hockey team. During this year, RJC staff encouraged him to pursue his passion of serving others, and shortly after traveled to Congo for an MCC term.
This was the start of Bill’s lifelong commitment to the work of MCC. Shortly after his term in Congo, he continued his education at Canadian Mennonite Bible College (now CMU), University of Winnipeg, Carleton University, and University of Ottawa, obtaining Master’s degrees in International Affairs, Religious Studies, and a Doctorate degree in Political Science. During those years Bill also worked as Pastor at Ottawa Mennonite Church, and in 1975 applied as the Director of MCC Canada’s new Ottawa office.
In his 33 years with MCC Canada, Bill took on a lead role in advocating to the Canadian government on several peace and justice issues. In particular, Bill helped negotiate the private sponsorship of refugees to Canada in the late 1970’s after the end of the vietnam war. “There were memories of Mennonites who immigrated to Canada in the 1920’s and 1940’s; people really wanted to help,” he says.
The private sponsorship of refugees agreement was the first of its kind, and after MCC Canada had signed the agreement with the Canadian government, other faith communities were keen to sign similar agreements. “My role was negotiating that agreement, but it touched something right at the moment when there was a real need and when the interest was widespread,” says Bill.
Some of Bill’s other work included helping Mennonites in Mexico gain and maintain citizenship in Canada, as well as advocating to the Canadian government to implement policy that would assist with peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
After retirement, Bill remained involved with his church and the work of the wider Mennonite community. Recently, Bill wrote about his years with MCC in his recently published book Advocating for Peace: Stories from the Ottawa Office of Mennonite Central Committee, 1975-2008.
In response to receiving the Order of Canada, Bill credits the mentors in his life and others who continue to work on peacebuilding, “It all builds on the work others have done,” he says, “I’m deeply grateful for those who supported the work of MCC. My work was more in the public eye, but there is no doubt that others have demonstrated as much or more imagination or courage.”
As Bill reflects on the impact RJC had on the direction of his life, he believes that there is wisdom in teaching Anabaptist values, and that Mennonite schools can shape experiences that can help shape their worldview. “School teachers are such ordinary people, but they can have an extraordinary impact,” says Bill.
“Don’t give up believing that some positive steps in the world are possible even in difficult situations. I’d credit that to the RJC experience.”
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