Inkless Wells

 Inkless Wells

Paul Wells on all the latest out of Ottawa—along with the occasional post about jazz. Follow Paul on Twitter: @InklessPW

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That thing where the government didn't want embarrassing information about its handling of Haiti to get out? Yeah, that just ended.

by Paul Wells on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 4:48pm - 56 Comments

Everyone go read Mike Petrou.

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  • Chris B

    I think we can attack the way the government disseminates information, but this? I do not think what Haiti is struggling under right now is a shortage of money, it is a shortage of means of delivering aid and supplies. All the money in the world isn't fixing that any faster than is possible. Until then, I think we are better off taking a slower paced approach to financing projects until some form of international framework for Haiti-led investment is agreed upon.

    I am the last person to praise the Cons, but they (in conjunction with the military, CIDA, DFAIT and the RCMP) have done a pretty good job with Haiti.

    • kcm

      Really, you're sure about that are you – not needing the money now? How do you xplain the utter imcompetence of the response to Petrou? i'm not convinced yet.
      I'm still a little confused still. Does that mean money i may have contributed to the red cross hasn't been matched, hasn't been released yet, or worst of all, may not be released?

      • http://intensedebate.com/people/Crit_Reasoning Crit_Reasoning

        No, if you contributed money to the Red Cross that money will be spent by the Red Cross. The matching funds for your donation haven't been spent yet, but they will be.

        • kcm

          Ah thanks, still it would be nice to know why the matching funds are not yet released.

        • Jan

          The probem, I think, that when we contributed money to e.g. the Red Cross we thought the government would match the amount and give it to the – Red Cross. The idea that the contribution equivalent is gointgto get lost in the CIDA sink hole is really disconcerting.

      • Chris B

        I do not explain the incompetence of the reply. In fact, I believe that they should rightly be chastised. BUT that is a function of the centre (PMO/PCO) controlling the way that Departments respond.

        What I am saying is that pumping money out now is useless when there is limited capacity to use that money. Until you have infrastructure to do things(ports, roads, cranes etc) extra money is not necessary. In fact it is just wasted if spent so that you can say itis being spent.

        I fully agree however that if this is the reason, it would have been easier for the government to say so than to seem evasive. A short statement to the effect that Canada wants to ensure that the money is being spent on priorities, as decided by teh Haiti government, would suffice.

        • http://intensedebate.com/people/janicemaerose janicemaerose

          I think we need some more reporting from Haiti on this to verify where the needs really are and who will best use the funds. I recall a bunch of money (billions) earmarked for rebuilding was totally misused in Iraq because there really wasn't any accountability for its use. What we don't want is private U.S. firms profiting from this.

        • Jan

          According to CNN tonight there is a plan bing readied to present to the UN at the end of March. Meanwhile the medical needs are enormous. Apparently there are toxic chemicals amid the rubble. The hurricale season is rapidly approaching I appreciate the past problems with corrupt governments – but the people need stuff NOW.

        • Jan

          The thing is, Harper does the 'we're here for the long haul' routine in Haiiti. As he did the 'we won't cut and run' in __Afghanistann. As a tax payer am I not entitled to know what that actually means?And not to be a nit pik, is the commitment reflected anywhere in the budget. It's not even just the financial commitment – what exactly are the goals he has in mind. This government never seems to be able to flesh out anything.

  • no more non-partisan

    Paul- are you benchmarking your writing against your R&D walkabout or is David Akin's blog setting the new standard in political reporting? Hey a quick smear and I'm outta here- I like it….. I like it a lot. Carry on.

    • DPT

      this is great, I agree with both Mulletaur and no more… got to be a first

  • Mulletaur

    I've said it before, Wells, and I'll say it again – CIDA needs to be shut down. Eliminated. Disappeared. Now. Immediately. It is doing Canada immense harm in the world and certainly no good. Meh.

    • Jan

      If you've seen Minister Oda in front of the committee, it is hard to have any faith or enthusiasm for what CIDA may or not be doing.

  • DPT

    Wells Blog, the new National Enquirer.

    • wilson

      It's the entire Macleans gang, not just Mr Wells.

      • kcm

        So what are you doing here if you despise it so much?

        • Chuck Vs. Macleans

          Why do you spend 24-7 on Macleans? i think you need help…

          • kcm

            I'm a welfare bum who just loves to sit around spending your tax dollars mocking fools like you.

            Seriously, you have an objection to someone becoming a more informed citizen…that a crime in your world?

      • Jan

        Methinks you bitch too much. Get thee to the Blogging Tories.

    • Chuck Vs. 2010

      Hey at least the National Enquirer does not pretend to be a serious news org..

      • Jan

        Having trouble adjusting to the new media? Harper''s about to do some interactive stuff – it will be a new frontier in oxymoronship.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

      What's that you're saying? Wells writes about sex scandals? I didn't know.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/janicemaerose janicemaerose

    Of course, we also have to ensure follow-up/monitoring so that SH sticks to his promise of matching the funds contributed by Canadian citizen donations.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Inkless Inkless

    Folks? Seriously: Snipe at me if you like, but lay off one another. This non-stop torrent of cheap personal insults is boring. Discuss an issue, ignore an issue, but just try not to be so full of vinegar. That doesn't mean the other guy. It means you. 'kthanx.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/janicemaerose janicemaerose

      Thanks Inkless. I agree; let's keep it civil and respectable. But darn, it's hard to do with some people… like Biff…I mean, I hereby commit to keep my comments clean.

    • Iccyh

      I'm having a hard time fighting the urge to go dig up one of PeteTong's old posts and repasting that here.

    • kcm

      I know i'm the last person here to be pointing this out, but…'kthanks…it isn't a typo, at least i don't think so??

  • kcm

    Oops…missed Well's admonition…my bad.

  • kcm

    I have no real problem with holding on to these funds if it makes sense, and there is no pressing need for the money. But is it so hard to explain to Canadians exactly what is going on? I mean, if this was the plan all along then tell us so,we're not children. But no, this gov't sees everything throgh political lense. Every opportunity possible for burnishing the image, photo-oops, and preening has to be torqued to the max. I wonder if the general public is going to be thrilled with this turn of events? We haven't exactly misled, so why does it feel like we have?

  • edeast

    deletable comment:
    Hey Wells, have you guys read this? I'm just saying that you guys have a good mix going on, of curation and content creation. Your work on rights and democracy, and michael's asking Cida a simple question were very good. And this short post you did drawing attention to it caused me to read something I would have missed.

    • kcm

      "In this industrial model of content creation, Muñoz-Donoso is working the conveyor belt — being paid very little for cranking out an endless supply of material. He admits that the results are not particularly rewarding, but work is work, and Demand’s is steady and pays on time. Plus, he says, “this is the future.” He has shot more than 40,000 videos for Demand, filming yo-yo whizzes, pole dancers, and fly fishermen. But ask him to pick a favorite and he’s stumped. “I can’t really remember most of them,” he says"

      We have seen the future, and it is a f$$$ing nightmare! Orwell may have been wrong [or not entirely right] The end goal is not to just control what's going on in our head; the end goal is to produce the equivalent of all of us being to hear what is going on inside our heads…i predict it wont be pretty.

      • edeast

        I was thinking more along the lines of the worth of online content, I'm not sure what the Orwellian implications will be.

        "Here is the thing that Rosenblatt has since discovered: Online content is not worth very much. This may be a truism, but Rosenblatt has the hard, mathematical proof. It’s right there in black and white, in the Demand Media database — the lifetime value of every story, algorithmically derived, and very, very small. Most media companies are trying hard to increase those numbers, to boost the value of their online content until it matches the amount of money it costs to produce. But Rosenblatt thinks they have it exactly backward. Instead of trying to raise the market value of online content to match the cost of producing it — perhaps an impossible proposition — the secret is to cut costs until they match the market value."

        • ahm

          I read that article (mostly in the bathroom, I have to admit). I have some reservations about the model being applied to news and current events reporting, as there is value in the information imparted: you can make better decisions having consumed good reporting. The issue is that online content has value but the market is very much tilted toward the consumer. If we aren't happy paying for Wells' steak knives, we can get them for free at Dlisted, can we not?

  • JamesHalifax

    it's very difficult to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in a devastated country. There needs to be some form of infrastructure in place, and the money will most likely be used to buy equipment from other nations to use in Haiti, or to provide to Hait. Since the country is still in the process of looking after the most basic needs, the big expenditures will come later. Remember, Haiti was an economic basket case to begin with. You can't really go in and throw money around to fix the problem. What one might ask however is WHY the country is little better off now, than it was the day after the quake. The pictures we see on TV still show hundreds of thousands of people sitting in camps waiting for the international community to come to their assistance.
    Wouldn't it be nice for a change to see some of these "non-busy" Haitians start clearing some of the debris from their streets? Helping a country put itself back together is one thing, but doing all of the work yourself while the people you are trying to help stand by to watch…makes for a slow go.

  • JamesHalifax

    Remember, there are not that many foreigners (overall) in Haiti trying to fix the problems, but there are millions of Haitians. If Haiti is going to experience a change for the better, they need to change their culture somewhat. Instead of waiting for everyone else to do things for them, perhaps they should try to help us, help them. That would be a nice change.
    Hurricane season is coming. If Haitians don't start preparing to help themselves, they are going to be in a sorry state. A few thousand foreigners trying to feed, clothe, house, and provide medical attention to 9 Million people can't re-build cities while also looking after basic needs.

    Spend the money…when it will do the most good. Don't throw it down a black hole just so you can claim to be helping. We are helping. It's time for Haitians to do their part.

    • Standing By

      "It's time for Haitians to do their part"

      Yes indeed. The people of the poorest country on earth should put their noses to the grindstone and stop whinging about earthquakes, hunger, cholera, rain, deforestation, environmental degradation, and all those other tedious things.

      Thanks to JamesHalifax for callling for an end to this Haiti pity party.

      Maybe we should take all the donated money and put it into an entrepreneurial fund for Haiti, so everyone there can become small business owners, hire their neighbours for pennies a day, and vote Conservative. That would solve everything.

      • JamesHalifax

        Standing by wrote:
        "Yes indeed. The people of the poorest country on earth should put their noses to the grindstone and stop whinging about earthquakes, hunger, cholera, rain, deforestation, environmental degradation, and all those other tedious things."

        The poorest country on earth? Not quite, but close. Of course, now it may qualify.
        Put their noses to the grindstone? Well, they have no grain to grind, but a good beginning would be to start dragging the debris away so they could use their roads so aid can get in.
        EarthQuakes? Natural disaster. Can't do anything about it while it's happening, but you can at least try to help yourself and your neighbours whenever possible. Don't rely on others' for all your basic needs when you refuse to help yourself.
        hunger? Haitians were hungry BEFORE the Earthquake. They're probably being better fed now, than before the event took place. Hopefully, someone in the Haitain government has thought of a way to help the farmers get the first crop in the ground. That's a start.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

      There are over 30 countries involved and the Red Cross, etc.

      I've seen film of them trying to help, but many are injured, hungry and afraid for their future.

      You have cold and callus attitude.

      • JamesHalifax

        Over 30 countries involved…true. But how many people is that? few thousand?

        Now, the only country that truly matters in this case, is ONE country. Haiti.

        Haiti is filled with Haitians. It is up to the people of Haiti to fix their country. We can help, sure. But we can't fix their country. That is up to them to do. We can't stick around and run the country for them, but unfortunately, that is probably what will need to be done to give it a semblance of normalcy.
        Countries run by strong-men mentality, are usually just like Haiti. Strong-men, means weak citizenry.

        Haitians need to decide if they want to join the civilized world, or continue with the status quo.

        Cold and callous attitude? Perhaps. But I've worked in Haiti twice over the last 15 years and it hasn't changed a bit other than the fact that most of the buildings I worked in down there are now rubble. The Haitain people need a lot more than foreign money. They need foreign management.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/ChrisWPG ChrisWPG

    I know this comment comes a little late, and it will definately garnish a few thumbs down I'm sure, but alas…

    Paul,
    You are a brilliant, well thought, well read journalist. When I see an article with your name attached my heart skips a beat in anticipation of what's to come. But when I click on one of your articles and find it does absolutely nothing more than point me at another Maclean's article I can't help but feel I've been duped by your mag into clicking on a non-article to do nothing more than generate advertising revenue for your company. You have added nothing of value to the article you've linked to. Considering your prowess for the truth and integrity, I had hoped you would have had something to add to the argument. Had the article even been posted on an alternative news site I might at least be appreciative of the link, but when both the referring article and the original article are contained in the same set of headlines on the same day I have to question the reasoning.
    Sincerely,
    Disappointed.

    • kcm

      Maybe you're over analyzing, or even more likely simply unaware of all the facts. This sort of thing happens here quite often -" hey guys look at what my colleague's doing over here"! Perhaps he was too busy to say more? Perhaps he was too choked, perhaps he's running up a blockbuster story as we speak? – we really have no idea. Not to sound like an apologist but as i said these guys do this all the time.

  • JamesHalifax

    Cholera – bad water. Maybe we could get some Hatians to start digging a sewer system. By hand if necessary. you know…the same way most sewer systems were installed by other countries over a 100 years ago.
    Deforestation, environmental degradation? Who cut down the trees to begin with? It wasn't us? Environmental degradation? Same story…we didn't do it.

    If, by "tedious things" you mean "things that other people in other countries do to improve their lives" then yeah….tedious things need to be done.

  • JamesHalifax

    Standing By……I'm all for helping out anyone who needs help, and I'll do so freely without expectation of any future reward. However, it is much easier to sustain your own hope in success if you believe the people you are helping are doing whatever they can to let you help them. That is my point. It has often been pointed out that Hatians are resilient, and that is true to a point. However, when "resilient" means that Haitains do whatever they can to sustain themselves, then perhaps we should look for a different word. How about….."responsible" That's always a good one. Responsible to oneself, AND your neighbours.

  • JamesHalifax

    Frankly, if Conservative means doing what is necessary, even when the job isn't pleasant, then yes, I'm Conservative. If I expected handouts from others' or refused to help myself to improve my situation…then I guess that would make me a New Democrat.

    As for the idea of promoting small business in Haiti…I'm all for it. But until the rubble and debris is cleaned up (by hand and wheelbarrel if necessary) you won't have much success. As for the "pennies a day" you speak of…..if pennies is all you have, then you're better off than the guy without them.

  • JamesHalifax

    Chris PWG wrote:
    "Paul,
    You are a brilliant, well thought, well read journalist. When I see an article with your name attached my heart skips a beat in anticipation of what's to come"

    Geez Chris……how do you think that makes Paul feel?

    Of all the love he finds in his job…….he has to settle for the "man-crush" of one of his readers.

    Don't worry, Paul, I'm sure there are some women out there who feel the same way. They're just too shy to say it.

    • ahm

      But what if he welcomes same sex appreciation? What if Chris is a Christina? What if he just doesn't care about the gender of his fans? What if he doesn't care if his fans like his work or not?

      • JamesHalifax

        "Not that there's anything wrong with that"

  • kcm

    ; the end goal is to produce the equivalent of all of us being to hear what is going on inside our heads…24/7…

  • JamesHalifax

    On another note:

    http://www.thestar.com/business/article/777840–e…

    Apparently you can take the man out of the Liberal Party…..but you can't take the Liberal part out of the man.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

      That has what to do with Haiti?

      • JamesHalifax

        Hence, the opener.

        "On another note"

        (a turn of phrase indicating a change in subject; possibly a subject not even remotely connected to the topic previously discussed)

        feel better?

        • http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

          I don't think anyone on this site wants to change the subject, only you.

          • JamesHalifax

            You had the right not to respond. You chose not to exercise it.

            That's your failing, not mine.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

    I think people here should appreciate some real investigative journalism, which is truly needed.

    You don't have to agree, but do it with some discussion. Want to attack each other, exchange emails or do lunch.

    I admit I'm guilty at times and will try to do better.

  • Standing By

    I want to repeat a simple question (a REAL question, not a set-up) I raised in the other thread but to which no answer has been forthcoming : Are the matching government funds for Haiti earthquake relief "new money" allocated by the Government for aid following the earthquake, or are these the same funds that were already allocated to development in Haiti prior to the earthquake?

    This question matters. If the answer is that these matching funds were new money, then all is well. If the answer is that it was "already-allocated money" for Haiti simply reprofiled as "matching funds", then its a scam since the contributions of individuals did not result in new "matching funds" from government, and did nothing to increase the government's overall financial commitment to earthquake relief.

    So which is it?

    • kcm

      I would hope some nosey journo is asking that question of someone right now – personally i can't see the Harper gov't making that colossal a blunder…Haiti is supposed to be their triumph.

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