Fantino’s office claims document on English-only correspondence was altered

By Fannie Olivier - Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 7:30 PM - 0 Comments

OTTAWA – The office of International Co-operation Minister Julian Fantino claims an email it sent staff urging that all correspondence in his name be in English was subsequently altered.

However, a source who provided the email to The Canadian Press vows no changes were made to the document before it was given to the news agency.

On Sunday, The Canadian Press reported that employees of the Canadian International Development Agency got two separate directives — one verbal and one written — that all correspondence from the minister should be in English.

Both directives were later abandoned after they were questioned but the New Democrats filed a complaint with the office of the Official Languages Commissioner, who agreed to investigate. The NDP argues the orders may have violated the Official Languages Act.

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The morning after: piecing together the Budget

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, March 22, 2013 at 10:58 AM - 0 Comments

Steve Chase notes the hikes in tariffs.

The federal government is hiking tariffs on 72 countries in order to help retire the deficit faster – a measure that will cost Canadian consumers $330-million more per year in higher prices.

The measure, contained in the 2013 budget, will mean higher prices for a variety of goods. It will take effect in 2015.

Paul McLeod notes how little has been explained about cuts to Defence, Fisheries and the Canada Revenue Agency. Scott Gilmore considers the merging of CIDA with Foreign Affairs. Stephen Gordon questions the Canada Job Grant. Colin Horgan looks at funding for aerospace. Scott Clark and Peter DeVries consider Jim Flaherty’s chances of balancing the budget by 2015.

Ultimately, much depends on what comes next.

Flaherty’s office won’t say yet whether the budget proposals will be stuffed into another omnibus bill, an unpopular tactic with opposition parties and Canadians who want MPs to spend more time reviewing key measures separately. Highly controversial changes to how bodies of water are regulated, for example, did not come to light until the actual budget bill was tabled last year.

“I’m getting used to the modus operandi of Stephen Harper and it makes me feel that nothing can be said about this budget until we see this implementing legislation,” said Green party Leader Elizabeth May. ”Until we see if we’re facing another omnibus bill, one that we fear will take an axe to the Species at Risk Act, we have to wait and see.”

Entrepreneurs against poverty: a Canadian wins a prize

By John Geddes - Friday, February 15, 2013 at 4:23 PM - 0 Comments

For a decade now the Ottawa-based group Digital Opportunity Trust has been sending interns trained in technology and business into very poor places to try to pass on their skills to locals struggling to make a better living. It’s a version of the development model called “social entrepreneurship,” and today, DOT’s founder and CEO, Janet Longmore, won a major award in the field—the sole Canadian among 24 global “social entrepreneurs of the year” named by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.

That’s Schwab as in Klaus Schwab, better known as the founder of the World Economic Forum, best known, in turn, for its annual Davos, Switzerland confab of global leaders. Schwab’s foundation is a prime promoter of businesslike ways of fighting poverty. So winning the Schwab award, beyond being a nice accolade, links Longmore’s goup to an influential network. She spoke with Maclean’s about what it means, what DOT does, and the state of Canadian social entrepreneurship.

Q: What does this award do for DOT?

A: It allows us to engage with the leaders and stakeholders who are part of the World Economic Forum and the Schwab Social Entrepreneurship Foundation. We’re at a point in our model where it’s ready to scale. We want to have conversations with leaders in government and private institutions. They are looking for different way to solve the social problems they are facing in their countries and communities.

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Fantino defends Uganda grant decision against religious, anti-gay claims

By The Canadian Press - Monday, February 11, 2013 at 9:48 PM - 0 Comments

OTTAWA – International Co-operation Minister Julian Fantino is defending the Conservative government’s decision to provide funding to an Ontario evangelical group that has described homosexuality as a perversion and a sin.

The Canadian International Development Agency provides money for aid projects abroad on the basis of results, not religion, Fantino said Monday as he came under opposition fire in the House of Commons.

The Canadian Press reported Sunday that Crossroads Christian Communications, a group that produces television programs, received $544,813 in federal money to help dig wells, build latrines and promote hygiene awareness in Uganda through 2014.

“We fund results-based projects, not organizations,” Fantino said. “Projects are delivered without religious content, including this particular project.”

A spokeswoman for Fantino added: “The Government of Canada has funded projects by this organization since 1999.”

New Democrat MP Helene Laverdiere said Fantino’s office has become a “black hole” for aid proposals, with many simply disappearing, while those that do get funding don’t align with Canadian values.

“Those that are funded are increasingly out of step with Canadians,” she said.

“How did Christian Crossroads, an anti-gay organization, get sign-off from the minister to operate in a country which Canada has strongly criticized for persecution of its gay citizens?”

Uganda has been shaken by virulent homophobia in the past; Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has condemned plans for an anti-gay bill there that could potentially include the death penalty for homosexuals..

Crossroads recently listed homosexuality as a perversion and a sin on its website, although the post disappeared after questions were asked about it.

Laverdiere said a number of groups which the government dislikes have been cut off, but “religious groups that promote their ideology have Conservative connections.”

“This is absolutely bogus,” Fantino retorted. “Religion has nothing to do with any of that.”

Fantino’s response left New Democrat Leader Tom Mulcair incredulous.

“It’s shocking to hear Minister Fantino defending the indefensible, standing up today and defending a group that on its website is attacking something that’s recognized and protected by Canadian law,” Mulcair said after question period.

“It goes against Canadian values. It goes against Canadian law. And he can’t defend that.”

François Audet, director of the Montreal-based Canadian Research Institute on Humanitarian Crisis and Aid, said he believes Crossroads is far from the only group with controversial opinions that receives CIDA money.

“There is, for sure, other hidden treasures, other organizations who do ideological propaganda with public funding from Canadian aid — and what is worrying is that CIDA does not check this,” Audet said in an interview.

Audet said that his own research on how CIDA allocates its funds shows that between 2005 and 2010, funding for religious non-government organizations increased 42 per cent, while secular groups saw an increase of just five per cent.

“I have the clear impression — and I am not the only one in the scientific community — that behind this, there is a deliberate strategy to finance the groups ideologically close to the actual Conservative government,” he said.

Fantino defends Uganda grant decision against religious, anti-gay claims

By The Canadian Press - Monday, February 11, 2013 at 7:06 PM - 0 Comments

OTTAWA – International Co-operation Minister Julian Fantino is defending the Conservative government’s decision to provide funding to an Ontario evangelical group that has described homosexuality as a perversion and a sin.

The Canadian International Development Agency provides money for aid projects abroad on the basis of results, not religion, Fantino said Monday as he came under opposition fire in the House of Commons.

The Canadian Press reported Sunday that Crossroads Christian Communications, a group that produces television programs, received $544,813 in federal money to help dig wells, build latrines and promote hygiene awareness in Uganda through 2014.

“We fund results-based projects, not organizations,” Fantino said. “Projects are delivered without religious content, including this particular project.”

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‘We should be thanked upside down and sideways’

By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 4:14 PM - 0 Comments

Two weeks ago, officials from the U.S. State Department and the United Nations expressed concern about Julian Fantino’s comments about Haiti. In an interview with the Vaughan Citizen, Mr. Fantino responds.

And Mr. Fantino had strong words for anyone who would put Canada’s contribution to Haiti’s recovery in a bad light. “Shame on them. It’s unfortunate that people have run off without full information about what we’re going to do. These comments from (UN representatives and U.S. State department representatives) are irresponsible when matched with our commitment. We should be thanked upside down and sideways. We pledged $400 million over two years in March 2010 at an international donors conference and we are one of very few countries that actually meets its commitments,” he said in defending Canada’s participation in the rebuilding effort in Haiti since a devastating earthquake killed upwards of 300,000 people three years ago, left 300,000 homeless and caused an estimated $12.5 billion in damage.

When keeping it partisan goes wrong

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 9:28 AM - 0 Comments

A pair of missives from Julian Fantino have apparently been pulled off the CIDA website on account of the partisan sentiments expressed therein.

The note directed at the NDP appears to have been the op-ed Mr. Fantino wrote for the Huffington Post in December. The other appears to be this op-ed from the National Post.

This is not the first time this issue of using official channels to attack partisan opponents has come up: there was this in 2010 and these in 2009 and this in 2007.

CIDA rapped for partisan letters from cabinet minister appearing on website

By The Canadian Press - Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 6:24 AM - 0 Comments

OTTAWA – Two highly partisan letters by a Conservative cabinet minister posted on a government of Canada website are to be removed after the Prime Minister’s Office acknowledged they were inappropriate.

The letters by Julian Fantino, the minister responsible for the Canadian International Development Agency, or CIDA, were posted to the departmental website in December.

They appeared to violate a number of government communications policies designed to ensure that the taxpayer-funded civil service is not used for partisan purposes.

One Fantino letter was posted under a headline reading “Dear NDP: CIDA Does Not Need Your Economic Advice.”

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Helping Haiti

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 10:27 AM - 0 Comments

Haiti’s Prime Minister responds to Julian Fantino’s concerns.

In an interview Monday, Lamothe agreed with Fantino, saying he had also hoped to see more improvements on the ground. Lamothe is now urging Ottawa to allow his government to assume a bigger role — alongside Canada — in the decisions involved in rebuilding Haiti, particularly on infrastructure projects.

“For any future co-operation, when it’s decided to resume, we will ask the Canadian government to focus on the priorities of the Haitian government,” he said by telephone after meeting with Canada’s ambassador to Haiti in the capital of Port-au-Prince. ”Basically, the development assistance, because of the perceived weakness of Haitian institutions, was routed directly to NGOs (non-government organizations) and Canadian firms… That weakened our institutions.”

Hélène Laverdière vs. Julian Fantino

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, December 21, 2012 at 4:59 PM - 0 Comments

The NDP’s International Cooperation critic explains her concerns with some of CIDA’s recent moves.

Economic growth is essential for sustainable poverty reduction. But not all economic growth is sustainable or leads to sustainable poverty reduction. The private sector can contribute to international development, but we are deeply concerned by the approach the Conservative government is taking to its public-private partnerships. CIDA’s focus should be creating the best conditions for development for local communities, not for Canadian industry. It matters who is in the driver’s seat. Unlike Minister Fantino, we do not think extractive industries are the most appropriate partners for our aid agency … 

With Minister Fantino’s recent announcement, CIDA is straying away from what was once a clear and coherent vision for development assistance. While the private sector can play a role in development, CIDA’s objective should not be to open new markets for Canadian businesses abroad. That is the mandate of the International Trade department. It is time for Minister Fantino to learn his file and assume real responsibility for Canada’s development agenda.

Julian Fantino, the minister for international cooperation, responds (and manages to get a carbon tax reference into the second sentence).

I am also proud to say that CIDA works with the extractive sector to ensure it is transparent, accountable, sustainable and maximizes local benefits. The fact is that constructive NGOs understand this direction. They are working with us towards these objectives and are achieving meaningful results. CIDA’s collaboration with Plan Canada and IAMGOLD, for example, will train 10,000 youth in 13 communities of Burkina Faso so they can compete for higher paying jobs in their communities.

Development is not about dependency; it is about helping those in need get a leg up so they can prosper. This is a concept that the tax-and-spend NDP fundamentally do not understand. While the NDP would prefer to fund endless talk shops, I am committed to ensuring our development assistance is accountable, transparent and results-focused.

See previously: Is this foreign aid?, ‘To the benefit of large corporations’ and ‘I really don’t separate them’

Two more departments decide to cooperate with the PBO

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, October 12, 2012 at 12:39 PM - 0 Comments

Transport Canada and CIDA have now contacted the Parliamentary Budget Officer to indicate they will providing the PBO with information on budget cuts.

Colin Horgan notes that some major departments haven’t yet been heard from, but the sense yesterday was that all departments will be cooperating.

Update 4:05pm. The PBO has now posted correspondence with Statistics Canada, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Labour, Industry Canada and Natural Resources Canada.

The quiet cuts

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, September 12, 2012 at 11:43 AM - 0 Comments

Julian Fantino tries to parse CIDA’s budget.

“In actual fact, the CIDA budget has not been cut. We’ve just been more selective, if you will, in how we spend Canadian taxpayers’ generosity,” Julian Fantino told reporters on a conference call from Burkina Faso, in West Africa. The federal budget tabled by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty in April called for almost $380 million, or 7.5 per cent, to be cut from the Canadian International Development Agency, which is Fantino’s department…

Stephanie Rea, Fantino’s spokeswoman, contacted The Canadian Press after the conference call to clarify her minister’s remarks. While she agreed that CIDA’s overall budget had in fact been cut, she said Fantino was referring to the portion of his budget that dealt with “humanitarian assistance.” ”Our budget measures protected all of our humanitarian dollars,” said Rea. She was unable to provide specific figures as of Tuesday evening.

Postmedia reported in April that a dozen countries would see their foreign aid from Canada reduced.

Oda, in retrospect

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, August 2, 2012 at 8:00 AM - 0 Comments

Evan Solomon’s exit interview with Bev Oda.

What did we accomplish in Afghanistan?

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 2:15 PM - 0 Comments

The Toronto Star’s Paul Watson spent a month in Afghanistan and reported back in a series of articles—see here, here and here—on Canadian development efforts. Julian Fantino is unimpressed.

It’s really unfair—and that’s why I take exception to the Toronto Star article—how you can be so critical of a nation, in our own country, that is so lauded, and appreciated, and recognized elsewhere in the world…be it NGOs, Canadian government, Canadian funds, are touching the most needy people, in the most destitute situations all over the world. And yet right at home here we’re being [pilloried]. And that’s so, so childish. It’s immature. It’s total lack of appreciation for the goodness of Canadians and what we’re doing around the world.

The Oda aftermath

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, July 4, 2012 at 9:00 AM - 0 Comments

First, courtesy of Joanna Smith, the airing of grievances.

While she is credited with bringing more muscular oversight and focus to the department that doles out foreign aid money to help the world’s most vulnerable populations, she also ran roughshod over young Conservative aides and bureaucrats, one former government official said. She berated civil servants in meetings in full view of their peers, pressured political staff to delay or obscure the mandatory publication of her ministerial expenses and regularly smoked cigarettes in her office, in violation of provincial laws, the former official added. “She just ignored all the rules. Ignored everything. Fire hazards. Nothing. Just smoking away. Her staff would go off the deep end.”

John Ivison finds similar complaints, but praises her larger accomplishments.

“It is an inglorious end to an inglorious career, announced on a website in the middle of summer,” said one of her former staff members. Ms. Oda had one of the highest staff turnovers of any minister and people who have worked with her said she could be obnoxious and rude. Yet no one denies she could also be effective. Working with a like-minded CIDA president in Margaret Biggs, Ms. Oda deconstructed the agency and sought to break the stranglehold of the non-governmental organizations, who had long dictated where Canada’s aid was spent.

CP recalls the first gaffe.

She entered politics by wresting the suburban Toronto riding of Durham from the Liberals in 2004 and was rewarded with increased pluralities in subsequent elections. She found herself appointed to Harper’s first cabinet in 2006 and quickly landed in her first controversy: the newly appointed heritage minister allowed a broadcasting executive to organize and advertise a fundraiser, even though she now oversaw policies that affected the industry. Only after the media and the NDP raised the apparent conflict of interest did Oda pull out of the event and the cheques were returned to donors. The gaffe happened at the same time as the Conservatives were pushing through the Federal Accountability Act.

The Globe says Ms. Oda was told she would be removed from the international development portfolio. Postmedia considers the coming cabinet shuffle. And Susan Delacourt considers how ministers are dispensed with.

The cuts and the changes

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, March 30, 2012 at 9:30 AM - 0 Comments

The Chronicle-Herald looks at the proposed rules for foreign charities.

The Conservative government is threatening to decertify foreign charities that do not act “in the national interest of Canada.” Under rules announced Thursday in the 2012 budget, foreign groups can apply for registered charity status if they meet one of two criteria. The first is providing disaster relief or urgent humanitarian aid. The second is if they work in the national interest of Canada. The national revenue minister, working with the finance minister, will have the power to decide who meets the criteria.

Embassy reviews the cuts to foreign aid, immigration and defence.

Within the suite of departments and agencies that contribute to foreign aid, CIDA would take the largest hit: $152.7 million by 2012-13. That amounts to about 4.5 per cent of CIDA’s total budget for that year. That number would ramp up to $319.2 million by 2014-15. To put that into context, that ongoing $319.2 million decline is just under the $320 million CIDA currently spends on basic education programs and for water and sanitation, according to figures from the Canadian Council for International Co-operation.

Mike De Souza reviews the impact on environment policy. APTN looks at the closing of the Fist Nations Statistical Institute.

CIDA, DFAIT, and promoting democracy abroad

By Michael Petrou - Monday, February 6, 2012 at 6:15 AM - 0 Comments

Last year’s revolutions of the Arab Spring were, and remain, the greatest opportunity for the global growth of democracy since the end of the Cold War and the resulting spread of freedom in Eastern Europe.

Democracy promotion is ostensibly a priority for this government. In the 2008 Throne Speech, Canada was promised: “a new, non-partisan democracy promotion agency will also be established to support the peaceful transition to democracy in repressive countries and help emerging democracies build strong institutions.”

More than three years later, that promise is unfulfilled. But Canada still has the framework to pursue democracy promotion through the Canadian International Development Agency, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.

Both CIDA and DFAIT claim democracy promotion as part of their core mandates. It should follow, therefore, that the Arab Spring presented them with an unprecedented opportunity. Continue…

‘I really don’t separate them’

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, January 27, 2012 at 9:50 AM - 0 Comments

Bev Oda defends CIDA’s partnerships with the private sector.

“I think if we can increase the capacity of any country to become a global trading partner, if they’ve got products Canadians need, we can import them and, if Canada has products they would like, Canada can export them.”

And Oda says she wants to see more partnerships between aid agencies and companies to help deliver Canadian aid around the world. “Our government is very much looking to increase its relationships with the private sector,” she said, adding that she would like to see such relationships between NGOs and corporations in manufacturing, agriculture and tourism, in addition to the extractive industry.

Ashton on foreign affairs

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 8:41 AM - 0 Comments

Niki Ashton proposes a complete rethink of CIDA.

We would create a new Canadian International Development Agency that makes poverty-fighting Canada’s #1 priority on the world stage. More often than not, mixed motives have muddied the deeds of the Federal government. From Afghanistan to the Americas, they have used foreign aid to advance military, corporate and other interests. Too much aid goes through institutions whose conditions for aid often work against the needs of the poor.

We need a clean break from such failures of the old politics. We need a new CIDA – call it what you will. I’d suggest, Solidarity Canada. As an agency, CIDA has long been a victim of political neglect. But as a full Department of Government with a free-standing Minister, Solidarity Canada would have a clear legislated mandate: poverty reduction in the poorest countries – period.

‘To the benefit of large corporations’

By Aaron Wherry - Friday, January 20, 2012 at 11:55 AM - 0 Comments

The Liberals are unimpressed with the Conservatives’ use of foreign aid funds.

“The Liberal Party supports the efforts of Canadian companies working abroad to fulfill their corporate social responsibilities. We also support those who have chosen to work with Canadian NGOs in meeting these responsibilities effectively. However, it is inappropriate for the Conservative government to use taxpayers’ money to fund these projects when the companies should be paying for these projects themselves. The Conservative government should be putting Canada’s precious foreign aid dollars to help alleviate poverty and not to the benefit of large corporations.”

Is this foreign aid?

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 9:34 AM - 0 Comments

Elizabeth Payne wonders what’s going on at CIDA.

Oda announced four CIDA projects – totalling $26.7 million – in September that will “help developing countries in Africa and South America manage their natural resources to ensure they are the source of long-term sustainable benefits to their people.” Perhaps. But these projects also help highly profitable Canadian mining companies. CIDA will provide money to help Canadian companies Rio Tinto Alcan, Barrick Gold and Iamgold create corporate social responsibility projects with aid agencies near mining projects…

Brown calls it “scandalous” that some of the most profitable companies in Canada are, in effect, supported by foreign aid dollars to set up programs that compensate for the negative effects of mining.

Brad Trost goes rogue

By Aaron Wherry - Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 2:37 PM - 44 Comments

The Conservative backbencher describes his conversations with the Prime Minister’s Office in regards to funding for Planned Parenthood, accuses CIDA staff of leaking to the media, mocks the government’s position and vows to take an “aggressive” stance going forward.

The battle over the IPPF continues. Pro-Life politicians have been taught a lesson. The government only responds to Pro-Life issues and concerns when we take an aggressive stance. We will apply this lesson. 

Let there be data

By Aaron Wherry - Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 11:57 AM - 0 Comments

David Eaves commends the launch of CIDA’s new open data site.

The site is now live and has a healthy amount of data on it. It is a solid start to what I hope will become a robust site. I’m a big believer - and supporter of the excellent advocacy efforts of the good people at Engineers Without Borders – that the open data portal would be greatly enhanced if CIDA started publishing its data in compliance with the emerging international standard of the International Aid Transparency Initiative as these 20 leading countries and organizations have.

Foreign aid accountability: Poland vs. Canada

By Michael Petrou - Thursday, April 14, 2011 at 12:59 PM - 18 Comments

Researching this story on Polish support for the democratic opposition in Belarus, I called up a contact at the Polish embassy in Ottawa. Within a couple of hours, he sent me personal cell phone numbers for the relevant deputy ministers working on the file. The Polish ambassador invited me to come by for a chat. Did I want to interview Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski? No problem.

You might find this unremarkable. Surely most ministries want to publicize the work they do. You would be wrong — at least if we’re talking about Canada and its current government. In the past five years, I’ve spoken on the record with precisely one person at Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs who wasn’t a spokesperson reciting usually banal and evasive talking points that someone else had written.

As it happens, Canada also says it is supporting democracy in Belarus. It pledged $400,000 to the cause in February. Of this, $100,000 was pegged to support Belsat, a Belarusian language television station based in Warsaw and broadcasting into Belarus. I contacted Belsat in March and was told they hadn’t received the money. Continue…