The paper trail
By Aaron Wherry - Tuesday, February 15, 2011 - 16 Comments
The crucial document in the Oda Affair was first uncovered by Embassy magazine last fall and detailed in an extensive report on KAIROS.
After soliciting feedback from CIDA sections and embassies in the relevant countries, a number of memos and background documents were prepared for Ms. Oda in advance of approving the project. ”CIDA bilateral desks and Canadian posts abroad confirm that the proposed country components of the program are strategically aligned with our country program objectives, or complement these well,” reads one of the backgrounders. ”In Mexico and Guatemala, our embassies initially expressed concern over mining activities, which KAIROS addressed.”
The tone of the memos are such that they categorically endorse the full $7.1-million proposal, saying the entire package of projects would directly and indirectly benefit 2.5 million women and girls and 2.9 million men and boys by teaching “the targeted poor their human and legal rights, together with successful negotiating techniques to obtain fairer shares of local wealth.”
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Rights and Democracy: A little more context
By Paul Wells - Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 4:21 PM - 19 Comments
From Embassy magazine, a scrappy Ottawa tabloid that consistently beats the rest of the Gallery on foreign-affairs news simply because that’s all it concentrates on, an op-ed from a Kairos principle about the guy who wrote that Jerusalem Post op-ed.
The goal of the government’s action on Kairos and Rights and Democracy has been to make moves that would be noticed by almost nobody, but would have narrow-cast appeal to a very small, very engaged component of the Conservative voter base. Simply by getting noticed outside the target voter market, that strategy has lately gone a bit awry.
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'The issue will not go away'
By Aaron Wherry - Friday, November 27, 2009 at 12:48 PM - 15 Comments
Three important dispatches from Embassy magazine this week. Laura Payton on the plight of the whistleblower. Lee Berthiaume talks to the Information Commissioner about the paper trail, or lack thereof. And retired colonel Michel Drapeau argues passionately for a public inquiry.
Instead of being concerned with Canada’s reputation among the community of nations, the government appears to be more interested in displaying unbridled partisanship than statesmanship. However, whether a public inquiry is called by government over the next weeks or so, one thing is certain: This issue will not go away.
What is also certain is that both the parliamentary committee and the media will chip away at the story, a story which ministers of the Crown seem to be attempting to paper over. However, I am a believer in the inevitability of the truth surfacing sooner or later and in the rule of law.
The whole kernel might as well come out in a judicial manner, where partisanship will recede to the world of twitters. That would be best for Canada and its government, our armed forces and, of course, our gallant, valiant and brave men and women serving in the military. This is crucial so that they may complete their difficult and perilous mission in peace, honour, respect and affection of the nation, for they and their families, having served through blood, sweat and tears, have made enough sacrifices for the good of the nation.
