CIDA cuts funding to Canadian churches' social justice wing
December 2, 2009 - 7:21pm
On November 30, KAIROS received notice from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) that our project proposal for 2009-2013 had been declined. We were not given an explanation for this decision, other than that our program did not fit CIDA priorities.
Our 2009-2013 proposal was developed within two priority sectors of CIDA: promoting good governance (human rights) and advancing ecological sustainability (reducing the impact of climate change and addressing land degradation). It was approved at every level of CIDA before being declined on November 30.
This decision terminates a 35-year history of cooperation between CIDA and KAIROS and its predecessor organizations, and compromises the work of human rights and ecological integrity in the developing world. (For possible impacts on specific partners, please see the background materials below.) This decision also negatively affects the ability of Canadians to develop skills and knowledge in the exercise of their global citizenship.
Please contact your MP to discuss this urgent matter. Please, respectfully and politely,
- Speak about your own positive involvement with KAIROS;
- Express grave concern about this decision;
- Ask that CIDA restore its long-standing relationship with KAIROS;
- Emphasize the impacts of this decision on global partners and our work in Canada;
- Ask them to call on CIDA to reverse this decision.
Please also write to:
The Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, pm[at]pmo-cpm.gc[dot]ca,
The Hon. Bev Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, oda.b[at]parl.gc[dot]ca, and
Margaret Biggs, President of CIDA, Margaret.Biggs[at]acdi-cida.gc[dot]ca
requesting a reversal of the decision.
Please copy your letters to KAIROS at info[at]kairoscanada[dot]org.
Our 2009-2013 proposal was developed within two priority sectors of CIDA: promoting good governance (human rights) and advancing ecological sustainability (reducing the impact of climate change and addressing land degradation). It was approved at every level of CIDA before being declined on November 30.
This decision terminates a 35-year history of cooperation between CIDA and KAIROS and its predecessor organizations, and compromises the work of human rights and ecological integrity in the developing world. (For possible impacts on specific partners, please see the background materials below.) This decision also negatively affects the ability of Canadians to develop skills and knowledge in the exercise of their global citizenship.
Please contact your MP to discuss this urgent matter. Please, respectfully and politely,
- Speak about your own positive involvement with KAIROS;
- Express grave concern about this decision;
- Ask that CIDA restore its long-standing relationship with KAIROS;
- Emphasize the impacts of this decision on global partners and our work in Canada;
- Ask them to call on CIDA to reverse this decision.
Please also write to:
The Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, pm[at]pmo-cpm.gc[dot]ca,
The Hon. Bev Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, oda.b[at]parl.gc[dot]ca, and
Margaret Biggs, President of CIDA, Margaret.Biggs[at]acdi-cida.gc[dot]ca
requesting a reversal of the decision.
Please copy your letters to KAIROS at info[at]kairoscanada[dot]org.
http://kairoscanada.org/index.php?id=71&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=893
KAIROS does some really good work - but not even the official agencies of the Christian churches are safe from this government's axe of vindictiveness. KAIROS now faces bankruptcy, which also means a severe blow to its partners (people like the Sudan Council of Churches).
this is very bad news.
also shows how little the Harper government really cares about the churches' work- churches are only useful insofar as they prop up his personal agenda.
Harper isn't big enough to accept critique from religious people regarding his destructive corporate mining and polluting policies, nor his deals with Colombia and other human rights abusers. so he just cuts their funding. pathetic.
Continuing from this closed thread
Next for attack is Alternatives, based in Montreal.
"We haven't received any formal or informal notice ... so in fact we don't know," said Alternatives director general Michel Lambert, adding it hasn't even received bridge funding. Alternatives has submitted a three-year, $3 million program request involving projects in Haiti, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Honduras and Iraq.
Montreal group accuses Ottawa of halting funds over Middle East issue
Jack Layton's response to e-mails on Alternatives de-funding threat:
Les néo-démocrates respectent le travail qu’accomplit Alternatives au
Canada et dans le monde. Malheureusement, ces compressions envoient le
mauvais message à l’organisation Alternatives et à d’autres ONG du
Canada qui font elles aussi de l’excellent travail. Le Nouveau Parti
démocratique a recommandé fortement au gouvernement de revoir sa
décision. Nous sommes du même avis que ceux qui croient que rien ne
justifie cette mesure qui nuit financièrement à une organisation qui
jouit d’une excellente réputation et dont le travail devrait recevoir
l’aide et l’appui du gouvernement.
Je vous sais gré de m’avoir fait part de votre opinion et je vous invite
à consulter le site Web www.npd.ca pour vous tenir au courant des
activités des néo-démocrates.
Je vous prie d’agréer mes salutations les meilleures.
Jack Layton, député (Toronto-Danforth)
Chef, Nouveau Parti démocratique du Canada
Solidarity for Alternatives (BQ support, Petition in French and English etc, available from this page)
Restore KAIROS funding and eliminate political interfernce in aid agenda: NDP
Canada's New Democrats are demanding the Minister for International Cooperation immediately restore funding for the acclaimed Canadian foreign aid organization KAIROS and eliminate political interference in CIDA's foreign and development aid decisions.
"The head of CIDA contradicted Minister Oda and testified in committee last week that she recommended funding for KAIROS be approved. It was the Minister who stepped in and interfered with the decision, tainting what should have been a fair and independent process," said New Democrat Critic for International Cooperation John Rafferty (Thunder Bay - Rainy River). "Ms. Oda needs to level with Canadians and admit that KAIROS is in fact fully qualified. She must restore their funding immediately."
That is such a truly terrible thing. I wish the New Dems would call on Harper to demand Oda's resignation. It is just stunning to me that the Cons are getting such a free ride on things. In the New Year, we really have to start getting on these things. There are so many things we need to get on, isn't there? Lol!
Happy Holdiays Unionist, and everyone else!
Arthur Cramer, Winnipeg
Thanks Arthur, and happy holidays to you too!