Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is on a long visit to the Middle East. Like Canadian foreign policy in general these days, the exact purpose of the trip is a bit murky.

No doubt it will be another opportunity for Mr. Baird to demonstrate that the Harper government refuses to go along to get along, as he loves repeating. "We want to continue to promote Canadian values," the Minister says. That means "democratic societies that respect the rule of law," including the rights of women, minorities and gays. An ethical foreign policy, in other words, that won't sell its soul by co-operating with the likes of China, for example, except when it will.

Canada's SNC Lavalin is one, large example of hypocrisy at play

A common refrain says that Haiti is a land of persistent and debilitating governmental corruption that prevents any meaningful human development from taking place. This is repeated ad nauseum by vested interests who gain from disinformation about the true cause of Haiti's underdevelopment. Even sincere people fall prey to what is the surface appearance of a deeper issue.

It is true that corruption in government and economic life is a serious problem for Haiti. But stating this alone doesn't explain much or solve anything. If Haiti has not developed stable and effective government, it is primarily because its democracy is persistently subverted from abroad.