It gets worse, because I find nothing in here at all about the overseas development budget, nothing. We know it was cut by over $670 million in the last two years. Is it frozen? Is it going up? Is it going down? Where are we on humanitarian assistance?

Christian Paradis: Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have been at the forefront in the Middle East in terms of humanitarian assistance. Only last year humanitarian assistance increased 62% compared to the year before. Canadians expect us to deliver aid in an accountable way that is effective for people in need, and this is exactly what we are doing.

On top of that, the budget creates the development finance initiative that will help to put more investment money into developing countries helping them to create and sustain economic growth.

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By what criteria is that spending more effective than pulling our weight in the world to confront drought and expanding deserts?

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Hon. Julian Fantino: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to the criteria. That is making Canada’s assistance more effective and efficient so we can dedicate those resources to the people most in need.

We are supporting concrete measures to help developing countries deal with drought instead of paying for conferences, salaries, and bureaucrats. Our commitment is to help the poor in a tangible way. We are doing that. It is not about talk shops or travel.

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On March 21^st, 2013, the committee heard testimony from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The first witness was David Burden Regional Director General of Central and Arctic Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Mr. Burden provided evidence concerning the fishing industry in the Central and Arctic Region. The second witness was Renee Sauve, Director of Global Marine and Northern Affairs, International Affairs Directorate, with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Ms. Sauvé provided evidence about the future of commercial fishing in the Central Arctic. She also discussed the possible necessity of an international fisheries management organization to manage fishing in the Central Arctic. The second hour of the meeting was in camera. Among other things, it was agreed that, in relation to the study of the Organization of American States (OAS) and Canada’s Engagement in the Americas, the proposed budget in the amount of $50,804.10, for the committee’s travel to Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America, in the spring 2013, be adopted.  The Minutes for this meeting can be found here.

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On March 14^th the committee met with Doris Olafsen, Executive Vice-President of Opportunity International Canada, Larry Reed the Director of the Microcredit Summit Campaign and Keith Weaver of MicroEnsure. Of particular interest was MicroEnsure which is a company that arranges Micro-Insurance opportunities with local insurance companies for individuals who would not traditionally be able to buy insurance due to the small size of their enterprises. The other main topic of conversation was what micro-credit organizations can do to prevent some of the potential negative impacts of loans on their recipients. Also appearing before the committee was Hon. Bev Oda, Minister of International Cooperation. The primary line of questioning for opposition MPs was focused on CIDA’s selection process for their contracts and grants which has changed a great deal recently. The minister also answered questions regarding CIDA’s grants to public/private partnerships between mining companies and NGOs in the developing world.

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On Tuesday, the committee heard from Alex Neve, Secretary General, Amnesty International Canada, on the persecution of the Coptic Christian community in Egypt.  Neve provided three reports to the committee.

Links:

• Broken Promises: Egypt’s Military Rulers Erode Human Rights
• Women Demand Equality in Shaping New Egypt
• 10 Steps for Human Rights: Amnesty International’s Human Rights Manifesto for Egypt

Neve also noted concern for Naser Al-Raas, a Canadian tortured in Bahrain, in imminent danger of being returned to prison.

On Thursday, the committee heard from Colonel Wesley Martin, U.S. Army (retired), who appeared as an individual.  He presented information on Camp Ashraf, Iraq, and detailed recommendations for the protection of the 34,00 men and women there.  Two committee members, Wayne Marston (Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, NDP) and Hon. Irwin Cotler (Mount Royal, Lib.), stated they would like to see the subcommittee reach a decision on recommendations at its meeting on Tuesday, December 13.

As well, Irwin Cotler moved the motion by Russ Hiebert (South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, CPC) from the previous parliament, which included reference to Ms. Shin Sook-ja and her two daughters, who may still be imprisoned in North Korea.  The motion was adopted by consensus.  Mr. Cotler noted that the adoption of the motion would be announced at the Council for Human Rights in North Korea meeting in Toronto on December 9.

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On Thursday, Hélène Laverdière (Laurier—Sainte-Marie, NDP)  moved that the committee spend at least one public session on Canada’s stance at the February UN Arms Control Treaty Negotiations {details here}.  It was agreed that the debate on the motion be adjourned to consideration of committee business. After the witnesses spoke and responded to questions, the meeting was suspended and resumed sitting in camera to consider said committee business. It is speculated by many that the motion was negatived in camera. Link: “Lost In Camera’ Link to the Minutes.

At both meetings, opposition members expressed concern about the general government funding freeze.  In response, Lois Brown (Newmarket–Aurora, CPC) pointed out that the current government has doubled aid to Africa.

On Tuesday, Dominic LeBlanc (Beauséjour, Lib.), noted that the committee’s original plan for what to study in these current meetings was Canada’s role regarding Africa in the 21st century.  He added that Tuesday was the third session on what the study topic has become the role of the private sector in achieving Canada’s international development interest, with all witnesses thus far suggested by the government.  The Chair stated these matters would be discussed on Thursday.  The public portion of Thursday’s meeting ended early; the last part of the meeting was held in camera, to discuss committee business.

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‘Kairos’ is a Greek word with a number of meanings, all related to time. In its theological meaning, it suggests ‘the appointed time’. It suggests opportunity within crisis—a moment that is critical.

Nearly all the major Christian denominations in Canada are core groups in KAIROS—the United Church, Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran, Society of Friends, and more. Back in my Sierra Club days, I had the pleasure of working closely with KAIROS. We were partners in climate work and advocating for social justice in international trade deals. The group has a superb record.

It was a shock when, in late November 2009, after thirty-five years of CIDA support, CIDA funding for KAIROS projects overseas was cancelled. KAIROS had been expecting a $7 million grant for the next five years of its work.

The Green Party issued a press release within days of the loss of funding (December 3, 2009), calling for CIDA support to be restored. Political interference seemed likely, as through its climate work, KAIROS had been critical of the oil sands. There were protests across Canada, including in Ganges where Salt Spring Island clergy and multi-faith parishes held a protest, calling for KAIROS funding to be restored.

In the House, throughout late 2009 and into 2010, International Development Minister Bev Oda denied that there were any political motivations. She stated that the programmes no longer fit CIDA’s current priorities.

It was even more shocking when Minister for Immigration Jason Kenney claimed that the reason KAIROS had been denied continued support for its programs was that the group was anti-Semitic and anti-Israel. Kenney made the charge in a speech delivered two weeks after the funding was cut at the Global Forum for Combating Anti-Semitism in Jerusalem (December 16, 2009). KAIROS reacted quickly, proving it had no involvement in Israeli boycott campaigns.

Anyone tracking this issue now had two Cabinet ministers (three if you count Oda’s Parliamentary Secretary Jim Abbott) with very different stories. Oda (and Abbott) claiming it was routine CIDA decision- making; Kenney claiming a clamp-down on anti-Semitic, anti-Israel groups.

In late October 2010, an Access to Information request revealed the CIDA documentation. CIDA has recommended that the $7 million be approved; senior CIDA officials, first V-P Naresh Singh and then President Margaret Biggs, had signed- off with advice to the Minister to approve the funding.

Minster Oda’s signature appears on the document. But inserted into the approval, in handwriting, is the word ‘NOT’. Testifying to the parliamentary committee investigating the matter, Minister Oda told the committee she had no idea how the word ‘NOT’ came to be inserted.

Thanks to Liberal-MP John MacKay, the Speaker of the House was asked to investigate the whole mess. His findings were released on February 10. Speaker Milliken found that the document was ‘doctored’ and that it raised ‘disturbing questions:’

‘Any reasonable person confronted with what appears to have transpired would necessarily be extremely concerned, if not shocked, and might well begin to doubt the integrity of certain decision-making processes.’

Now, Minister Oda has changed her story. She now claims the document was changed at her direction, although she still does not know who did it.

Of course, the Opposition members of the Committee have pointed out that she misled the Committee. NDP-MP Paul Dewar says the minister lied to the Committee when she said she had no idea how the ‘NOT’ appeared.

None of this washes. If the Minister did not want to fund KAIROS, the solution was easy enough. There are a number of tried and true ministerial responses to advice they don’t like (even when the advice is solid, as the CIDA approval of KAIROS); send the unsigned document back downstairs to CIDA officials, leave it on the desk to gather dust, or ignore it.

The only plausible explanation for the state of the document is that Bev Oda signed the approval and the ‘NOT’ was inserted subsequently.

This is where long-standing attacks against KAIROS from Harper Cabinet members, Stockwell Day and Jason Kenney, as well as right-wing Christian lobbyist Charles McVety, of the Canada Family Action Coalition, are highly relevant.

In particular, Jason Kenney’s speech in Israel and its timing seem pivotal. Targeting KAIROS for the speech in Jerusalem would explain PMO interference. Someone, and I am willing to bet, not someone directed by Oda, inserted the ‘NOT’ after funding was approved.

We now have a case of fraud. It is part of a pattern of abuse of the essence of Canadian democracy and our foundational principles of ‘peace, order and good government.’ The victims of this fraud are not just in Canada. They are the people in the developing world whose projects were not supported. In a larger sense, we are all victims of this fraud. Will it be like so many other abuses of power, of contempt for Canada’s historical record in the world of peace-keeping and development assistance, that are just swept under the rug? Or will this be a moment of ‘kairos’ that allows Canadians to wake up to the crisis and seize the opportunity to fully explore this act of fraud and forgery.

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