October 22, 2013
There has been a lot of noise about a new realism in Canadian foreign policy—principled, not going along just to get along—and it seems a great deal of rushing around the globe by the energetic Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Baird. But what do we have to show for all of this? There has been a flurry of comment in the last few weeks about Mr Harper not addressing the United Nations General Assembly fall session, unlike many ...
Continue Reading →Oct. 8, 2013
It’s easy to save money and effort—don’t buy toothbrushes, toothpaste or dental floss, never take your kids to the dentist, don’t bother with fluoridation of municipal water supplies—and in a few years the kids won’t have teeth to worry about.
There is increasing evidence that a similar but stealthy malign neglect is affecting Canada’s contribution to international development, thanks to the Harper Government. Let’s look at the evidence.
On July 14, 2013, the Ottawa Citizen reported that CIDA would underspend ...
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August 21, 2013
Embassy recently reported that DFATD might not be funding the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) past March 2014. The program has run for the past 16 years, providing up to $12,000 in funding for young adults (age 19-30) to participate in 6-12 month work placements with NGOs in developing countries. IYIP was barely saved from the chopping block five years ago and a similar internship program run by DFAIT was cancelled in 2012. These training programs, Continue Reading →
July 26, 2013
For decades development practitioners, including CIDA, have recognised the critical role of the private sector of developing countries in creating jobs for the poor.
We did not need the 2012 House Report to confuse the issue of strengthening the role of that local private sector with the promotion of Canadian offshore investment. Now, just as the very name CIDA is scratched from Canada’s international face to be replaced by the ugly acronym DFATD, there may be plans afoot ...
Continue Reading →July 18, 2013
At the end of June, the day of the official name change at 200 Promenade du Portage, the CIDA headquarters sign—in darkly Orwellian fashion—was covered up with some garbage bags. The seamless transition promised by then Development Minister Julian Fantino wasn’t quite ready for prime time because the new signage had not arrived.
Within a day, however, the new lettering was up and the CIDA President had been sent away, replaced by an associate deputy minister with no experience ...
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