The NDP is taking part in the campaign: Minerals are everywhere. Conflict doesn’t have to be
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- Created on 27 March 2013
- Written by Hélène Laverdière
The illegal trade of minerals in the Great Lakes Region of Africa is funding and fuelling armed conflict. Canadians deserve to know whether minerals in the products they purchase may have contributed to the funding and fuelling of conflict. This campaign supports the Conflict Minerals Act (C-486) proposed by Paul Dewar, the Foreign Affairs Critic for the Official Opposition.
Join the campaign on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/mineraljustice
CIDA is for poverty reduction, not proselytization (Embassy Magazine op-ed)
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- Created on 05 February 2013
- Written by Hélène Laverdière
CIDA is for poverty reduction, not proselytization
A new report shows a 42 per cent rise in CIDA funding to religious groups under
the Harper government, particularly those whose mission includes evangelization abroad.
By Hélène Laverdière, Official Opposition Critic for International Cooperation
Embassy Magazine, January 23, 2013
Last week, a new report by François Audet, executive director of the Canadian Research Institute on Humanitarian Crisis and Aid, was leaked to the press. The report, which will be published in an upcoming issue of the Canadian Journal of Development Studies, shows that there has been a 42 per cent increase in Canadian International Development Agency funding to religious organizations under the Harper government, particularly those whose mission includes evangelization abroad.
Meanwhile, many organizationsincluding faith-based onesthat are proven in the field of development and poverty reduction, and who get effective results, are seeing their funding cutespecially if they object to Conservative development policy. This raises troubling questions about political interference in CIDA funding of non-governmental organizations, already subject to weak and ideological mismanagement by International Co-operation Minister Julian Fantino.
How CIDA is Changing - For the Worse (Huffington Post op-ed)
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- Created on 05 February 2013
- Written by Hélène Laverdière
How CIDA Is Changing -- For the Worse
by Hélène Laverdière, NDP MP and Official Opposition Critic for International Cooperation
Published by The Huffington Post, December 19th, 2012
The Conservative government's recent decision to use Canadian development dollars to subsidise the activities of the extractive sector is troubling. Under the direction of its new Minister Julian Fantino, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is, shockingly, changing its focus from poverty reduction to promoting Canadian extractive industries abroad.
During a recent speech before the Economic Club of Canada, Minister Fantino said that from now on, CIDA will be "in the business of building Canada's markets for the future" and "creating an environment where the (extractive) industry on its own can achieve success."
This is not the business of CIDA. Under the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act, Canadian international development assistance must contribute to poverty reduction, take into account the perspectives of the poor, and be consistent with international human rights standards. Unfortunately Minister Fantino's recent announcement makes it clear that Canada is on the wrong track, and CIDA is straying significantly from its mandate.
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