I would like to know more about the bureaucrats at the Canadian International Development Agency. Greg Weston recently said on the Soloman Show “Good for us potentially, because, I think, I’m hearing more and more from the senior public service saying ‘enough’. And if they turn against the Harper Government there is no more ferocious enemy because they have all the brown envelopes.” (to watch click here and go to the 18:45 mark) Has Bev Oda been presiding over a belligerent bureaucracy? Personally I think Stockwell Day should be put in charge of that portfolio for a few months and shake things up.
I listened to an interview earlier in the week on CBC radio with someone important over at CIDA. She was quite livid at what she believed was a criminal offense. She described Kairos like it was Mother Teressa and insisted that Canadian tax payers should be funding them. After listening to the interview, I found myself questioning if we should even be funding CIDA, let alone Kairos. CIDA has an annual budget of $3.2 billion dollars.
I'm considering making an Access to Information request to CIDA. Any suggestions as to the information I should be seeking? Funding requests that never made it to the Minister's desk might be a good place to start.
Update: Check out this Liberal blog for a fantastic breakdown of the timeline of this latest controversy.
Ice -- Have you seen this post? It explains everything! And, it is a Liberal blog. Let's get this hyperlink out there.
ReplyDeletehttp://stuffoccurs.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/minister-oda-and-not-why-i-agree-with-the-minister/
Did you say CIDA's budget is 3.2 billion dollars?
ReplyDeleteDon't be surprised at some fancy foot work from Liberals as they sense the true sentiment of the electorate towards this issue.
ReplyDeleteCould you point me to a Tax Payer funded TV Channel that is totally dedicated to trashing the Liberals....how's about the NDP....well OK then, the Bloc. I was just watching one and thought there must be something comparative to check out.
ReplyDeleteThis is the same agency that used to fund Papa Khadr's charities and religious schools. Nice eh? Yep, just keep printing those pre-signed, negative billing memos...
ReplyDeleteI think that as soon as the real truth on this story, thats being printed by the journalists(ahem) across the country, comes to light by letters to the editor etc. they will be pulling a Helena Guergis act, and torque events against Prime Minister Harper again.Not that they arn't already doing so.It will be poor Bev Oda, once they are caught for the lying, dispicable, bunch that they are.
ReplyDeleteGreg Weston(CBC) should be investigated by the RCMP and the staffer that he says is handing out brown envelopes. Who gets these envelopes?Is it govt. business given to media...CBC...CTV...Opposition members? Thats the real scandal here.
Pay particular attention to the comments by Gabby on the above mention blog. She brings out another agency that could have been behind Embassy going for the document.
ReplyDeleteWhoever is behind this did not expect us to do an investigation of Kairos.
It has been said on the politics shows that "every time the Conservatives get polling near a majority, they somehow put their foot in it." This may be true, but only by half. More accurate would be "every time the Conservatives start polling majority numbers, the media, the opposition and now perhaps the bureaucrats, jump into action to reverse the trend".
ReplyDeleteAnd the next poll out will have the conservatives down by two per cent from the last poll. TORIES LOSE MOMENTUM it will scream and power play , power and politics the various lefthanded papers will analyse it for a week while conjuring up the next "gate " . Whos next ?
ReplyDeleteSending FOIA requests to CIDA would be constructive at this point.
ReplyDeleteI was against the funding of KAIROS.
ReplyDeleteNow that I have learned a lot more about them I am still against funding them, and I want them to give back the money we have given them for 36 years.
As for CIDA we need to look at what that is all about also.
Cheers Bubba
Start with their rebuilding projects in Afghanistan, hospitals specifically. Origninally our Military was in charge of rebuilding in Afghanistan but Foreign Affairs got their knickers in a knot because they felt the military was poaching their responsibilities ergo Harper handed the portfolio back to them. I remember vaguely a story about us funding a hospital but all that they constructed was a tent, where the aide money went now that's worth looking into.
ReplyDeleteI would like to see documents from CIDA showing 'other' funding rejections.
ReplyDeletePres Margaret Biggs says inserting the NOT is 'normal'.
Expert Ned Franks was it is criminal.