Conservatives’ foreign aid cuts target respected Canadian group

OTTAWA- The internationally recognized Canadian aid and social justice group KAIROS has received notice from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) that it is losing half of its total funding.

“KAIROS does tremendous work and this cut is mean-spirited and unnecessary,” said New Democrat International Cooperation Critic John Rafferty (Thunder Bay – Rainy River). “At the drop of a hat, the Conservative government has cut this reputable church-based social justice movement without any justification.”

KAIROS brings churches, religious organisations and people of faith together to advocate and work toward social change. The group has worked tirelessly to reduce poverty here in Canada and around the globe. Climate change has also been a recent focus for the group and it has campaigned actively against the development of the Alberta tar sands.

The full amount of the CIDA funding cut is $7,098,758 for the period October 1, 2009 to December 31, 2013.

“KAIROS has a long and rich history of advocacy and has been doing incredible work on behalf of those in need for decades,” said Rafferty. “There is simply no justification for bankrupting such a respected organisation whose work should be supported and promoted by our government.”

An article published in Le Devoir yesterday says that the Prime Minister wants to create a government agency to promote democracy around the world. NGOs are concerned as the government, facing the largest deficit in history, has not said whether funding for the new agency will come out of the existing budget or whether it will be new money. “These cuts confirm the worst fears of the NGOs,” said Rafferty. “The Harper Conservatives are more interested in pushing their ideological goals than actually helping those in need.”