Conservatives to blame for closure of the North-South Institute

Today’s closure of the North-South Institute, Canada’s world-renowned international development think tank, is an enormous loss to both Canada and the global community.

“It is outrageous that the Conservatives let this happen,” said Official Opposition critic for international development Hélène Laverdière (Laurier – Ste-Marie). “This government has effectively shut down one of the world’s best institutions doing exceptional research on international development.”

The North-South Institute was recognized in 2011 and 2012 as the world’s top think tank, and in 2013 was named the top development think tank in Canada. With an operating budget of less than $5 million, some of NSI’s research programs are funded by leading global donors, while the Government of Canada has refused to provide institutional support to keep NSI open.

“Current NSI research includes subjects such as governance and natural resources, the role of the private sector in international development, and of course the Post-2015 Development Agenda, the number one development issue in the world right now,” said Laverdière.

Laverdière noted that the closure of the North-South Institute follows the Conservatives’ 2012 closure of Rights & Democracy, once Canada’s leading organization on human rights and democratic development.