2. Why do you think KAIROS was cut?
3. Do you feel that KAIROS’ 35 year history with CIDA entitles you to continued funding?
4. Do you meet the CIDA priorities introduced at the end of September 2009?
5. Is it true, as the government implies in recent briefing notes, that KAIROS uses CIDA money for advocacy?
6. Is KAIROS anti-Semitic? Does it support a boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign against Israel?
7. Where does KAIROS go from here?
Need answers?
Read our FAQ.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The KAIROS CIDA Funding Controversy
February 23, 2011
'KAIROS: The importance of faith'
A Spirited Reflection on faith's role in justice, democracy, witnessing, policy and politics.
Federal Speaker finds Minister Oda’s handling of the KAIROS file “very troubling”
Canadian Religious Conference>>
Letter to Minister Bev Oda from the Mennonite Central Committee, Canada
Letter from Moderator of the United Church of Canada,
Mardi Tindal, to Minister Oda >>
Statement from the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada,
Archbishop Fred Hiltz,
on KAIROS funding >>
Letter from National Bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada,
Rev. Susan C. Johnson, to Prime Minister Stephen Harper>>
Letter from the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada,
Rev. Dr. Herbert F. Gale
to Prime Minister Stephen Harper >>
Comment from the General-Secretary of the Life and Mission Agency,
The Presbyterian Church in Canada Re: KAIROS >>
Letter from Women's Inter-Church Council of Canada to PM Stephen Harper
Related news articles:
A government in contempt, no doubt
Globe & Mail, Mar 9, 2011
Two black eyes for Tories, courtesy of democracy
National Post, Mar 10, 2011
Conservatives ruled in contempt of Parliament
The Star, Mar 9, 2011
KAIROS responds to Kenney criticism
CBC Calgary Eye-Opener, Mar 1, 2011
DiManno: No innocent victims in Oda affair, Feb.21 (Letter to the Editor from KAIROS ED, Mary Corkery)
Toronto Star - Feb 26, 2011
Porter: Kairos does important work; we should all support it
Toronto Star - Feb 18, 2011
Bev Oda and Kairos: What is 'not' being achieved now
rabble.ca - Feb 18, 2011
Why No Funding - Mary Corkery speaks with CBC's Matt Galloway
CBC Metro morning - Feb 16, 2011
‘More transparent discussion’ needed on foreign aid: Kairos
Anglican Journal - Feb 16, 2011
Behind the aid group at the heart of the Oda controversy
the star.com - Feb 16, 2011
TIMELINE: Oda and the Kairos funding
CBC - Feb.15, 2011
Bev Oda's admission fuels howls of secrecy against Harper government
Globe & Mail - Feb 14, 1011
Oda admits she had CIDA document altered
CBC - Feb.14, 2011
CIDA document 'doctored,' Speaker rules
CBC - Feb.10, 2011
Speaker rebukes Bev Oda over document in Kairos case
Globe & Mail - Feb.10, 2011
Funding cut over politics: Aid group
cnews - December 15, 2010
Oda: I don't know who altered KAIROS memo
Embassy Magazine - December 15, 2010
A procedural pursuit of the truth
Macleans.ca - December 15, 2010
Aid groups question CIDA after funding revelations
thestar.com - December 15, 2010
Guelph MP probes Kairos funding cut
Guelph Mercury - December 15, 2010
Minister misled on funding request: Grit MP
cnews - December 13, 2010
Mystery surrounds CIDA memorandum
cnews - December 10, 2010
New KAIROS proposal to test Oda's defunding explanation
Embassy Magazine - Nov.3, 2010
Ottawa ignored CIDA green light when it halted aid group’s funding
Globe & Mail - Oct.27, 2010
Did KAIROS defunding come down to mining interests and one hand-written note?
Internal documents raise possibility CIDA minister initially approved proposal
Embassy Magazine - Oct. 27, 2010
Related press releases:
CCIC:
Canadian NGO confidence in CIDA funding standards undermined: CCIC calls for steps to restore trust in Canada’s standards for aid spending
Liberal Party of canada
International Cooperation minister misled House on KAIROS grant
New Democratic Party of Canada
Restore KAIROS funding and eliminate political interfernce in aid agenda: NDP
The Globe’s story quotes Speaker Milliken as stating “… Any reasonable person confronted with what appears to have transpired would necessarily be extremely concerned, if not shocked, and might well begin to doubt the integrity of certain decision-making processes…. In particular, the senior CIDA officials concerned must be deeply disturbed by the doctored document they have been made to appear to have signed.”
Last October, Embassy magazine and Canadian Press broke the news that CIDA officials had indeed recommended approval of KAIROS’ 2009 CIDA application; in fact, they stated KAIROS met CIDA priorities so fully that we should receive a small increase to our proposed funding. Documents obtained through Access to Information requests revealed that the application was signed off by CIDA as recommended for approval. However, an handwritten, unattributed ‘NOT’ was inserted that reversed the decision.
Despite appearances before a parliamentary committee and persistent questioning in the House of Commons, to date, no one has taken responsibility for writing in the NOT. This issue was raised during Question Period in the House of Commons again today.
For more background on these developments see the backgrounder below, as well as other links in the CIDA cuts section of this website.
This issue reaches well beyond KAIROS; it touches on fundamental questions of democracy, transparency, and Canada’s international commitments to all in the global community who struggle against poverty and for human rights.
We remain particular concerned for our Southern partners, who bear the brunt of the original decision to deny KAIROS a funded partnership with the Canadian government. With them and with faith communities and grassroots supporters coast to coast to coast we say: KAIROS is NOT going away.
CIDA not responsible for cuts to KAIROS, President confirms
Beginning on December 9, 2010 a series of events transpired in the House of Commons that confirm the strength of KAIROS' 2009-2013 proposal for CIDA funding and raise questions about the transparency and accountability of the granting process.
All three Opposition parties questioned the Minister and President in Committee to clarify the information provided in these documents. In response to a question, the President of CIDA testified that the department recommended KAIROS for funding and that when she signed the document the word "not" was absent. Minister Oda testified that she did not add the word "not" and she did not know who did. She however stands by her decision to deny KAIROS funding.
On the basis of the documents, and this testimony in Committee, Members of Parliament from each of the three Opposition parties have risen in the House of Commons (on December 10, 13, 14, and 15) seeking a motion for contempt of Parliament against the Minister. Central to this point of privilege is the contention that the Minister misled the House when she, and her Parliamentary Secretary, suggested that the KAIROS proposal was rejected at the CIDA level. This contradicts the testimony of Margaret Biggs who confirmed that KAIROS was recommended by the department, and that the Minister was aware of the recommendation by CIDA. Opposition parties have also raised questions regarding the source of the handwritten "not". The Speaker has "put over" the matter to allow the Government to prepare its response.
These events have again confirmed that KAIROS’ proposal for funding was strong, satisfied all required CIDA criteria, and on the basis of its merit, was recommended for funding, up to and including the President of CIDA. This continues to be a tremendous affirmation not simply of the facts as we have outlined them over the last year, but of KAIROS, our partners, and our capacity to develop together an effective program for international development. These events also reveal a significant lack of transparency on the part of the government such that while we know the Minister has taken responsibility for turning down our CIDA proposal, we still do not know who ultimately made that decision or what additional criteria, if any, were used.
KAIROS still has not received word on its second proposal to CIDA, submitted in March 2010. While we continue to be in the centre of an ongoing controversy, our partners feel the dramatic impact of the loss of funding. Valuable, life saving work for human rights and ecological justice is compromised. We seek answers regarding our original funding proposal and will continue to raise concerns regarding the integrity of Canadian international development, particularly given these dramatic irregularities in the approval process. For the sake of the important work we do together with partners, we are clearly focused now on securing a positive response to our second proposal, a strong proposal that aligns well with current CIDA priorities.
FURTHER BACKGROUND MATERIALS
Situation
- On November 30, we received a call from CIDA informing us that our 2009-2013 program proposal had been rejected and that KAIROS would no longer be receiving funding from CIDA. We asked for an explanation and were informed that our program did not fit CIDA’s priorities. This was the last day of an extension to our current proposal. No written explanation was provided.
- This decision, if not reversed, would cut funds to 21 ecumenical and citizen’s organizations in Latin America, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, and cut educational work that helps Canadians across the country to develop skills and knowledge in the exercise of their global citizenship.
Background
- The KAIROS-CIDA 2006-2009 program received a positive audit report and an excellent evaluation.
- KAIROS staff worked closely with global partners to develop the 2009-2013 program proposal which focused on human rights and ecological justice.
- It was submitted to CIDA in March 2009 and went fairly quickly through all levels of approval. KAIROS made all adjustments to the program requested by our program officer.
- The proposal arrived on the desk of Bev Oda, the Minister of International Cooperation, in July 2009. It remained on the Minister’s desk for five months.
- In September 2009, when our agreement had still not been signed, we were granted a two-month extension on our previous contribution agreement. During this time we received no communication from the Minister’s office. On November 30, the last day of this extension, we received the phone call from CIDA informing us that KAIROS would not be funded.
CIDA priorities and human rights
- Our proposal places a strong priority on advancing human rights. States are obliged to protect, respect and ensure fulfillment of human rights. Canada is expected to collaborate to fulfill these rights, including providing international assistance for these efforts. Our proposal is one way in which the government can demonstrate that it is providing support to the fulfillment of rights around the globe.
- Our focus on human rights is completely consistent with the ODA Accountability Act which came into effect in June of 2008. The act requires all Official Development Assistance "to be consistent with international human rights standards."
Impact of the decision
- KAIROS supports partners in countries such as Sudan, the Congo, the Philippines, and Colombia who face extreme human rights and humanitarian crises as well as political repression. Many of our overseas partners risk their lives for the work that they do. KAIROS’ accompaniment, advocacy and education work with partners has saved lives.
- In the Congo, KAIROS funding means a women’s legal clinic to address rampant gender-based violence will be established. Loss of this funding to our critical human rights partner, Héritiers de la Justice, compromises this critical work to fight rape as a weapon of war.
- In Sudan, KAIROS is working with Sudan Council of Churches (SCC) and its members to mobilize greater action for democratic peace. The full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan is essential to ensuring that basic humanitarian, food security, livelihood needs of women and children and their communities will be met. Without KAIROS funding, the SCC will not be able to adequately pressure parties to implement this peace agreement. In a country with very weak civil society networks, SCC has been an essential voice in negotiating and implementing peace.
- In Indonesia, KAIROS, through CIDA, supports KONTRAS: The Commission for Disappearances and Victims of Violence. KONTRAS is highly recognized as a credible human rights organization in Indonesia and internationally, working specifically on human rights monitoring, documentation and advocacy. KONTRAS plays a lead role in ensuring the Indonesian government investigates past military abuses and compensates victims (and the families of victims) of human rights violations and military atrocities. Without KAIROS funding, KONTRAS will lose ground on the achievements made over the years in widening democratic space in Indonesia and will be unable to hold the Indonesian government accountable for national and international human rights covenants.
- In Colombia, KAIROS supports a grassroots women’s human rights organization, Organizacion Femenina Popular (OFP), in Magdela Medio, a region that has experienced some of the worst human rights abuses in Colombia. The OFP now has a membership of 5,000 women in the region of Magdalena Medio and runs 22 women’s centers, offering programs which include integrated community development, human rights of women, health and legal services, and education. In a recent letter the OFP appealed to Minister Oda to continue funding to KAIROS, "so that our sons and daughters grow up without being recruited by armed groups, kidnapped or assassinated - so that they have the right to a dignified life."
