More Harper bullying

Somehow I missed this news item yesterday. Funds to a venerable faith-based overseas charitable institution, Kairos, have been terminated without explanation by the Conservative government, ending a 35-year relationship with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

In March, Kairos submitted a 2009-2013 program proposal on human rights and ecological sustainability costing $9.2-million. Executive director Mary Corkery said in an interview that CIDA indicated in July that there was no problem with the proposal, that funding would be approved and needed only the minister's signature.

At the end of September, when Kairos's existing contract with CIDA expired and no new one had been signed, Ms. Corkery asked what was happening. She said she was told the minister was busy, and was offered funding for a two-month extension ending Nov. 30.

On the final day of the extension period, Ms. Corkery said that CIDA vice-president Victoria Sutherland called to tell her that all funding would be terminated because Kairos didn't fall within CIDA's priorities.

This will, I assume as planned, devastate the international human rights work in which Kairos has been engaged. The organization has in the past spoken out on global warming, mining operations abroad, aboriginal rights, immigration and international trade.

A "bad fit," says CIDA, through which funds had been channelled to the group. Very likely.