Oda, Kenney and Harper (bad, badder and baddest)

Inevitably government leaders make unpopular decisions at times when parliament is not in session and also when the news media is less attentive. This holiday season the Conservative Government in Ottawa has taken several decisions that would have the full attention of the media and the public at other times. The effective shutting down of investigations of alleged torture and abuse of detainees handed over to Afghan authorities by the Canadian military immediately comes to mind. But there are other issues some of them equally or more serious.

One of these is the government’s decision to cut off CIDA funding to KAIROS, an ecumenical Christian organization that works for peace, development and social justice around the world (Shaming us all, Janice Kennedy, Ottawa Citizen, December 27, 2009). Bev Oda, minister for the Canadian International Development Agency announced that KAIROS was being cut off because its priorities didn't match CIDA's. Then Jason Kenney, Immigration Minister, said the de-funding of KAIROS was part of the Canadian government's vigilant efforts to disempower anti-Semitic groups.

Kenny apparently believes that KAIROS is anti-Semitic. It is true that the organization has expressed concerns about some Israeli government policies regarding the treatment of Palestinians, as many Israeli Jews have also done. But it has not promoted, nor does it support, any anti-Israel sanctions.

Interestingly, despite the seasonal media hiatus, this decision by the federal government has received a lot of media attention in Canada and internationally. But as parliament will not be in session again until the end of January, later if Prime Minister Harper decides to prorogue parliament, there is no effective platform from which to challenge the decision.

Understandingly, not all MP’s work takes place in parliament. They have important responsibilities to constituents in their home ridings. But shutting down parliament for extended periods during holiday seasons (winter and summer) and allowing important government decisions to be made without parliamentary accountability is just plain wrong.