Ode to Oda

Bev Oda is quitting at the end of the month.


That's good news for poor people of the world who look for help from Canada.


Her lavish spending can now be directed to needy people.


And if we're really lucky, the new minister in charge of the Canadian International Development Agency will get more money for Canadian grassroots organizations with experience and skills in delivering community development to poor people in poor countries, especially Africa.


That would be organizations such as the Mennonite Central Committee, the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

Dambisa Moyo

And I know where the extra money can come from. It can come from a 10 per cent cut in what Canada has been giving in bilateral and multi-lateral aid, such as via the World Bank and International Monetary Fund and to corrupt dictators. 


Dambisa Moyo, in her excellent book, Dead Aid, details why this would be a great idea.


But I'm not optimistic because the Harper government's track record on compassion is meagre.