Efficient foreign aid policy?

[Machjo]

While I'm not particularly in favour of foreign aid, we can't deny the possibility of a left-leaning coalition government in 4 or 5 years time which would be in favour of such funding. At that stage, debating whether to fund foreign aid and by how much would be a moot point, then the only querstion remaining would be how.

Right now our foreign aid goes mainly to CIDA, with some going to Canadian Heritage (mainly in the area of cultural promotion). Seeing that Canadian Heritage should not be trying to impose Canadian culture abroad but rather at home, we should put an end to any Canadian heritage involvement in such funding.

As for CIDA, it's redundant to maintain CIDA when UNICEF and plenty of other foreign aid agencies exist already, not to mention that CIDA also risks becoming politicized. Why not dismantle CIDA and just give the money to UNICEF instead?

Again, I'm not particularly in favour of foreign aid here, but merely saying shat should it be decided that we will fund foreign aid, and the only question remaining being 'how', then certainly I'd say disband CIDA and give to UNICEF instead. This would help to eliminate administrative redundancies for two agencies which for the most part do the same thing. And from what I've seen of CIDA and what I know of UNICEF, though neither is particularly efficient, CIDA is a true model of inefficiency even compared to UNICEF. And again, it would still eliminate administrative redundancies so the money actually goes to thepeople who need it most, not highly-paid bureaucrats.

Any other ideas on this?

 

[PoliticalNick]

While I'm not particularly in favour of foreign aid, we can't deny the possibility of a left-leaning coalition government in 4 or 5 years time which would be in favour of such funding. At that stage, debating whether to fund foreign aid and by how much would be a moot point, then the only querstion remaining would be how.

Right now our foreign aid goes mainly to CIDA, with some going to Canadian Heritage (mainly in the area of cultural promotion). Seeing that Canadian Heritage should not be trying to impose Canadian culture abroad but rather at home, we should put an end to any Canadian heritage involvement in such funding.

As for CIDA, it's redundant to maintain CIDA when UNICEF and plenty of other foreign aid agencies exist already, not to mention that CIDA also risks becoming politicized. Why not dismantle CIDA and just give the money to UNICEF instead?

Again, I'm not particularly in favour of foreign aid here, but merely saying shat should it be decided that we will fund foreign aid, and the only question remaining being 'how', then certainly I'd say disband CIDA and give to UNICEF instead. This would help to eliminate administrative redundancies for two agencies which for the most part do the same thing. And from what I've seen of CIDA and what I know of UNICEF, though neither is particularly efficient, CIDA is a true model of inefficiency even compared to UNICEF. And again, it would still eliminate administrative redundancies so the money actually goes to thepeople who need it most, not highly-paid bureaucrats.

Any other ideas on this?

I don't support UNICEF, their admistration costs are way too high.

I would suggest a tax cut for the population eqaul to the amount of foreign aid and then let the people give it to whatever charity they like, even if that charity is themselves and their kids.

I don't have a problem with the government calling for donations to some cause but I am against them sending my tax dollars there against my wishes. It amounts to mandatory charitable donations without the deductions on your T-1.

 

[petros]

0.02% straight off the top of our GDP goes to foreign aid by UN mandate. Did you vote for that?

 

[PoliticalNick]

0.02% straight off the top of our GDP goes to foreign aid by UN mandate. Did you vote for that?

Not that I remember...was I drunk???

 

[Machjo]

I don't support UNICEF, their admistration costs are way too high.

I would suggest a tax cut for the population equal to the amount of foreign aid and then let the people give it to whatever charity they like, even if that charity is themselves and their kids.

I don't have a problem with the government calling for donations to some cause but I am against them sending my tax dollars there against my wishes. It amounts to mandatory charitable donations without the deductions on your T-1.

I've come across some inefficient CIDA work too, so it's certainly not much more efficient than UNCEF if at all. Also, even if it were alightly more efficient, it still doesn't change the fact that by dismantling CIDA and just transfer funding to UNICEF instead we'd still be eliminating CIDA's bureaucracy completely without contributing as much to UNICEF's bureaucracy since theirs is already established anyway. In short, you'd still be reducing the number of administrative structures from 2 to 1.

0.02% straight off the top of our GDP goes to foreign aid by UN mandate. Did you vote for that?

I don't approve of it, but I also believe we should keep our word. If we agreed to this, then we live up to it while trying to change it.

But how is this money spent, by direct transfer to the UN, to poorer countries, via some other agency like CIDA? How?

As long as we avoid administrative duplication of services.

 

[damngrumpy]

Canadian foreign aid policy must be in Canadian hands. I for one am both on the left
on some issues and on the right on others, and I do not support the UN period.
United Nations a word that demonstrated they have little to do with reality. They are
ineffective and support all kinds of causes I disagree with. Remember when the
embattled Libyan Leader Gaddafi's country was on the humans rights panel of the UN?
I have no respect for the UN or its agencies.
I also believe foreign aid should be used to further the interests of Canada as much as
anything else. Help the poorest of the poor to help themselves. Make sure the money
does not go to foreign governments or military organizations, and secure the help we
give gets to where it needs to go. The UN will do none of that for you.

 

[petros]

Amen grumpy.

 

[Machjo]

Or another solution would be if for example 1% of personal income tax would be fully charity deductible on a 1:1 ratio if it's earmarked for foreign aid, whether it's given to a religious or secular charity. This would be another way to scrap the bureaucracy surrounding CIDA.

Besides, CIDA has been known for engaging in wasteful economic policy. For instance a couple decades ago, when the Canadian tractor industry was suffering, CIDA purchased tractors to give to farmers in areas where they had no idea how to maintain the tractors and did not even have enough money for gas. Needless to say those tractors ended up rusing in the fields. But then again, if the primary objective was to stimulate the tractor industry regardless of any benefit to the poor, then the objective was accomplished.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Or another solution would be if for example 1% of personal income tax would be fully charity deductible on a 1:1 ratio if it's earmarked for foreign aid, whether it's given to a religious or secular charity. This would be another way to scrap the bureaucracy surrounding CIDA.

Besides, CIDA has been known for engaging in wasteful economic policy. For instance a couple decades ago, when the Canadian tractor industry was suffering, CIDA purchased tractors to give to farmers in areas where they had no idea how to maintain the tractors and did not even have enough money for gas. Needless to say those tractors ended up rusing in the fields. But then again, if the primary objective was to stimulate the tractor industry regardless of any benefit to the poor, then the objective was accomplished.

You keep banging on about CIDA and I don'd quite get it. Either you are for foriegn aid with our tax dollars or not. Personally I say fix our own country first and until that is done screw the rest of the world.

 

[Machjo]

You keep banging on about CIDA and I don'd quite get it. Either you are for foriegn aid with our tax dollars or not. Personally I say fix our own country first and until that is done screw the rest of the world.

I'd made it clear that I'm not for foreign aid. That said, should it come down to the government deciding that foreign aid it is, then obviously the next question is how to make it efficient.

With a Conservative majority, we might not need to worry for the next few years. But just consider that last election, the Conservatives benefited from a Liberal-NDP vote. Should that split disappear come next election, a Conservative official opposition to some kind of majority leftist coalition would be wasting its breath trying to cut back on government spending. At taht stage its best bet would be to at least ensure that money is spent efficiently. A wise politician should always be aware of reality and have a plan 'b'.