A recent letter from Maurice Brown (T.N.M., Jan. 27/97) may not contain the right information on projects operated by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in foreign countries.
I was a participant in a CIDA project which Ontario Hydro assembled in Pakistan in the late 1980s. Our team was involved in training the Pakistani Power Authority in grid, station and line maintenance techniques.
Like Mr. Brown, I questioned why the Canadian government was sending millions of dollars to Pakistan.
Once I was involved in the project, I learned that all the material needed for the training program was obtained from the CIDA grant. The grant paid for regular and specialized tools, office equipment, the salaries of the Canadians on the team and many items too numerous to mention. The Canadian government did not send money to Pakistan; it sent Canadian-Manufactured tools, technology and transportation. I was paid in Canadian dollars in Canada. Canadian companies supplied Canadian materials and were also paid here in Canadian dollars. In effect, the aid component of this assistance is that the government stimulated industry in Canada.
I hope this clears up misconceptions about CIDA. I agree that the government should not waste our tax dollars, but when it assists a foreign country and contributes to the Canadian business community by keeping people working, everybody wins.
Ken Carlson
Thunder Bay, Ont.
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