Mardi Tindal

February 15, 2011

In a letter to Minister of International Cooperation Beverley Oda, Moderator Mardi Tindal calls on the government to act now to restore KAIROS funding.

Dear Minister Oda:

As Moderator of The United Church of Canada, I am dismayed by the removal of funding from KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives, of which the United Church is a member.

Funding was removed despite CIDA's very positive evaluation of KAIROS and its work, and no credible reasons for this action have been provided.

KAIROS partners, who work on human rights and sustainability in the global south are suffering because of your decision. Canadians are deprived of the excellent educational work that KAIROS carries out in this country. Beyond these losses, KAIROS has also had its good name attacked --again with no credible explanation.

As yet there has been no response to KAIROS' second CIDA funding application.We believe that it is now time for you to act.

We expect you to restore CIDA funding for KAIROS at the level previously recommended, because nothing less will restore the damage that has been done to the good name KAIROS has earned and the good work it carries on.

We ask this in good faith and in partnership with the people of Canada.

Respectfully,
Moderator Mardi Tindal
The United Church of Canada/L Église Unie du Canada

CC: The Right Hon. Stephen Harper, The Hon. Michael Ignatieff, The Hon. Jack Layton, Gilles Duceppe