Archives - Commentaries

2007

Canada in Afghanistan: So Much More Than a Military Matter - The fixation on the question of whether our troops should remain or come home has obscured the most important objective of Canada's presence - namely, supporting the struggle of the Afghan people to live in peace with decent living conditions. Op-ed by Gerry Barr (December 23, 2007 - Catholic Register)

Aid as a Combat Tool? A Very Bad Idea - The Senlis Council's proposal, in its latest report, that the international military should take over the administration of aid in war ravaged southern Afghanistan is a disturbing and dangerous idea. Disturbing, because it militarizes aid and undermines its main purposes - to provide life saving assistance and reduce poverty. Dangerous, because associating armed military actors with aid workers turns these aid workers, the aid, and the civilians who desperately need assistance into war targets. Op-ed by Gerry Barr and Kevin McCort. (November 28, 2007 - Embassy) 

Colombia: a test case for Canada’s ‘principled’ role in the Americas. Bilateral trade deals are a key element in the Canadian Government’s new “Americas Strategy”. Unfortunately, it’s flagship deal is a free trade agreement with Colombia, a country that Human Rights Watch calls “the worst humanitarian and human rights crisis” in the Hemisphere. CCIC argues this is the wrong deal with the wrong country. Op-ed by Gauri Sreenivasan (November 2007) (PDF 33 Kb)

Canada's Responsibility.  In a world in which the majority of the population lives in underdevelopment Prime Minister Harper rightly says of the Americas "we also have countries that have development challenges". But will Canada lessen those challenges or add to them? Letter to the editor by Gerry Barr (June 29, 2007 - Toronto Star)

“We Know the Rules About Private Members' Bills” is CCIC’s response to John Robson’s article in the Ottawa Citizen, “If you want to play politics, learn the rules”. In his column about a technical parliamentary procedure (prorogation), Robson said that Gerry Barr, David Suzuki and Phil Fontaine, did not understand the rules for prorogation. But it's John Robson who got it wrong. Letter to the editor by Gerry Barr (June 11, 2007 - Ottawa Citizen)

New Approach Needed for WTO Talks. We need a new approach to and framework for global trade rule making—one that would ensure trade supports local development goals, respects human rights, and promotes a more equitable and stable global economy for all. Op-ed by Martin Khor (June 2, 2007 - Ottawa Citizen)

Breaking New Ground on Corporate Social Responsibility - After 10 months of hard work, representatives of the mining and oil and gas sectors, civil society, academia, labour and socially responsible investors have reached an unprecedented consensus on a Canadian corporate social responsibility framework. Op-ed by Gerry Barr, Gordon Peeling and Robert Walker (March 29, 2007 - Globe and Mail)

Fair track is what counts. In his comment on the Supreme Court ruling on security certificates, Mr. Allmand expressed doubts that the government could – or even should – come up with quick fixes to the security certificate procedure that would meet the fairness requirements of Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Letter to the editor by Gerry Barr (March 6, 2007 - Globe and Mail)

Aid Can Work If It's Properly Channelled. The Senate report on Africa made numerous recommendations. One of those recommendations, it turns out, is actionable right now and the other is plainly wrong. Senators called for either a "statutory mandate" to guide aid spending through CIDA, or to out right abolish the agency. Op-ed by Gerry Barr (February 21, 2007- The Ottawa Citizen)

What's between our ears?  Canada's corn challenge and the world's poor farmers. Canada's recent lodging of a complaint against US corn subsidies at the WTO is getting global as well as domestic attention. But how valiant is Canada really being on the plight of poor farmers? The record is more troubling than the corn lawsuit accolades reveal.  Op-ed by Gauri Sreenivasan (February 5, 2007)

We need a budget to make poverty history. The upcoming Federal Budget is next best opportunity for the Canadian government to show that it is ready to act. There are many priorities that Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will have to choose among in making a budget. But what could be more important than saving the lives of the 50,000 people who die every day from poverty-related causes? Op-ed by Gerry Barr (January 27, 2007 -  Toronto Star)

2006

Ottawa's global aid test. The Harper government recently tabled its spending plans for 2006/07 in Parliament. After crunching the numbers the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, Canada's coalition to end global poverty, is not impressed. Editorial (October 9, 2006 - Toronto Star) 

Aid cannot take sides. The Senate Defence Committee got it wrong when it said there is a military role for development aid. Senator Colin Kenny, the committee chair, said development money has to give Afghans a reason to side with Canada against the Taliban. But aid should be used to help end poverty, period. Letter to the Editor by Gerry Barr (October 9, 2006 - Toronto Star)

Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Canada on climate change policy from Canadian international development non-governmental organizations. (October 2, 2006) (PDF 19 Kb)

Colombia's Well-Oiled Public Relations Machine. Ever since the introduction of President Alvaro Uribe's new hard-line security measures, known as the Democratic Security Policy, Colombia has become an even more dangerous place for marginalized and vulnerable groups such as Afro-Colombians, indigenous people, and the 3.5 million internally displaced people who have had to flee their land. Op-ed by Nadja Drost (September 27, 2006 -  Embassy)

Selling the farm for peanuts: Shortsighted or visionary? According to the Globe and Mail, developing countries deserve “plenty of criticism” in the WTO’s development round trade negotiations. Letter to the Editor by Gauri Sreenivasan (July 6, 2006 - Globe and Mail)

Failed states. "Failed states", according to the Citizen editorial, incubate terrorists and pirates. And Western nations, by implication, need to intervene with aid and possibly, military force to protect our national security and "fix" failed states. Sadly, Canada is a major subscriber to this faulty logic. Letter to the Editor by Erin Simpson (May 20, 2006 - The Ottawa Citizen) 

2005

Making deals not development: Canada's role at the 6th WTO Ministerial, Hong Kong. Heading into the 6th WTO Ministerial, most civil society groups were extremely concerned that global trade talks were headed in the wrong direction. Op-ed by Gauri Sreenivasan (December, 2005)

The Doha Development Agenda: Farmers allied North and South. The current round of World Trade Organization talks has been specifically tasked to address development. The round must ensure international trade rules enable developing countries to close the unacceptable gap between North and South, and meet the needs of the poor. What approach to trade will best chart this future? Op-ed by Gerry Barr, David Fuller, Yves Baril and Maria-Luisa Monreal. (December, 2005)

A global issue. Canada should play a prominent role in global action to control the arms trade. The lives of people in conflict zones worldwide depend on it. 
(October 27, 2005 - Edmonton Journal)

Tougher mines rules needed. Canadian companies are major players in the global mining game. In many cases, companies play positive roles and contribute to local economies. But in too many cases, negligence or abuse by companies fuels bloody conflicts, with disastrous consequences for local populations. Letter to the Editor by Gerry Barr (October 5, 2005 - The Ottawa Citizen)

Why Bono won't find what he's looking for. Don Martin should take a look at today's EKOS poll before he says that the Prime Minister has a clear message from Canadians not to boost foreign aid. More Canadians surveyed (43%) agreed than disagreed that "Canada should increase its humanitarian aid to poor countries even if it means less spending in other important areas". Letter to the Editor by Gerry Barr 
(September 16, 2005 - National Post)

Root causes of "failed and fragile states". Current discussions about Sudan and Afghanistan are short-sited. In fact, "failed and fragile states" do not exist in a vacuum, but are embedded in international political and economic systems, in which Canada plays evolving roles. Letter to the Editor by Gerry Barr (May 9, 2005 - The Hill Times)

Our hearts are bigger than this. In the 20 minutes it took for Prime Minister Paul Martin to deliver his International Policy Statement this week, more than 400 children died from preventable causes related to poverty. In his speech, Mr. Martin said he wants to "close the gap between rich and poor nations." He should start by making poverty reduction the cornerstone of our foreign policy. Op-ed by Gerry Barr. (April 21, 2005 - Globe and Mail)

Canada has a chance to walk the walk on aid. If Prime Minister Martin's government fails to act in the coming budget - to chart a course for the international target of 0.7% - then there will be a disconnect between the government's policy compass and its real spending directions. Op-ed by Gerry Barr. (February 21, 2005 - Toronto Star)

2004

Ending Hunger. Letter to the Editor by Gerry Barr (December 15, 2004 - The Ottawa Citizen)

Private Sector and Development. Letter to the Editor by Gerry Barr (October 11, 2004 – The Hill Times)

UN Speech Commentary. Letter to the Editor by Gerry Barr. (September 24, 2004, National Post)

BMD - Letter to Editor. Letter to Editor by Esperanza Moreno. (July 17, 2004 - Ottawa Citizen)

BMD's Stealth Launch. Op-ed by Gerry Barr and Ernie Regehr. (July 17, 2004 - Edmonton Journal, July 29, 2004 - Globe and Mail.com) 

What if... Op-ed by Gerry Barr. (July 10, 2004 - Ottawa Citizen)

Protection Money in Colombia. Letter to the editor by Gerry Barr, and the Americas Policy Group. (May 2004)

Security and Aid. (May 28, 2004 - CBC Commentary, Tony Tujan).

Lost Heritage: International Aid. Op-ed by Esperanza Moreno. (March 15, 2004 – Ottawa Citizen, March 2, 2004 - Le Devoir)

2003

Death Sentence - Canada's poison pill. (October 24, 2003 - CBC Radio Commentary, Gerry Barr)

Montreal Last Chance to Get WTO Negotiations on Track Before Cancun. Op-ed by Gerry Barr. (July 29, 2003, Ottawa Citizen - July 30, Le Soleil)

Iraq: Let’s get all the facts on the Security Council table. Op-Ed signed by Ernie Regehr, Project Ploughshares and Gerry Barr, CCIC (February 7, 2003, Ottawa Citizen - February 5, 2003, Le Devoir).

2002

Back to the Future – The Struggle to Stand Still at Johannesburg
Op-ed by Gerry Barr (October 10, 2002)

The Justice of Eating: Famine in Africa and Lessons for International Trade Rules
Op-ed by Gerry Barr (CCIC) and Taoufik Ben Abdallah (ENDA-Tiers Monde),
(September 05, 2002)

Food for Thought (September 5, 2002 - Peterborough Examiner)

Don't let the planet go belly-up - World Summit on Sustainable Development
Op-ed by David Suzuki and Gerry Barr. (August 15, 2002 - Ottawa Citizen, Halifax Chronicle Herald)

2001

"D" is for Development, G8 Op-Ed, Genoa 2001 (August 2001)

2001 International Year of the Volunteer -- Commentary (January 2001)

Une politique étrangère à la remorque de celle des États Unis? (janvier 2001) (available in french only)