Mississauga, Ont.
The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is encouraging Canadian Anglicans to quiz candidates in the May federal elections about whether they see civil society organizations, including churches, as having a role in delivering aid and development through their partners overseas.
PWRDF executive director Adele Finney said questions are critical in the wake of the controversy surrounding Minister of International Cooperation Bev Oda’s decision to deny funding to KAIROS. Members of this ecumenical justice organization include the Anglican Church of Canada and PWRDF.
PWRDF faces uncertainty about its own funding applications this year, said Finney, which include the future of a five-year, $12.5 million program focusing on health and food security in Burundi, Mozambique and Tanzania.
The program would target about 1.5 million in 59 villages. CIDA has promised to announce its decision in August or September, according to PWRDF’s written report to Council of General Synod (CoGS).
“We will be providing Anglicans with key messages, past work and details of the new proposal to share with their MPs,” said the report.
In the meantime, Finney told CoGS that Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) has extended its funding for the 50 refugee families sponsorship program , which it launched in 2009 as part of the PWRDF’s 50th anniversary commemoration.
As of the end of 2010, 44 families have been sponsored by Anglican parishes across the country that hold sponsorship agreements with the government. Six more sponsorships are in the works. Sponsored families were chosen by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and referred to Canada for resettlement.
The PWRDF agreement with CIC includes matching funds to support about three months of a year-long financial commitment sponsoring parishes are asked to make.
