Canadian bishops halt 'partisan' campaign by their foreign-aid agency

September 26, 2012

The Canadian Catholic bishops’ conference has called a halt to a public campaign by the international-aid arm of their episcopal conference, saying that the campaign was too partisan.

The bishops reportedly feared that the campaign by Development and Peace, their foreign-aid agency, would alienate many Catholics because of its political tone. The campaign decried cuts in the government’s foreign-aid program.

Development and Peace, which receives funding from the government, will see a steep decline in that funding over the next 5 years. The government’s support will be cut by nearly two-thirds, to $14.5 million.

Development and Peace has been the target of complaints from pro-life activists in past years, because of the organization’s ties with groups that have been identified with defense of legal abortion. Last year two Canadian bishops canceled a talk sponsored by Development and Peace because of those complaints. But the bishops’ conference as a whole strongly endorse the agency’s overall performance.

 

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Further information:

• Bishops block foreign aid campaign for being too partisan (Ottawa Citizen)
• Amid concerns, Canadian bishops express confidence in agency (CWN, 6/21/11)