Glen Pearson writes about the Julian Fantino appointment as Minister of International Cooperation, the ministry that oversees Canada's international aid efforts. He highlights the qualities that those involved in the aid portfolio possess:
• A natural compassion
• A willingness to cooperate with others in the field
• A deep understanding of the link between development and the environment
• A refusal to adopt ideological and simplistic arguments or points of view
• A growing comprehension of the primary importance of the role of women as the key change agents in their respect communities in the developing world.
Pearson's insight into the aid community really brings home how unfortunate it is that Fantino has been thrown into this mix by Harper's appointment. Money quote:
It would be like putting Donald Trump in charge of a micro-enterprise
initiative among the poor of Haiti -- the consequences will be
devastating because the need to be in charge will surely eclipse the
need to be smart.
You might think that the
bad press Harper has been getting in light of
Patrick Brazeau's latest newsmaking might jar the PM and give him cause to recalibrate his appointment thinking. Actually consider who might have the qualities appropriate for a role like International Cooperation. Nope. Full steam ahead with fitting square pegs into round holes.
