EDC

Complaint to EDC Compliance Officer - July 28, 2003

July 28, 2003

Ms. Alison Lawford
Compliance Officer
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor Street,
Ottawa ON K1A 1K3

Dear Ms. Lawford:

I am writing you on behalf of the NGO Working Group on EDC (WG), a working group of the Halifax Initiative, to file a complaint with regard to the Cernavoda 2 nuclear reactor in Romania. Last January, Export Development Canada (EDC) confirmed that it would provide a $328 million loan guarantee to the Romanian government to help complete the construction of the reactor.

In accordance with the guidelines for filing complaints, I have divided this letter into three sections that outline the WG’s opinion of the problem, our opinion on the desired result of an investigation, and what has been done to solve the problem.

EDC response Re: Three Gorges - July 2, 2003

July 2, 2003

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
Halifax Initiative
153 Chapel Street, Suite 104
Ottawa, ON  K1N 1H5
Dear Mr. Reilly-King

I wish to respond to your letter of May 16 in which you raise a number of questions concerning Export Development Canada’s practice of assessing human rights issues related to transactions that we may consider for support.

You suggest that I intervene with the Chinese authorities in the development of the Three Gorges Hydroelectric Project. While EDC continues to follow developments concerning the project, your request is more appropriately addressed to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. Canadian foreign policy and government-to-government relations are quite properly handled by political authorities, not export credit agencies. This is consistent with actions taken by the Swiss government.

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