Letter #1 from Minister M. Aileen Caroll - July 8, 2005.

Recieved July 8, 2005

Mr. John Mihevc
Chair
Halifax Initiative Coalition
104 - 153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, Ontario KIN 1H5

Dear Mr. Mihevc:

As Minister of International Cooperation, I am pleased to respond to your letter to the Prime Minister, concerning Canada's international assistance efforts.

Financial taxes are complex matters, especially when they are meant to generate additional revenues for development and not, like past proposals such as the Tobin tax, to reduce market volatility. This is why my colleague, the Honourable Ralph E. Goodale, Minister of Finance, and I requested, at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund meetings last October, that their staff conduct technical studies on the potential impact of various innovative financing proposals.

Comments on Bank Operational Policy on Indigenous Peoples - February 28, 2005

February 28, 2005

Indigenous Peoples Coordinator
Mailstop MC5-523
World Bank
1818 H Street
NW Washington DC 20433 USA
Email: indigenouspeoples@worldbank.org

RE: Comments on Revised Draft Operational Policy on Indigenous Peoples (Revised Draft OP 4.10)

Dear Indigenous Peoples Coordinator,

Please find below our comments on the Draft Operational Policy on Indigenous Peoples (Revised Draft OP 4.10).

We the undersigned Canadian organizations and representatives are writing to highlight the need for the World Bank to strengthen its draft OP 4.10 in order to ensure that the policy sufficiently meets international standards and guarantees on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

In our opinion, for the operational policy to be seen to be credible and effective it must contain mandatory provisions that:

Government of Canada response Re: Debt relief, financing and other issues - April 8, 2005

April 8, 2005

2005FIN153718

Mr. John Mihevc and co-signatories
Chair
Halifax initiative Coalition
104-153 Chapel Street
Ottawa, ON KIN 1H5

Dear Mr. Mihevc and co-signatories:

Thank you for your correspondence of January 28, 2005 regarding debt relief, additional financing and other development issues. I apologize for the delay of my reply.

Letter to Minister Goodale Re: Leadership on Full and Unconditional Cancellation of Poor Country Debts - January 28, 2005

PDF Letter available here

Version PDF française disponible ici

January 28, 2005

The Honourable Ralph Goodale M.P., P.C.,
Minister of Finance
140 O'Connor Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0G5
Fax: 995-5176

RE: Canadian CSOs Call for Leadership to Secure Full and Unconditional Cancellation of Poor Country Debts

Dear Minister Goodale,

The next few months offer an historic opportunity for Canada to take leadership among the G7 Finance Ministers to consider genuine and permanent solutions to the problems of debt and development, especially as they affect Africa.

Response from EDC Re: INCO - January 17, 2005

January 17, 2005

Mr. Fraser Reilly-King
NGO Working Group on EDC
153 Chapel Street. #104
Ottawa Ontario  K1N 1H5

Dear Mr. Reilly-King,

This refers to your letter of October 20 regarding the INCO Goro Nickel Mine in New Caledonia. First, I should point out that your correspondence referenced our letter dated January 7, 2003 to your enquiry of October 23, 2002; please note that you wrote us regarding INCO's plans for expansion in Indonesia, not New Caledonia, and our reply related to the same.

Letter to EDC Acting President Re: INCO - October 20, 2004

October 20, 2004

Mr. Gilles Ross
Acting President and CEO
Export Development Canada
151 O’Connor Street
Ottawa, ON  K1A 1K3

Dear Mr. Ross,

We recognize the changes that EDC has made over the past few years to enhance transparency, increase consultation and ensure internal compliance.

It is in this context of openness that we are writing to inquire whether you are considering providing any sort of loan, insurance, guarantee or other form of financial assistance for the troubled Inco Goro Nickel mine in New Caledonia, a project which would appear to violate EDC’s environmental guidelines.

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