February 28, 2011 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (D&P) has removed a webpage that advertised its sponsorship of a pro-abortion organization, but continues to block LifeSiteNews’ Freedom of Information request seeking a list of organizations funded by the aid agency.
On January 14, LifeSiteNews (LSN) reported that the Mexican Center for Economic and Political Investigation for Community Action (CIEPAC), which was advertised by D&P as an aid recipient, was condemned for its pro-abortion stance by the Bishop of San Cristobal de las Casas in the state of Chiapas, where the group is located.
Following the article, D&P’s communications officer, Kelly Di Domenico, responded with an email stating that “the information on our website regarding the Mexican organization Center for Economic and Political Investigation for Community Action (CIEPAC) was out-of-date, as we are in the process of changing our programming. This organization is no longer one of Development and Peace’s partners.”
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and the website has been updated,” she added.
However, when asked repeatedly if D&P would permit the release of information showing the organizations it funds and the amounts allocated to each recipient, Di Domenico did not respond.
In an email to Di Domenico, this reporter responded by thanking her for her email, and noting that “We will be publishing another article soon on D&P and will mention that the page has been removed. However, we are concerned that D&P is apparently blocking an independent verification of the groups it funds and the amount it donates to each group.”
Referring to D&P by its longer acronym, “CCODP”, this reporter continued: “As I mentioned in my previous article, LifeSiteNews has been repeatedly told by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) that it is unable to fulfill our freedom of information act request for a list of groups funded by CCODP and the amounts donated because it continues to be in ‘negotiations’ with CCODP over the info.”
“Can you please explain why CCODP has not yet given this information to CIDA? Does CCODP believe that contributors have a right to know where their money is going? Will CCODP permit the information to be released or not?”
Di Domenico did not respond to the email, nor to two other requests for the information left on her voice mail.
Although D&P published a list of donation recipients for the 2006-2011 period, LSN has been told that many of the groups have been eliminated, following reports by this new agency and others that D&P was funding dozens of pro-abortion organizations worldwide (https://www.lifesitenews.com/resources/development-and-peace/).
However, one year after LSN’s Freedom of Information request was submitted to the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), a D&P partner, asking for a list of organizations funded by D&P and the respective dollar amounts, CIDA continues to report that it cannot report the information because it continues in “negotiations” with D&P.
Previous LifeSiteNews coverage:
Development and Peace Funding of Pro-Abortion Groups 2009/10
https://www.lifesitenews.com/resources/development-and-peace/
Mexican bishop condemns pro-abortion group listed as ‘partner’ by Development and Peace
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/mexican-bishop-condemns-pro-abortion-group-listed-as-partner-by-development/