Maria Minna, M.P.

May 28, 2001

Maria Minna continues to defend CIDA secrecy

Mr. Keith Martin, M.P.
Room 676, Confederation Building
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario KlA OA6

Dear Mr. Martin:

Thank you for your letters of 10 and May 22, 2001, about the Canadian International Development Agency’s (CIDA) involvement in the proposed Chalillo Dam in Belize. I appreciate the interest yourself and others have expressed in the project and I recognize that collective efforts should be made to ensure that Belize can advance its development in a sustainable manner. Allow me to begin by confirming that CIDA is not funding the construction of the proposed dam. Through its Industrial Cooperation Program, CIDA is providing funding to AMEC (Canada) in order to assist in the production of environmental and social assessments, and in the undertaking of public consultations. By contributing to these studies and activities, CIDA is seeking to help Belize acquire the necessary environmental information to make an informed decision on the dam project. With respect to the release of reports submitted by AMEC, I would like to make reference to a meeting held on Friday, May 18, between CIDA officials and a number of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), represented by:

Ms. Gráinne Ryder, Probe International, Toronto
Mr. Ambrose Tillett, member of the Bacongo environmental NGO coalition, Belize
Ms. Sharon Matola, member of the Bacongo environmental NGO coalition, Belize
Mr. Ari Hershowitz, Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington.

The meeting provided a good opportunity for the NGOs to express their concerns directly to CIDA, as well as an opportunity for the Agency to explain its involvement in the project, and the process governing the release of reports under its Industrial Cooperation Program. The discussion allowed CIDA to assure participants that the reports are subject to the Access to Information Act, and that there is an agreement with AMEC for the release of all reports submitted to CIDA. At issue is the timing of the release of some reports. AMEC would like to defer the release of these reports so that it can take place in conjunction with subsequent complementary studies that incorporate mitigation measures. At the meeting, CIDA agreed to approach AMEC in order to obtain a timetable for the release of all project reports, including the Project Justification and Environmental Assessment reports cited in your letter. This was accepted by the NGO participants to the meeting. It should be noted that CIDA’s reports are accessible through the Access to Information,(ATI) Act. You may address your requests for reports to the Access to Information and Privacy Unit at CIDA. However, consultations with the third party will take place, in accordance with the ATI Act, prior to the disclosure of any of these reports.

In your letter of May 22, 2001, you also seek a full explanation of CIDA’s financial and policy involvement with Fortis Inc. Please note that the Agency has entered into a contribution agreement with AMEC. AMEC, in turn, is undertaking studies on behalf of its client, Belize Electric Limited. As such, CIDA does not have any financial or policy involvement with Fortis on this project. I trust the foregoing information addresses the concerns expressed in your letters and I thank you again for writing.

Yours sincerely,

Maria Minna, P.C., M.P. c.c.: Mr. Stanley Marshall
Ms. Gráinne Ryder