December 4, 2003

Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien this week told African leaders that they must tackle corruption and government mismanagement to attract foreign investment. Patricia Adams, the executive director of Canadian foreign-aid watchdog, Probe International, describes Mr. Chretien’s comments as “stunning hypocrisy” in light of his government’s recent decision to continue awarding public financing to Canadian engineering company Acres International ?the first multinational to be tried and convicted in the landmark Lesotho anti-corruption trials. Acres was convicted in 2002 of paying bribes to the CEO of a dam building authority in the southern African mountain kingdom of Lesotho. Acres’ intermediary was also Canada’s Honorary Consul for Lesotho, a position appointed by the Canadian cabinet. Although, the World Bank is considering whether to bar Acres from receiving future World Bank contracts, Mr. Chretien’s government has said it will continue to finance Acres’ overseas activities. “Mr. Chretien, in effect, is telling Canadian companies that they need not fear repercussions at home if they are convicted of bribery in African courts,” says Ms Adams.
To read Patricia Adams’ article on “The Canadian Connection” in Lesotho’s corruption scandal, please see:

http://probeinternational.org/probe-international/sources/canadian-connection
For more information about the Canadian federal government’s role in Acres International’s Lesotho bribery case, please see “Acres’ Partners in Crime” by Lawrence Solomon:
www.urban-renaissance.org/urbanren/index.cfm?DSP=content&ContentID=8213