Evidence of meeting #22 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was charity.
A video is available from Parliament.
Donor and Fundraiser, Wesley Smiles Coalition, Free The Children, As an Individual
No. I mean, I said to him, “If I showed you proof, would you believe me?” He said, “Nope. No, I wouldn't believe you. I wouldn't believe you even if you showed me proof.”
It makes sense that they would take out full-page ads. They have a whole campus at Enelerai with all of their names on it. They have a lot to defend here. They're just choosing to defend it one way; I'm choosing to defend my son's legacy in another.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
Thank you, Mr. Angus.
We'll turn to Monsieur Gourde for five minutes, please.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC
Thank you for your very touching testimony, Mr. Cowan. I would also like to extend my sincere sympathies to you.
I was also troubled by your testimony because I believe your trust was abused. It makes me very sad. People like you are really very important to society. You have put a lot of energy into your son's memory, and probably spent a lot of money on it too. It has no doubt helped other children. I hope, for your sake, that all the funds you managed to raise and the money you have yourself provided will bring hope and a better life to other children, something you were unfortunately unable to give your son.
Do you have any advice for us or for future donors? We need people like you for this kind of work and this kind of donation. Unfortunately, when people are exploited as you have been, thousands who would like to donate to worthy causes lose confidence. They fear that the money will not go where it should go.
We might need your advice, at least to give hope to those who still want to make such donations.
Donor and Fundraiser, Wesley Smiles Coalition, Free The Children, As an Individual
I don't feel I have any advice that could be of use. I felt that I vetted the charity. I mean, when Craig Kielburger appears on The Oprah Winfrey Show, you feel like the charity has been vetted, right? When Craig Kielburger and Marc Kielburger and Roxanne are mixing with the Prime Minister of Canada, a royal in the U.K., the Dalai Lama, and Malala, you feel that the charity is on the up-and-up. That's why I said in my opening statement that all these people should come forward and say it.
I don't have any advice. I will say that going forward I will look at the needs of my neighbour across the street and next to me and in my community. I see my neighbour every day. I can track what any generosity I extend does in my own community.
I wish this hadn't happened to me, where even vetting somebody through the cachet of Oprah Winfrey and all of the big names I mentioned is not enough of a barrier to insulate from scrutiny and scandal. That's sad.
February 26th, 2021 / 2:35 p.m.
Conservative
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC
I believe that will be all for me. With regard to this whole experience, I hope that the other people hear your call and come forward to share their experience, and that you will find some peace of mind in the future.
Donor and Fundraiser, Wesley Smiles Coalition, Free The Children, As an Individual
Thank you.
Conservative
Liberal
Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON
Good afternoon, everyone.
Welcome, Reed, this Friday afternoon. Thank you for availing yourself and joining us.
I don't really consider myself to be philosophical in any sense. I'm just a grunt, just a grit. There was a former ice hockey player named John Tonelli who was on the New York Islanders. He was just one of those grinders. That was his success: You work hard, you play by the rules, you get some balls that bounce your way, you do what you do in life, and you just be good. I believe in karma and so forth. Just make your way in this world, do what you can and contribute at all levels. I view life as being one long continuum. You never know where it's going to go, not with breaks but with a continuum. We each have a chosen path.
Your path, from what I've read today, has been very interesting, and obviously heartbreaking to a certain extent, absolutely. I'm a parent of two young daughters, so I can only imagine. My heartfelt condolences go to you and your family for what you've gone through.
I'm also here to learn, and to learn about a witness like you who comes to this committee. You got into charity, or helping kids, because you wanted to do this. This meant a lot to you. Where are you today? Where were you when you were doing these initiatives? Where do you want to go forward in helping kids? Excuse me for making it so broad, but listening to the testimony, I have a lot of questions.
I'd like to turn the floor over to you now, Reed. Thank you for coming.
Donor and Fundraiser, Wesley Smiles Coalition, Free The Children, As an Individual
Where was I? I was near death, quite literally. Through the process of serving the amazing people of Kenya and through the process of working to give my son a legacy, I found a modicum of healing, and it gave me rungs on a ladder to hang onto when I feel like I'm falling.
Where would I like to go? I would like, if it worked for my professional life, to have a part and a say in all of the monies that I hope are somewhere earmarked for Kenya through Free the Children, as I asked. I would like to make sure that I'm a servant of that legacy once the house is clean and the money-changers are thrown out of the temple, so to speak.
Liberal
Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON
Okay. Those comments are quite strong.
When you were involved, how many children were being assisted in Kenya, if I can get to some of the details or some of the broad strokes? Was it your idea entirely to go to that specific country? Can you provide some details there, Reed?
Donor and Fundraiser, Wesley Smiles Coalition, Free The Children, As an Individual
No, it was a joint venture with the hearts that beat under my roof. I only know what I saw on our trips to Kenya by way of numbers and how many children were served, and oftentimes those numbers and narratives were shaped by what Free the Children told us. When I characterize it for you, know that what I say to you is what I was told. I was told that in excess of 400 to 500 kids per campus benefited from an education, clean drinking water, alternative sources of income, places for their cattle to graze, etc., and that each campus served these ends.
Liberal
Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON
This is going to be tough for me to even ask.
In memory of your son Wesley, you took on your shoulders these initiatives, plus many others. How fulfilling was this for you? Obviously, from what I sense, there's an air of disappointment now, but obviously you want this to still go forward in terms of assisting other children, specifically in Kenya.
Donor and Fundraiser, Wesley Smiles Coalition, Free The Children, As an Individual
Well, it was healing, it was fulfilling and it was life-changing, and it was so huge that to feel now like maybe the magnitude of what I advocated, accomplished and did wasn't reflected in Kenya is just as devastating, right?
For those of you who are parents, think of what it was like to hold your child for the first time. How do you say how fulfilling that was? It just defies words. I have held Kenya, the people of Kenya and the kids who go to Wesley's school in my heart with that kind of wonder that defies words.
Liberal
Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON
I'm going to close here. I think my time is running out in a second.
I called you “Reed” and I do want to apologize. I don't know you personally, but I feel like I do—
Donor and Fundraiser, Wesley Smiles Coalition, Free The Children, As an Individual
That's fine.
Liberal
Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON
—Mr. Cowan, and again, my heartfelt condolences. Also, I want to wish you much success, health and productivity in the remainder of your journey in this life, which I look at as a continuum. If we ever do cross paths, I hope it's in a different venue and a different format, but again I thank you for coming here today.
Donor and Fundraiser, Wesley Smiles Coalition, Free The Children, As an Individual
Thank you.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
Thank you.
We'll now turn to Madame Gaudreau for the next round of questions.
Bloc
Marie-Hélène Gaudreau Bloc Laurentides—Labelle, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Cowan, I told you earlier how brave I think you are. I hope that the whole process, including the discovery and announcements, will help you through this ordeal. I really understand the problems you faced and all the good faith and trust that you had. I also understand that it's clearly our duty to ensure that everything is done properly and transparently.
That's why I would like us to keep in touch with you over the next few weeks. That way, we could show you how far we've come. The money donated to these organizations helps them get off the ground, but it has a huge impact on people, given what you've been through.
Because your right to speak is very important today, I would like to know what you, as a major donor, parent and bereaved person, would like to say to the people who are now skittish, concerned, and a little disillusioned. What's your message to them? We can finish this conversation later. I also wish you all the best.
Thank you.
Donor and Fundraiser, Wesley Smiles Coalition, Free The Children, As an Individual
Thank you.
I would like to talk to those who trusted me on behalf of the Wesley Smiles Coalition. I'll speak to those donors.
For all of the kids, I would say to them that they have every right to seek answers, transparency and accountability of Free the Children and the WE charities. They have every right to do that, to ask for documentation, as I have done, to ask for an accounting. I would say that in the absence of that, remember that the spirit of Kenya can be shared in our own communities in the absence of answers, in the absence of transparency.
To those who donated because they trusted me and they saw my son's picture, I will tell them that I'm also here for them today, because I hope that your process gets all of the answers. I hope to engage those who are in power, who are way more powerful than I am, who are way more—quote, unquote—important in the world than I am, so that they'll come forward and end this once and for all.
Just come forward. Let's see everything. Let's see all the documents. Let's see everything so that people can go back to trusting and get to work, because in Kenya the need is great. Especially during and post the pandemic, the need is going to be even greater.
Conservative
