CIDA is criticized for not consulting enough in the field. The agency is also being criticized because, in this new list of countries that have been given priority by the minister, many of Africa's francophone countries have been overlooked. Indeed, over the past few years, a certain number of embassies have shut down. The presence of CIDA representatives in the field has therefore been reduced. We even saw evidence of this in the new strategy unveiled by the minister two Fridays ago, in which anglophone African countries will be the beneficiaries of certain projects. We're being told that francophone Africa is at a disadvantage because the services are becoming less and less present in these countries.
On December 9th, 2009. See this statement in context.