CANADIAN INTERNATIONALISM AND EDUCATION

Abstract

On April 2nd, 1969, the Canadian Rouse of Commons received a report about the External Aid program which revealed in part that in no year, between 1964 and 1969, had expenditures reached the level of parliamentary appropriations and authorizations. The discrepancies had been of the order of $73.5 millions in 1965; $71.0 millions in 1966; $65.7 millions in 1967; and $101.7 millions in 1968. These unexpended funds represented approximately 20% of the total of appropriations for both bilateral and multilateral programs, for in no year was the total appropriated more than $317.5 millions. Why the unexpended funds when Parliament and the people of Canada recognize the need for external aid? Are the pursestrings being held too tight? Is the professional element being strangled by the political? Is red-tape playing an overly important part in the process? These and a host of other questions need to be asked and answered in order to arrive at any kind of responsible explanation for a discrepancy that it as large as it is serious.