IN-DEPTH: Inside Ottawa’s most baffling international projects

From $18 million being spent on international LGBT groups to $25 million for gender-responsive nature-based solutions for climate change, the Western Standard has once again sifted through Global Affairs' most eyebrow-raising international assistance projects funded by taxpayers. Though some may actually be contributing to the greater good, others are questionable in their contributions.To preface, none of the projects listed are the only ones Global Affairs has in operation.Without further ado, here's the list from least to most expensive....Inside the feds’ most questionable international projects.7. The Gender-Responsive Climate Finance Design Funding Window Project: $4,948,903.This project of almost $5 million is going to the regions of South of Sahara, Asia, South America, North and Central America, West Indies, North Sahara, and Oceania, according to the feds — all without listing the actual countries.The feds say they wish to "build a pipeline of gender-responsive climate finance solutions" for these regions.As to what this means, they say they wish to blend financial solutions with climate change and gender equality by "explor[ing] the feasibility of the blended finance vehicle.".6. The Resilient Women in the Middle Atlas Project: $10 millionThis $10 million is going to Morocco, which the feds say is for developing national parks — by increasing "adoption of gender-sensitive nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation."The project, which ends at the beginning of 2027, has so far stated they've reported organizing promotion of women's membership in the project — and "mobilizing communities. ".5. The Biodiversity and Livelihood Opportunities for Ethnic Minority Women Project: $10 million.The feds claim $10 million of taxpayer money is going to Vietnam, for "capacity- building programmes" for "ethnic minority women and communities to support their adoption of nature-based solutions."They expect to increase "gender-responsive nature-based solutions," and influence ethnic minority women in policy — so far, no achieved results have been listed. .4. The Act Together for Inclusion Fund Project: $18.3 millionMillions of taxpayer money are allocated between Oceania, Asia, America, and Africa, without specifying the countries. This $18 million is being used for LGBT people to "fulfill[ment] of the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirited, and intersex (LGBTQ2I) persons."According to the feds, their goal is to get LGBTQ and other organziations to "advance the respect for, and protection and fulfillment of the human rights of LGBTQ2I persons in developing countries."The project, which began in 2020 and will end in 2027, has not been updated with any concrete results. .3. The Nature-based Climate Adaptation in the Guinean Forests of West Africa Project: $25 millionThe money for the project has been divided between Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Guinea.Similar to the others, the feds state they wish to adopt gender-responsive and inclusive nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation. This project, they claim, will improve "women's leadership and gender transformative evidence-based and nature-based climate adaptation planning processes in the Guinean forests of the targeted zone."The project, which began in 2023 and will end at the end of this year, does not have any current results reported..2. Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector in the Americas II Project: $223.5 millionA very unassuming name for the feds to spend over 200 million of taxpayer dollars, in many latin American and Caribbean countries including, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.One of the significant objectives the feds state is gender equality.They plan on accomplishing this through gender-responsive economic development, promoting private sector investments in climate change mitigation.The feds state the goal for the project is to promote low-carbon economies and increase women's participation in these projects. .1. The Canadian Climate Resilience Accelerator for Latin America and the Caribbean Project: $500 millionLike the name explicitly says, Latin America as well as the West Indies receive Canadian taxpayers' money for spending on climate change projects, with gender equality as one of their significant objectives — though they do not state how.They also do not disclose the specific countries the funds are going to. The funding will provide loans that will support projects whose objectives are low carbon technology, promoting "gender-responsive, sustainable economic development."Although the project has been in place since 2024, it does not have any concrete results listed.

IN-DEPTH: Inside Ottawa’s most baffling international projects

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