Lunney won't meet church group - The Daily News - February 18, 2010

By: Darrell Bellaart, Daily News

International relief agency's funding pulled after 35 years amid 'anti-Semitism' charges

Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney is facing criticism after refusing to meet with local members of an international aide group that lost government funding.

The federal minister responsible for the Canadian International Development Agency pulled $7 million from Kairos, a church-based group half funded by CIDA for 35 years.

Kairos has spoken out against Israeli treatment of Palestinians, something Immigration Minister Jason Kenney suggested is anti-Semitic. Kairos members say the local MP should at least hear constituent concerns.

There is no hard rule saying MPs must meet with constituents but the parliamentary tradition is to at least give them an audience. Those who don't, walk on thin political ice, says Allan Warnke, a Vancouver Island University political science professor who served as Vancouver-Steveston MLA in the early 1990s.

"If he's totally uncomfortable about meeting with people and doesn't want to see them it is his call but on the other hand, he has got to realize he is subject to criticism," said Warnke.

Hans Kratz of Parksville-Qualicum Kairos said the group asked repeatedly to meet with Lunney and claimed when the MP called back he told them it wouldn't happen.

"He said there's no point in meeting with (Kairos) 'Because you guys don't agree with us,' meaning his party and as far as he was concerned the deal had been done, there was nothing to do about it," Kratz said.

Kairos does developmental work in Third World countries including providing education and food relief as well as some fact-finding in trouble spots like the disputed Israeli-occupied territories in the Palestinian West Bank. Eleven mainstream Canadian religious organizations are members of Kairos, including the Catholic, Anglican, Mennonite, Quaker, Presbyterian, Lutheran and United churches of Canada.

Nanaimo Kairos members Jim and Eva Manly are petitioning to restore CIDA funding. They've found support in Jean Crowder, their New Democrat MP but not from Lunney.

"When a Member of Parliament is elected they're usually elected by a minority but they have a responsibility to represent all the people, not just the 30% or 40% who elected them," Jim Manly said.

University of Victoria political scientist Dennis Pilon said it's a growing trend in which the Harper Conservatives are breaking longstanding parliamentary traditions.

"The tradition is the MP will hear from all groups," Pilon said. "Before, we've always known parties will do what they will do. What's interesting about these Conservatives, they don't even make the effort." Lunney was in the riding yesterday but could not be reached.