Food parcels for Belfast

Somehow, without asking, I have been added to the mailing list of the Canadian ministry of foreign affairs. Once or twice a week, therefore, I find myself deleting an email detailing (Foreign Affairs Minister) Pierre Pettigrew's response to the situation in Darfur, announcing an official visit to Canada by a member of the Dutch royal family, and so on. One press release I received a few days ago made me pause for a moment, however. It revealed that Canada is donating C$2 million to something called the International Fund for Ireland (IFI). This fund was set-up by the British and Irish governments in 1986 to tap up countries with large Irish immigrant communities (US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) for cash to promote 'reconciliation and economic development' in Northern Ireland. Now, admittedly, the six counties need a dose of both, but it's pretty sharp work by the UK and Ireland, hardly the poorest nations in the world, to persuade these other wealthy states to give them a handout. I guess one part of the rationale behind the IFI is that it offers an alternative to Noraid for those among the Irish communities of the four supporter nations who wish to give something back to their roots. And I'm sure it plays well with their constituents for politicians such as Canadian MP Pat O'Brien to support the fund. But still, Canada giving money to the UK?!?