A defiant IDRC stands behind the appointment of Barbara McDougall

IDRC has responded via the following email to a Canadian tobacco control advocate (Errol E. Povah) who asked about their position concerning the link of Barbara McDougall with Imperial Tobacco Canada. What do you think?

-----Original Message-----

From: Angela Prokopiak [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: March 16, 2010 8:53 AM
To: '[email protected]'
Subject: Reply to your letter

Dear Mr. Povah,

 

I am writing in response to your email of March 11 that was sent to the [email protected] address. I would like to acknowledge and respond to your concern about the Chairman of the International Development Research Centre’s Board of Governors also being a Director of Imperial Tobacco Canada.

 

The Government of Canada appointed Mrs. McDougall as the Chairman of IDRC’s Board in 2007. Like other members of the IDRC Board, Mrs. McDougall serves part-time and has several outside interests.  In fact, IDRC is pleased to have someone of Mrs. McDougall’s calibre and stature on its Board. She has held several cabinet posts, including: Finance (Minister of State), Privatization, Employment and Immigration, and External Affairs.  She has also sat on the boards of National Trust, Bank of Nova Scotia, Systemhouse Inc., Avenor Inc., Sun Media, Corel Corporation,  and Stelco Inc. as well as serving as a public governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange.  More recently, Mrs. McDougall  completed  terms as the Canadian representative on the International Advisory Board for the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and as President of the Canadian Institute of International Affairs.  Her tenure on the Board of Imperial Tobacco comes to an end this month.

 

Members of IDRC’s Board of Governors are appointed by the Government of Canada and serve their term at the pleasure of Her Majesty.  Members exercise their decision making power as a body, not as individuals, and are responsible for the strategic direction of the Centre, not the approval of individual projects. In overseeing this body,  Mrs. McDougall has been an exemplary Chairman and has shown excellent judgement and concern for the well-being of IDRC throughout her tenure.  IDRC is confident that the Board under her stewardship continues to maintain the highest standard of integrity.

Sincerely,

 

Angela Prokopiak

Director, Communications and Parliamentary Relations

IDRC

 

www.idrc.ca

www.crdi.ca

Here was the email sent by Errol:

To Whom It May Concern:

 Please explain to me why an otherwise fine and upstanding organization like the International Development Research Centre -- which, apparently, assists "...the developing world in their search for the means to build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous societies" -- has a tobacco executive on its Board of Governors.  Specifically, I refer to Mrs. Barbara McDougall.

 I look forward to hearing from you soon.