Alone in the world

The Globe and Mail's article on Canada's effective support for the coup against Manuel Zelaya in Honduras is worth a read generally. But the most important part of the story seems to me to be buried beneath discussion of a relatively small military training program:

The U.S., which has major military operations in Honduras, announced a week after the coup that it was suspending $17.9-million in military aid and an estimated $195-million in development aid. The EU also suspended development aid of about $100-million.

“We're focusing our support on President Arias's attempts to find a non-violent, mediated solution, and the earliest possible return of President Zelaya and Honduras to democratic practice and principle,” said Mr. Kent, who has spoken directly to the key players.

He added Canada is not cutting the $16.4-million in development aid it provides each year to Honduras.

So while the world's other developed countries have put up a united stand against the coup by declining to use public money to support the overthrow of the democratically-elected Zelaya, Canada alone is continuing to funnel money into the country. And presumably the money which the Cons are choosing to send is allowing those involved in the coup to paper over the loss of funding from elsewhere - helping to undermine exactly the effort toward reinstating Zelaya which Kent claims to support.

Of course, there's some problem as well with the Canadian military helping to train troops who may be used to suppress the citizens of Honduras in support of the usurpers. But the bigger issue would seem to be not a single troop exchange program, but the need to pressure the Cons not to spend Canadian development money to prop up an illegitimate government. And the longer the Cons stick out as the only government willing to provide resources for the use of the Honduran junta, the more of a beating Canada's reputation is bound to take when it comes to promoting democracy around the world.