The federal government recently came forward empty-handed after a Conservative MP asked Global Affairs Canada to provide a breakdown of a controversial fund that has been used to stage sex toy exhibits abroad.
In an Order Paper Question submitted in the House of Commons, Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner asked the department to release information on each initiative funded by the Mission Cultural Fund since Nov. 4, 2015.
Rempel Garner’s request asked for a breakdown of what project received the funding, how much money was distributed, the location of the project, its purpose and other details.
In response, Global Affairs Canada said it could not deliver on the request in a timely fashion.
“The department undertook an extensive preliminary search in order to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of the question and the amount of time that would be required to prepare a comprehensive response,” wrote Global Affairs Canada.
“The department concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question would require a collection of information that is not possible in the time allotted, and could lead to the disclosure of incomplete and misleading information.”
Rempel Garner has since said she has forwarded the matter to the Parliamentary Budget Officer for some clarity on the fund.
In a newsletter, Rempel Garner blasted the federal government over their lack of transparency related to the fund.
“For a government that loves nothing more than to loudly honk about spending money, their relative silence on this fund raises many questions,” wrote Rempel Garner.
“The government should be able to provide this information and rationale for any eyebrow raising projects.”
On Monday it was revealed that the fund budgeted thousands to stage performances where seniors would share their sexual encounters live in Austria, Taiwan and elsewhere.
Additionally, in 2019 the fund allocated $8,813.70 for a sex toy art exhibit in Hamburg, Germany by Canadian artist Peaches.
