Hmm, didn't all this mess develop after the government aggressively adopted a business model for its operations? ----- Original Message ----- From: Timework Web <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: January 21, 2000 10:51 AM Subject: Perception problems at Human Resources Development Canada > TO: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > RE: the mismanagement of HRDC grants (see news report below) > > There's another side to this story that can't be captured by a government > audit of grants awarded by HRDC. Every dollar that was misspent or > unaccounted for was a dollar that didn't go to a more appropriate use. I > had two fully-documented proposals to HRDC for funding turned down, not > because of ineligibility but because -- I was told -- the designated > program budgets had already been fully allocated. It was suggested I could > resubmit at a later date. > > I have also had two detailed inquiries about program criteria that simply > went unanswered. And that was not for lack of follow-up. In both cases, an > initial phone inquiry was followed by a detailed letter requesting > information and followed up by several telephone calls. The HRDC officers > involved told me at first that they were too busy to respond until after a > certain date. Then after that date when I called they told me that they > had referred my letter to someone else in the department. > > Each of these episodes involved considerable preparation time and after > four trips into the black hole I concluded it wasn't worth my time and > effort to make futile applications for grants. Occasionally HRDC staff > would convey the impression to me that they thought the whole thing was a > mug's game. I even had one local staff member tell me her grievances about > the way the department operated. > [snip]
