Scandal brings down one of the largest youth initiatives in Canada

BY PAUL JUNOR

It probably is not a surprise to those who have been following the WE Charity’s scandal that it has decided to close its Canadian operations.

The WE charity made the news in July when it was revealed that after accepting the contract to run the $912 million Canadian Student Grant Initiative, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former Finance Minister Bill Morneau had family members who were paid by the organization in the past. The ensuing scrutiny raised many questions, and led to the resignation of Bill Morneau and the investigation by the ethics committee.

Two brothers, Craig Kielburger, Marc Kielburger and Roxanne Joyal, started WE Charity twenty-five years ago. According to its official website www.we.org, its vision was “To work with developing communities to free children and their families from the cycle of poverty and exploitation.” This vision expanded over the years to include “Empowering youth at home, connecting them with global issues and social causes, and partnering with schools to inspire young change makers from within the classroom.”

The mission of the WE Charity was to, “Make doing good, doable.” Over the years, the organization has been well known for its annual WE Day that attracted thousands of elementary and secondary students as well as Hollywood star power, entertainers and politicians. It has received attention from media mogul Oprah Winfrey, outstanding CEOs and Gord Downie.

In the words of Craig Kielburger, “Over the years we’ve discovered that it’s more important to reach as many people as possible, especially youth, and empower them with the knowledge that it’s not up to anyone else, it’s up to them to make a difference.” In many ways, WE Charity has had a solid reputation as it expands beyond Canada to the United States and the United Kingdom.

There was much anticipation for celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2020. In 2019, it launched a strategic review of the board to refocus its future. There was the hope that this process would: “Address renewal, sharpen the focus on future priorities, and address issues such as: diversity, inclusion and range of skill sets, all while continuing to provide strong oversight and guidance of the organization.” On January 25th, the foundation bought a property for $2.6 million in downtown Toronto with a loan of $2 million USD from a foundation in the U.S.

CBC News reported on July 2nd, 2020 that there were several changes that were occurring in the organization before it received the government contract. These included resignations and the exit of senior executives. In addition, the chairs of both the Canada and U.S boards of directors resigned and only three board members remained from fourteen that were part of its North American Board of Directors. It is interesting that individuals of colour have filled these new board positions.

Global News reported on September 9th, 2020 that the brothers informed their staff that they would be stepping down from the WE Charity in an open letter dated Wednesday, September 16th, 2020. The letter states,”COVID-19 disrupted every aspect of our work. The fallout from the Canadian Student Service Grant has placed us as a charity in the middle of political battles and misinformation that we are ill equipped to fight. The financial math for the charity’s future is clear.”

It is unfortunate that WE Charity is in this predicament. Its activity in 7,000 schools across Canada will cease. Its legacy will continue through the students impacted and influenced.