Winds of Change - Projects

It's been difficult only getting to Sudan for one week a year because of my parliamentary schedule - visits used to be far more frequent. Yet we have been fortunate in having a good number of Canadians travelling with us each year. Some have been coming for the last five years. That leaves my wife, Jane, and our good friend Carol Campbell to oversee the ongoing activities of Canadian Aid for Southern Sudan.For years I was proud to be Executive Director for CASS, but that changed the moment I got into politics. Because our organization has received CIDA funds in the past, it was necessary for me to step down from that position as well as to step away from the board - as is only proper.It all leaves us depending more and more on others to assist us as our programs in the south just keep developing. These individuals have left a profound impression in the region where we work. It's always a delightful surprise for the Sudanese when so many Canadians come to their region year after year.While we all worked diligently as official observers for the referendum, we used whatever spare moments we had to further the projects we've been working on for years.For the southern Sudanese themselves, as they went about their own serious business of deciding their own fate, their continued to express their appreciation that Canadians have not only been with them in times of war and peace, but are now present at their moment of liberation.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIJfypSEjY4&w=480&h=390]