Liberal donors, former candidate lead foreign aid org that received $180M since 2015
By Cosmin Dzsurdzsa, True North Wire
With files from Quinn Patrick and Alex Zoltan
A Canadian international aid group bankrolled by nearly $180 million from Global Affairs Canada since 2015 counts four Liberal party donors in its leadership—including a CEO who once ran for a Liberal nomination under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Ottawa’s corridors are no stranger to cozy relationships between the federal government and international aid organizations, but few cases highlight the deep entanglement between government foreign aid funds and political influence quite like Cuso International.
On the surface, Cuso International is a humanitarian organization dedicated to foreign development projects. This charity — funded with nearly $180 million in taxpayer money from Global Affairs Canada since 2015 — has been quietly steered by a leadership team that includes several generous Liberal Party of Canada donors and insiders.
True North has discovered that four members of the organization’s board and executive leadership are listed as donors to the Liberal Party of Canada in Elections Canada records, contributing a combined $11,279.60 when individual donations were added together.
According to Cuso International’s financial statements between 2015 and 2024, the organization received a total of $179,434,291 from Global Affairs Canada via its Volunteer Cooperation Program and other funds. When accounting for GAC’s total budgeted funding going back to 2007, that figure reaches nearly $289 million.
This funding accounts for a significant portion of the organization’s overall revenue, with GAC contributions making up as much as 69.18% of total revenue in 2016.
True North reached out to Cuso International with questions regarding its Global Affairs Canada funding and leadership donation history but did not receive a response.
At the helm of this publicly funded organization is CEO Nicolas Moyer, a self-described social entrepreneur who once sought a nomination under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s banner.
In 2016, Moyer declared himself “thrilled and honoured” to be approved as a nomination candidate for the Ottawa–Vanier riding, though he ultimately lost to Liberal MP and former cabinet minister Mona Fortier. Moyer was even photographed cheerily smiling beside Trudeau – a photo that remains on his candidacy’s Facebook profile.