Just over an hour ago about a 1000 people packed the Association of Fundraising Professionals Conference in Ottawa to hear Stephen Lewis share his profound wonderment over the absence of corporate financial support in such an unprecedented time corporate abundance. “in the midst of billion dollar mergers,” Mr. Lewis observed, ” we have never seen such spirally profits in the corporate sector, you would think it would be possible to have every penny needed to satisfy public and private demands… I don’t understand why the corporate world which could well heal the wounds of the world has not done so.”

Stephen Lewis with his work on HIV/AIDS both with the UN and with his foundation expressed is profound puzzlement at the absence of both political will and corporate will to solve the problems of our day.

However, Mr. Lewis did note the remarkable contribution and leadership of the Gates Foundation in addressing HIV/AIDS, agricultural and education but posed the question, ” It’s odd that a very wealthy person is setting the agenda on some main factors more than the governments of the world.”

This indeed is an important question. When we call on the corporate sector to get involved what mechanisms in civil society are in place to ensure that this generosity does not set an agenda but rather responds to an agenda that has been shaped by elected governments.