Given the monstrous massivity of the federal deficit, ...

... I'm guessing a few million bucks thrown around doesn't really matter anymore:

'Outrage' after departing staffers pocket $7M

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's government has paid out nearly $7 million to political staffers who have left their jobs over the past two years.

The amount of "separation pay" that was doled out at the discretion of cabinet ministers is more than twice the amount of "severance pay" the Conservatives were obliged to pay departing political aides under government guidelines.

In a response to a written question tabled in the House of Commons, Treasury Board president Vic Toews revealed that between Oct. 19, 2007, and Oct. 19, 2009, the government handed out $2.01 million to departing aides in severance pay and $4.9 million in separation pay.

Seven million. Big deal. It's not like a few million would make that much difference to anyone. Oh, wait (emphasis tail-waggingly added):

Kairos' funding cut, no explanation
By Josiah Neufeld | Friday, December 4, 2009

TORONTO, ON—Violated women in Congo, families whose members have been kidnapped in Indonesia, churches working for peace in Sudan—these are a few of the groups left high and dry after the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) abruptly terminated funding to Kairos in November.

There was no explanation, just a phonecall to inform executive director Mary Corkery that the church-based social justice organization she leads no longer fits CIDA's priorities and will not be receiving the $7.1 million that makes up about half of Kairos' budget for the next four years.

We're seriously sorry, Kairos, but come on -- seven million bucks just doesn't grow on trees, ya know? Suck it up.

In unrelated news, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper once received a humanitarian award. For humanitarianism. Or something.