ethics in the coin distribution

wonder which retail outlets will gain from breast cancer awareness coin?

Royal Canadian Mint to take another shot at making troublesome coloured coins
February 22, 2006

OTTAWA (CP) - The Royal Canadian Mint is planning another foray into the troublesome - and sometimes controversial - business of producing coloured coins for general circulation. ...

The red-coloured "poppy" quarter was distributed exclusively through 2,300 Tim Hortons outlets in the fall of 2004, prompting outrage from opposition MPs who said the deal was unethical because it promoted one business over others. ...

Undaunted, the mint is planning its second coloured circulation coin for the fall that will mark national breast cancer awareness month in October. The 25-cent piece will feature four breast-cancer ribbons on one side, with the centre ribbon coloured pink. ...

The project is being undertaken with the Toronto-based Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, but spokeswoman Mariam Mesbah also declined to comment, referring all questions to the mint.

Approval for the new coin was one of the last acts of the former Liberal cabinet, which gave its blessing in mid-January. ...

But the bigger headache was the exclusive deal with Tim Hortons. Then-president David Dingwall, who later left his job over an unrelated expense-account imbroglio, was forced to appear before the Commons' government operations committee last May to defend the deal.

Some Opposition MPs were upset that the mint had spent $2 million on marketing and advertising to the benefit of the doughnut chain. Dingwall promised that the mint would review the practice.

"In the future, we hope to have a framework to send out to various retailers," he said at the time.

Aquino said the mint has since adopted a new policy that will require formal bids from prospective companies, as recommended to the agency by Auditor General Sheila Fraser.

"If the mint decides to strategically partner with the retail sector for the distribution of our circulation coins, we will undertake an RFP (request for proposals) process," she said. ...
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