Liberals lacking ambition on international aid

OTTAWA — Earlier this week, the Prime Minister called the UN goal to spend 0.7% of Gross Domestic Product on foreign aid “too ambitious”. The Minister of International Development had announced earlier this year that her government wouldn’t meet the 0.7% foreign aid goal.

“When the Prime Minister makes the same statement as Minister Bibeau saying that the 0.7% goal is too ambitious and proposes nothing in return, I ask: Where is the plan?” said NDP International Development critic Robert Aubin (Trois-Rivières).

The 0.7% target was established by the World Bank’s Lester B. Pearson Commission in 1968. Currently, Canada claims to invest 0.28% of its yearly GDP in official development assistance. During the last election campaign, the Liberals promised to reverse the trend – but didn’t cost their commitments.

“Even Bob Geldof, the creator of Band-Aid, criticized the Prime Minister for his lack of ambition when it comes to international aid,” said Aubin. “Canada’s commitment to fight poverty must be better funded because international development isn’t charity work – it’s our duty as people.”

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