It seems to me that, in order to solve the problem, there need to be frank, transparent and open discussions with Canadians. All of you sitting at this table know Canadians. Yes, they are, I believe, in the midst of an economic crisis. However, I do not think that means that we should abandon Africans.
I have just come back from West Africa, where I led a mission involving 22 organizations. We saw four countries in 12 days; I am sure you will agree that this was quick. I attended 159 meetings with three presidents in 12 days. Three of the four countries were Francophone: Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and Senegal. There is a huge need there. When people tell me that aid is not being used as effectively there as in Kenya or Tanzania, my response is that that is possible. However, are we now going to provide aid to the countries that work most effectively, that are the least in need and the most able to get along on their own? I don't know.
Let me give you another example — the MAI.
I don't know if you've heard about MAI. It is the multilateral access initiative.
It is the same thing with the AGOA. Through the MAI, it is possible to import any product from developing countries, except dairy products and poultry. However, if you ask people in African countries whether they are familiar with this program, they will say that they are not. It does not get much publicity, because there are not enough people to do that. It is very important to involve Africans in the export of their products, because that is how the economy will develop. Unfortunately, that program is not accessible enough.
Look at what happened in Burkina Faso. We went from $24 million in 2007 to $800,000 in 2008. Furthermore, Burkina Faso is no longer on the list, and yet we are telling people there not to be worried, that they won't lose anything. I am not so sure. I have not yet seen the figures for 2009 and I am afraid it may have gone down to $400,000. Burkina Faso, whose President Compaoré is setting a good example of proper management and good governance—that was one of the criteria for the list of 25 countries—is not longer on the list. People there must be wondering why.
I am not sure that it was a good idea to go from 25 to 20 countries. Already, 90% of our spending was in those 25 countries. What was the idea of focusing spending in even fewer countries?
To answer your question about what we should do, I say you need to talk to Canadians and people in government, and try to make them aware of the African reality. As I often say to my children and others, when I was little, I paid the missionaries; now, we are the missionaries in Canada, and will continue to be.