Thank you.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen of the committee.
My name is Nathalie Michaud, and I am a psychosociologist who specializes in the settlement and integration of newcomers.
I am here to share with you my lack of understanding as to the low percentage of our national wealth that is devoted to official development assistance. Our level of official development assistance in Canada is at its lowest in 10 years. It's disgraceful.
I have lived in African villages that benefited from Canada's help for the construction of schools. When I meet some of the children who have newly arrived here, in Canada, and are behind in their schooling, I can only conclude that the percentage of our aid budget is insufficient to allow, among other things, access to quality education for all.
Why does our level of assistance not reflect the values of equality and compassion we are known for, and why does it not honour our promise to devote 0.7% of our national wealth to the development of the poorest and most vulnerable populations of the world? We have to increase the percentage we allocate to official development assistance, if we are to have the concrete means to have an important and sustainable effect.
I implore you, dear members of the committee, to recommend an increase to the international assistance we provide in Budget 2018.
I am a citizen who is impatient to see that Canada really is back in the international arena.
Thank you for listening.