Good morning. My name is David Nelson. I'm a member of the University of New Brunswick chapter of Engineers Without Borders.
In budget 2019, I'm asking that Canada commit to a 10-year timetable of predictable annual increases of 15% to the international assistance envelope. This is in keeping with the recommendation the committee made last year in regard to the pre-budget consultation, as well as to an OECD report on Canada released in mid-September.
I was really encouraged to see the Government of Canada commit to ODA in budget 2018, but despite this increase, Canada's spending is still near its historical low. We are well below many of our global peers. ODA is fundamental, as these investments support such vital services as health care and education in some of the least-developed countries. Increasing ODA through a predictable timetable in budget 2019 would show that Canada is a committed global leader that is helping to create a better world for everyone.
Thank you so much for your time.