Good morning. My name is Duncan Kirby and I am a member of Engineers without Borders Canada.
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 recommendations that the committee made last year in its report on the pre-budget consultation and an OECD report on Canada released in mid-September.
I was very encouraged to see the Government of Canada commit to increasing ODA in budget 2018, but despite this increase, Canada's ODA spending is still near a historical low and well below many of our global peers. Increases will simply keep the aid budget on track with inflation.
ODA is fundamental to our shared global prosperity. These investments support vital services such 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.