Good afternoon. My name is Imad Abdulkadir, and I am a second-year engineering student at the University of Toronto. I am also an active member of the Engineers Without Borders Canada chapter at my university.
I am very proud of the direction in which the Liberal government has gone thus far. I was thrilled to hear our Prime Minister tell the world “We're Canadian and we're here to help” during the United Nations General Assembly. I believe his words are being manifested through our commitments to the sustainable development goal agenda and through various organizations like the Global Fund.
I am speaking with you today, however, because I am concerned that our international assistance envelope funding levels are the lowest of any modern Canadian Prime Minister, and are lagging behind in comparison with our G7 counterparts, hindering our ability to implement the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
As a Canadian of Ethiopian origin, the topic of foreign aid is for me personal. Having witnessed first-hand the disparity of wealth and opportunity that sets Ethiopia and many nations apart from the world we are privileged to enjoy here in Canada, it pains me to know that we aren't doing everything we can to help those less privileged than us.
In budget 2017 I'd like to ask that Canada commit to predictable increases to the international assistance envelope of 10% annually to the end of the 42nd Parliament in order to aid implementation of the 2030 sustainable development agenda; and that Canada aim to meet the UN and OECD funding target of 0.7% of gross national income by 2030. Making a strong ODA commitment aligns with the ministerial mandate and is a decisive stepping stone towards early progress in the sustainable development goals.
Thank you.