Thank you. You seem to be alluding to organizations whose mission is to strengthen political parties abroad. Providing effective support to political parties is compatible with our general approach to promote democracy and freedom.
The issue is whether Canada should set up an institution such as the NDI, the National Democratic Institute, or the IMD, the Institute for Multiparty Democracy, which is a Dutch body, or whether it should copy, another model. Since democratic values in politics are being increasingly recognized, it is becoming easier for organizations working in the area of development to promote every aspect of democracy, including the vital role played by political parties as instruments of political competition.
We believe it is useful to assess the best way of doing this work, including the possibility of assigning it to existing organizations. But we will be very sensitive to the committee's views on this issue and we will be pleased to take your recommendations into account.