Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Madam Minister, for being with us this morning.
The 2007 budget includes measures to increase the accountability of Canadian international assistance programs. It states, and I quote:
Specifically, this government will examine options to ensure the independent evaluation of our aid program, providing parliamentarians and Canadians with an objective assessment of the results we achieve with our international assistance. […] This government will provide Canadians with reporting on a more frequent basis that is easier to understand, including report cards on our effectiveness in individual countries.
Madam Minister, could you explain how the government intends to conduct an independent evaluation of Canadian international aid? What are the evaluation criteria, tools and methods that will be used to determine the effectiveness of Canadian assistance in recipient countries?