Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, ladies and gentlemen, members of the committee, thank you for inviting me today.
I will be making my remarks in both official languages.
I want to begin by recognizing those Canadians who have lost their lives working abroad. Those men and women embody the best of Canadian values.
They risked their lives to help strangers in need, in some of the most difficult conditions, and they paid the ultimate price. We send our thoughts and prayers to their loved ones. We will honour their sacrifice by ensuring Canada remains a world leader in humanitarian aid and international development.
Canada's development programs save lives. It's as simple as that. As Minister of International Development, my main priority is poverty alleviation, but if we are to achieve that goal, we need to be innovative. We need to look to new solutions and new partners, and promoting the involvement of the private sector in development is a big part of that.
Ending extreme poverty and promoting global prosperity are two sides of the same coin. Creating sustainable economic growth is our most effective tool for eradicating poverty around the world. We remain focused on the same goals, but our approach is adapting to the changing needs. I've spoken to heads of states on three continents and they all tell me the same thing: they don't want aid; they want trade.
Canada is recognized as a world leader in many areas, such as agriculture, telecommunications and responsible resource development. Canadian companies have immense expertise to offer the world. A lot of good can come from their involvement in development.
We are also broadening our relationships with civil society organizations, which are our crucial partners in development. His Highness the Aga Khan put it very well when he spoke to the House of Commons:
An active civil society can open the door for an enormous variety of energies and talents from a broad spectrum of organizations and individuals. It means opening the way for diversity. It means welcoming plurality.
In addition to the long-term programs it funds, Canada remains at the forefront of humanitarian responses. We were there in Haiti and the Sahel, and we are currently a leading donor in Syria, the Philippines and the Central African Republic. This is not going to change. There will always be a need for immediate disaster response.
Successful long-term development can help build resilience and lift people out of poverty.
It was the relentless focus on delivering results for those most in need that drove the Prime Minister to launch the Muskoka initiative in 2010. Maternal and child health is Canada's leading development priority. Before the Prime Minister drew the world's attention to this crucial issue, we were falling short on reducing child mortality and curbing maternal deaths, and thanks to the Muskoka initiative and subsequent global action, maternal mortality rates are declining and millions more children are celebrating their fifth birthdays.
Our common goal has not yet been reached, but it is within arm's reach. Together we can eliminate preventable deaths among women, children and newborns, and we can save millions of lives that hang in the balance.
Canada also saves lives by contributing to high-performing global initiatives, like the Global Fund for Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria. With Canada's help, the global fund is saving more than 100,000 lives every month.
Mr. Chair, it was just over a year ago that the amalgamation of the Canadian International Development Agency and the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade was announced. The goal of the amalgamation was to enhance coherence and alignment between Canada's trade, diplomacy, and development activities. The department is delivering on its new, redefined mandate, and development plays a central role in that.
There is no better example of coordinated action than Canada's response to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. The Canadian response was quick and efficient, and it utilized all of Canada's resources.
As noted by Mark Kane of Save the Children U.K.:
...it was brilliant that the Canadians came to provide critical assistance. In such situations it is about mobilizing resources quickly to make sure that everyone who is suffering can be reached, and that is what Canada did. It was important that they were willing to work away from the headlines. They made a huge contribution.
The situation in Syria, though a man-made and not natural crisis, is another example of Canada's coordinated response.
Three years ago, the Assad regime responded to peaceful demonstrations with obscene and brutal repression. Today, the situation has deteriorated into a major humanitarian crisis, which has been made worse by the regime's wilful denial of assistance to populations in need and its deliberate targeting of humanitarian workers.
In total, Canada has contributed more than $630 million in humanitarian and development assistance to Syria. It has spent millions more to help the surrounding regions cope with the huge influx of Syrian refugees.
While completely different, the Philippine and Syrian examples demonstrate how Canada contributes to complex efforts. Our work in this area has been exemplary, and our government and Canadians are proud of our contributions.
Mr. Chair, I want to emphasize also that the department manages and disburses funds with the utmost diligence and efficiency. Our government's commitment to helping people who live in poverty and to responding to humanitarian crises remains strong. Canada is recognized around the world for paying what we pledge, and we encourage all nations to do the same. Canada met all of its international development commitments for the year, and I have made clear to the department that I expect Canada to meet all of its commitments for this year as well.
Thanks for your time.
