Foreign Affairs Committee on Dec. 6th, 2023

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Are they aware of the allegations?

[Shirley Carruthers]

What I would say is that from a Government of Canada perspective, we don't condone that kind of activity and we would definitely ask that our partners take swift action if something like that—

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

If you could table any information that you have on that with the committee, it would be great.

Switching gears a little bit, I do appreciate the clarity with which Global Affairs funds the International Joint Commission. It's one line; it's very clear to follow.

You're aware that there's been a request at the PMO since April 2022 to change the machinery of government for the Great Lakes Fishery Commission. Yes, that's almost two years ago. Would it be the intention of Global Affairs to report the funding to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in the same manner for this international treaty as you're doing for the International Joint Commission?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Unfortunately, I don't have that answer with me, but again, I would be happy to get back to you in terms of the way forward on that.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Thank you.

In your opening remarks, you talked about the replenishment of the crisis pool. What's the accountability mechanism there for the funds that are spent?

[Shirley Carruthers]

In terms of the crisis pool, at the beginning of every fiscal year, Global Affairs Canada has access to $200 million. It's frozen within our reference levels.

When different crises occur around the globe and we require additional funding above and beyond what we have in our existing base reference level, we can make a request to access and unfreeze the funding that's in our quick-release mechanism.

Definitely what we would need to go towards.... We have to have a letter signed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of International Development, and that would be sent to the Prime Minister.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Specifically with regard to the $25 million that the international development minister can access immediately, is there a different accountability mechanism?

[Shirley Carruthers]

What we're asking for in these supplementary estimates is just to bring forward funding that was unspent from last year into our reference levels this year so that if there is a requirement for those funds, we would be able to access them.

I don't know, Peter, if you'd like to add any additional details.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

That's fine. I want to get in one more question if I can.

Ethiopia, as has been mentioned before, has been a large recipient of funding in the past. In fact, it's actually incorporated some of the work that Canada has helped it with into its own agricultural extensions programs, done through a CSO that I'm familiar with here in Canada. Canada's a leader in agricultural innovation.

I'm talking specifically around the $430 million of climate financing. Can you break down how much of that is actually earmarked with agricultural initiatives, an area where Canada is an expert and can possibly help other regions of the world as well?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Unfortunately, I don't have that information with me here.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

If you could table that with the committee—

[Shirley Carruthers]

Oh, Peter—

[Peter MacDougall]

Most of the $430 million that we're seeking this year is not agriculture-related, but climate-smart agriculture is one of our four main thematic areas in the climate financing program, so it's absolutely a major priority for us.

In 2022-23, we spent approximately $230 million on climate-smart agriculture and food systems.

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, MP Epp.

We'll now go to MP Chatel. You have five minutes.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

When countries invest in or have strong women in leadership, I think that we can all agree that they invest in people. When you have a leader of a party in which 18% of members are women, you could imagine that the leader invests in his own ego. We saw a beautiful documentary proving this.

I'll ask you about the project and the additional funding that you're requesting for a very important program. It's called the “women's voice and leadership program”, and it's to ensure that women in countries like Canada have leaders who are women.

I'd like to know more about these critical projects that this additional funding will bring.

[Shirley Carruthers]

Support for women's rights is at the cornerstone, as you know, of Canada's feminist international assistance policy, but perhaps I can turn to my colleague, Peter MacDougall, to have him provide some additional details about specifics on those initiatives.

[Peter MacDougall]

Sure.

This $7 million per year would start the second round of a five-year cycle of the women's voice and leadership program. It will continue to support women's rights organizations, expanding our support in conflict and crisis-affected contexts and going beyond and challenging some of the structural barriers for excluded groups, such as women with disabilities and LGBTQI women groups. We're going to work very closely with local NGOs in about 30 to 35 countries and really enhancing our partnership with the global south more generally.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you so much.

There may be some great inspiration for your leader and your party. That's a great project. I think you should get inspiration from that.

Like my colleague earlier, I too would like to talk about climate investments. I'm interested in investments we're making in sustainable agriculture in other countries. I think food security and climate change are inextricably linked.

What projects will we be able to fund with this additional money?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Thank you very much for the question.

Again I will turn it to my colleague Peter MacDougall.

[Peter MacDougall]

Thank you.

This $430 million will go four specific projects, some of which include agriculture. The first is working with the Inter-American Development Bank. This is a climate resilience accelerator fund. This would bring together a number of donors offering concessional finance in Latin America and the Caribbean, looking predominantly at adaptation projects.

The second one is a Canadian climate and nature fund for the private sector in the Asian context. This one in particular is focused on climate-smart agriculture. That's a $182-million loan.

There are a couple of other initiatives that would most definitely touch agriculture, such as support to the green climate fund, as well as a climate action initiative in the Caribbean, which would also have some elements of agriculture.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Can you give us an example of a specific project?

[Peter MacDougall]

These projects for which we're asking for additional funding this year are in the process of being negotiated. I'd have to get you the specific details. We have literally hundreds of projects in this portfolio. I can give you a specific example in writing.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you very much.

I'd like to talk about expenditures related to helping developing countries deal with the impact of climate change. You talked about protecting biodiversity, which is in significant decline around the world.

Are some sectors more heavily affected or at greater risk with respect to biodiversity?

[Shirley Carruthers]

Thank you very much for the question.

I'm not sure I have the specific response to the question that you've asked. What I can say is that the funding that's provided in these supplementary estimates for biodiversity programs will support three different thematic areas, including conservation and restoration, sustainable use of biodiversity, and an enabling environment and mainstreaming function.