National Defence Committee on Dec. 12th, 2006

[Dawn Black, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

I have a very quick follow-up. When I look at the analysis of the figures and what percentage was going specifically to women's projects, I'm wondering if it means at the local decision-making level--and I know we're partnered with the people in Afghanistan--is it still difficult to get agreement that projects should be specifically targeted to women?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Let me simply remind you of this fact. Recently, I read in a Quebec newspaper that an Afghan had said that his priority was to send his young girls to school, that in his opinion women have rights, and young girls also have rights and that this is a priority for him.

I would also like to remind you that after the Medusa campaign, especially in the districts of Panjwai and Zherai, the opening of new schools was announced. Nine hundred children could go to these schools and, of course, there are young girls among them.

Last October 22, I also announced that $14.5 million would be allocated to primary schooling for girls. This was meant to train 4,000 teachers, more specifically women. These sums will be distributed among 11 provinces, including Kandahar.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Thank you, Madame Minister.

Mr. Blaney.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will share my time with my colleagues.

Madam Minister, we are very glad to meet you this morning and to hear you speak with such conviction about the progress that is being made in an extremely difficult situation in Afghanistan. I think that you have clearly shown the link that exists between security and the progress of Afghan society, especially for women. As I am a member from the same region as yourself, I want to tell you that your earnest and heartfelt commitment to your ministry gives meaning to the intervention of our soldiers from Valcartier, who will soon be leaving to relieve the troops already there. Some 2,500 Quebec soldiers will be leaving to defend our values in Afghanistan. This is important, and I wanted to mention it to you.

You announced a microfinancing project. I would like to hear some details from you about it. Personally I think that the small sums of money are a very concrete way of making a difference. You stated that women were the main beneficiaries of the microcredit program and that the loans are being paid back. Basically, this program is not too costly.

How can this help us to make progress in Afghanistan?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Thank you for your question and your comments.

The microcredit program is an extremely popular program across the globe, but especially in Afghanistan. Among other things, it allows women to take their future into their own hands and earn an income to support their family.

In the photos that were handed out, you can see women working at sewing machines. You must understand that with small loans, these women can start up a small arts and crafts business, for example, or buy cattle to ensure that they and their family survive.

Over 200,000 loans were made in Afghanistan, and 75% of those small loans were made to women. Clearly, that is a good way to assure that they integrate Afghanistan's economy. It is a very popular program, and we most certainly intend to continue working in this and other areas.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

Thank you.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Thank you, and if there's any time left, Mr. Chair, I'd like to share it with my colleagues.

Thank you very much for this handout. I think Afghanistan is far less developed than we thought. It stands to reason that you would need electricity and access to water before you built a more complex structure.

Recognizing that Canadian soldiers have been deployed to Afghanistan both to fight terrorism on their own shores and to provide a stable and secure environment for reconstruction and development to take place, we always have the safety of our soldiers utmost in mind. Last week in the national news it was reported that some of the Afghan soldiers actually trade ammunition to the Taliban in exchange for security for their village.

Can you tell me what measures CIDA has in place to ensure that the money that taxpayers put toward CIDA is used for the purpose that it's intended and not going to arms or ammunition?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

As you know, our government is very committed to accountability.

We are working with very respected partners, for example the World Bank, which retained the services of Price Waterhouse Coopers to ensure that the money is properly channeled, that the money intended to help Afghanis is spent appropriately. The report is available to anyone who wants to consult it.

Furthermore, we are working with NGOs that have their own very strict accountability criteria and we make sure, of course, that the money is well spent.

CIDA has its own internal assessment programs, which are also very strict. Funding is only paid out once the various project stages are completed. That is how things are done.

To conclude, I would like to quote a senior official at the World Bank, Mr. Mazerolle. He recently commended CIDA and the Canadian government for its strict monitoring of the way that the money intended for Afghanistan was being spent.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Thank you.

When a country such as Afghanistan cannot purchase technology from within--for example, de-mining technology--is Canadian business made aware that purchases are being tendered, or is the recipient country free to purchase technology or products from the competitors of Canadian business?

[Philip Baker]

In this case, there are two fronts on this approach. The Government of Afghanistan is doing its own internal procurement, and Canada in fact is helping with a project called the procurement marketplace, which is assisting both donors and the Afghan government to source locally within Afghanistan, to help build capacity and build its own base of small and medium-sized enterprise and private enterprise.

For Canada, for projects that companies can bid upon, you will see systems through CIDA and the Government of Canada like the MERX system or the ACAN system, advance contract award notification--open and public bidding processes that allow private firms and NGOs to be bidding on certain projects. CIDA also has an arm that assists the private sector with feasibility studies as well.

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

There are two minutes left.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Thank you.

Minister, I'd like to follow up on a couple of points that Ms. Black raised.

In the briefing from the NGO that talked about rampant starvation in Afghanistan, the pictorial evidence was about six or seven pictures of the very same child. But I want to ask a question.

Clearly there are people who need help. We talked about the amount of food aid given. Do we have a grip on that situation in Kandahar with respect to at least making progress to define that we can solve, in relative terms, the hunger problem in that area within a reasonable time?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

The CIDA team, which works with the Provincial Reconstruction Team, has weekly meetings with the food assistance organizations, for example, to provide us with accurate information on the status of projects as they move forward. Vaccination and food aid programs come to mind.

If I remember correctly, yesterday, during my conversation with staff, it was said that over 7,000 families had already received food aid. That is information I received yesterday morning.

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

The second point raised was that 1.6% of the funds have been directed to programs specifically for women.

All programs directed to the Afghan people obviously are destined for women, men, children, boys, girls, so is the 1.6% to women potentially misleading if somebody takes that out of context, since all those programs are going to all Afghan people?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

You are right to raise that issue.

Generally speaking, of course, the aid we give to Afghanis is also intended for women. We will not give food aid solely to women in order to claim that we set up a project especially for women.

Generally speaking, approximately 90% of women benefit from one or another of our programs in Afghanistan.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Thank you.

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Philip Baker would like to make a comment.

[Philip Baker]

I'll just add one more quick comment on that. We are a major supporter of the national solidarity program nationwide--one of the top funders, in fact. That program has reached close to half the villages already, right across Afghanistan.

A key tenet of that program is empowering women, such that they are involved in democracy at work right at the local level; they are involved in community development councils in selecting and identifying the right projects. It's a key program, one of the many that are reaching out directly to women in the villages right across the country.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Thank you very much.

That concludes this portion of our meeting.

Before you go, thank you very much for being here and answering the questions. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

I would like to thank all members of the committee for having received me today.

I would simply like to remind you all that Canada values freedom, democracy and peoples' right to live in a safe and secure environment.

I want to make sure that, when defending human rights, we defend them for all, including the people of Afghanistan, its women and children.

Our work is very important. We have to ensure that women never again live in darkness. Young girls and children in general should never again be prevented from going to school.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rick Casson]

Thank you very much.

I'll adjourn this meeting and take a short recess to go in camera. Could the steering committee please stick around for the next portion.

Thank you.