Mr. Speaker, I would like to quickly comment on the decision made in Kananaskis to help the least developed countries. Helping the 48 least developed countries is an important initiative because, as we know, most of these countries are in Africa.
There is also the Canada fund for Africa, which was announced last year by the Canadian government. Out of a $500 million fund, an amount of $100 million was set aside to create partnerships with Canadian businesses. The private sector is also expected to contribute an amount of $100 million which, in the end, should provide an investment fund of some $200 million.
The objective is to ensure that we provide help, particularly to the world's poorest continent, a continent where life expectancy continues to drop, while poverty is constantly on the rise. Under these circumstances, it is definitely in the interest of a number of African countries, including those that produce cotton—such as Benin for example—to associate themselves with Canadian businesses to develop their industry, as I have mentioned on several occasions.
I realize that this is not a cure-all. What we are trying to do as a government, and I think we are succeeding, is to first meet our international obligations, but also to lend a helping hand to the poorest people on the planet while protecting Canada's textile and clothing industries.