Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his excellent question. We announced $40 million in supplementary funding for new multi-year funds in addition to what has already been committed to microcredit projects, including projects in Afghanistan.
CIDA's microcredit spending has risen by about 31% over the past year from $26 million to $34 million. This announcement is proof positive of our commitment to make financial services accessible to poor people, especially women.