Mr. Speaker, in response to the question from the NDP member, I will give a little clarification in reference to the matching funds he was talking about.
The matching funds program was for a duration of time and it has already expired. There is no other program that the Government of Canada has for matching funds. However, for the member's information, he can always donate to the Canadian NGOs working in Haiti and ask Canadians to donate to them for the excellent effort they are doing. The matching fund program is over.
Secondly, I think there needs to be some clarification on the money that has been pledged and the international effort that is there. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, the minister for CIDA and the American Secretary of State have said that this money needs to go through the reconstruction commission. In turn, it works with the Government of Haiti to identify the projects on the ground.
I do understand the frustration of everyone, and our frustration, that the process has slowed down due to the elections. We need to really push that program. Yes, the money is there, the effort is there, but the point is to push the Government of Haiti and the electorate to expedite the reconstruction process.