Mr. Speaker, the response is as follows: a) The Official Development Assistance Accountability Act (2008, c.17), stipulates that official development assistance may be provided only if the competent minister is of the opinion that it (a) contributes to poverty reduction; (b) takes into account the perspectives of the poor; and (c) is consistent with international human rights standards.
This act provides a framework within which CIDA plans its directive development programming and responds to proposals from Canadian organizations.
CIDA receives more proposals than it has the budget to fund, so that even some proposals that meet the broad framework of the act must be turned down.
b) Since taking office in 2006, our government has indicated both in Speeches from the Throne and subsequent budgets that we would be working to make Canada’s international assistance more effective.
A critical element of our effectiveness agenda is to focus our resources both geographically and thematically. Another element is to ensure that all of the projects we support deliver results that make a real difference in the lives of those living in poverty. With CIDA’s new approach to aid effectiveness, some program and project proposals will not be funded.