Mr. Speaker, Canada has a long-standing development co-operation program in Cuba. Ours is the longest-running development program of any western nation. Canada had a modest international development relationship with Cuba between 1968 and the establishment of our formal bilateral development program in 1994.
In the early days, Canada supported ad hoc initiatives, such as research and agricultural development and academic exchanges.
Over the years, Canada’s international development presence in Cuba has adapted to the changing Cuban context, to meet the needs of Cuban people. Also, over the years, Canada’s development program has gained respect from Cuba for its effectiveness, flexibility, and stability over the long-term.
Today, Canada’s international development objective in Cuba is to improve the economic well-being of the most vulnerable Cubans. We work toward that objective by supporting projects that focus on two priorities: increasing food security and stimulating sustainable economic growth.
These priorities are clearly relevant in Cuba today in light of the economic reforms currently being implemented, and align well with Canada's interest in fostering trade, supporting economic liberalization, and promoting peaceful and sustainable democratic development.
I neglected to mention that I will be sharing my time with the member for Laurentides—Labelle.
In that sense, Canada's development program in Cuba is an effective vehicle to promote Canadian values and interests. Canada is ranked third after the European Union and Switzerland in terms of development assistance to Cuba. Relatively speaking, Canada disburses a modest amount of official development assistance in Cuba each year. Annually, we support about $4.5 million in international development projects. These projects are implemented by Canadian international and multilateral executing agencies.
Over the years, projects supported by Canada have contributed to a number of key achievements in Cuba, making a real contribution to modernizing the Cuban state and encouraging liberalization.
Canada and the other donor countries and agencies that are engaged in Cuba continue to pursue development assistance in the country based on a recognition of ongoing needs. While Cuba leads the Caribbean region in life expectancy, equity, education, health, social spending, and disaster preparedness, it struggles economically. Additionally, food security is a national issue, as Cuba still imports 70% to 80% of its food. Predictably, women and the elderly are most affected by food insecurity.
Deep inefficiencies in its central economy, limited investment, and the US embargo continue to inhibit economic growth. The average monthly wage for Cuban people is $30. Cuba is working to build a more productive workforce at home, including by allowing increased space for an entrepreneurial class and certain elements of the free market into the economy.
The success of Cuba’s reforms will depend on new economic approaches taking hold and existing ones becoming more efficient. Both will require significant investment, institutional and individual capacity building, and shifts in economic governance. This is a key area in which Canada has been able to provide assistance to Cuba, through the projects focused on sustainable economic growth.
For example, one project funded by Canada works with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and Cuba's Ministry of Energy and Mines to help cultivate a skilled and competitive labour force that reflects emerging economic requirements in Cuba. This project has trained thousands of Cuban men and women in high demand occupations, such as the instrumentation, electrical, and millwright fields.
Another project that Canada supports works with Cowater International and the Office of the Comptroller General of Cuba. This project has introduced modern auditing approaches and techniques based on Canadian and international models, enabling Cuban auditors to contribute significantly to the strengthening institutional accountability in Cuba.
Boosting domestic food production and improving food security are also high priorities for Cuba's government, which recognizes the need for modern farming practices, better land use, and more efficient food value chains. This is another area in which Canada has been able to provide assistance to Cuba, through its projects focused on increasing food security. For example, a project that Canada supports, alongside the World Food Programme and Cuba's Ministry of Agriculture, works with farmers to increase their yields of healthy foods, particularly beans. These beans are eaten by children at day care centres, and are served at community meal centres for vulnerable people.
Another project with CARE Canada, Oxfam Canada, the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture, and the Cuban soils institute, the Instituto de Suelos, is increasing urban and suburban agricultural production, while working to increase sustainable production of diversified food products close to urban centres, especially by Cuban women producers.
Of course, during his recent trip to Cuba, the Prime Minister announced that Canada would be supporting a new project in Cuba with the United Nations Development Programme and the Cuban Ministry of Agriculture. This project will contribute to economic growth and livelihoods development among poor Cubans through agricultural development. It will create new job opportunities for women, who are currently under-represented in the farming sector in Cuba.
After hurricane Matthew hit Cuba on October 4, 2016, another aspect of the Canada-Cuba development relationship came into play. Canada provided more than $500,000 to international humanitarian assistance organizations working in Cuba to supply drinking water and sanitation facilities, basic shelter, and food aid for residents in the hardest hit regions of the country. At the same time, the Government of Cuba assisted in the safe evacuation of Canadian tourists who had been vacationing in hurricane-affected areas.
These projects all involve participation by many actors, both Cuban and Canadian, across a number of spheres. They are contributing to the changes that many Cubans and Canadians want to see realized in Cuba. Canada's development program in Cuba is just one aspect of the healthy relationship we maintain with Cuba, which encompasses diplomatic relations, trade, and consular services. Together, each reinforces and strengthens our overall relationship with Cuba.
I think it is extremely important to mention today that Canada in all of our diplomatic efforts always champions human rights. It is something our government has done. It is something that previous governments have done and it is something that we as Canadians do every single day.