Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise and speak to the motion from my colleague and friend. The member for York South—Weston—Etobicoke has introduced a substantial motion that all of us should get behind. The experience he brings to the table as a former minister who has dealt with the issue first-hand and who has had the opportunity to experience the benefits of Canada's contribution to foreign aid speaks volumes.
I would like to reflect a bit on a couple of things. One is the important role that Canada plays as a G7 country. Much like other G7 countries, we have a leadership role to play in the world in how we can make the world a better place in which to live. Canada has a moral and, I would ultimately argue, legal obligation to financially support other areas of the world.
Through our aid, we have been very generous over the years, and we have been effective with the dollars we contribute. There is a high sense of accountability, and we have to look at ways to do this in a smart fashion, in a strategic and innovative way, so we can contribute to the betterment of other countries and their development. The motion we have before us highlights three ways in which we can do that.
We can talk about how important it is for us to integrate opportunities for reciprocal economic benefits where we provide some form of assistance to small and medium-sized businesses and non-profits so they are able to benefit from the foreign aid that has been provided. I am going to use the Philippines in a couple of examples.
Not that long ago, I was in the Philippines with the former minister of agriculture. People may be be surprised to know that Canada leads the world in potato production in many ways, with good-quality potatoes. Our expertise and technology were being used in the Philippines, where we saw potatoes being produced from seeds from Prince Edward Island. Those potato seeds ultimately increased the production of potatoes in the Philippines. I would ultimately argue that there are many different ways in which we can contribute and that there is a great benefit not only to the people who receive assistance, but also to Canada.
Just recently, the Secretary of State for International Development came back from the Philippines. There was a commitment of multiple millions of dollars to support 12 different types of projects in the Philippines. The Red Cross has been supported to help support the Philippines in dealing with climate disasters, as have the areas in which we promote economic development for a more stable community. That project, as I recall, is from a few years ago, and we provided, I believe, $1 million. That provided an educational program to promote peace and tolerance, human rights and anti-racism in the Mindanao area of the country to ensure there is more tolerance, if I can put it that way. We saw a substantial decrease in racist behaviour, or more tolerance among children. The program affected thousands of students and the hundreds of teachers who provided the programming, and that was with $1 million.
When we take a look at the overall numbers, we find that through a relatively small investment, Canada can have a profoundly positive impact in the country where we made that investment. When I say small investments versus large impact, I am talking about, for a few million dollars, impacting literally millions and millions of children in particular. That is where my interest is when I think of foreign investment to support international assistance. It is how we help children and women in particular in our society. I take great pride in the manner in which Canada, in many ways, leads the world on that as a G7 country.
Going back to the Philippines, I would suggest, using a tangible example that comes out of the motion, that Canada has a long history with the Philippines of supporting initiatives to support the people of the Philippines. Earlier this year, five or six weeks ago, the Prime Minister was in Malaysia, where he met with President Marcos. They had a wonderful discussion, which ultimately led to a commitment to trying to get a free trade agreement between Canada and the Philippines in 2026.
When I have had discussions with members of Congress from the Philippines in the past, or just with individuals in general from the business community and others, they often talk about the special relationship between the two countries. Canada cares about what is taking place in the Philippines, and as a direct result, this has had an impact, as the Philippines has elevated its middle class, which has grown expeditiously over the last number of years. Its GDP continues to increase. Its place in Asia continues to grow. Because of Canada's relationship with the Philippines over the last number of years, not only have we been able to help many people in the Philippines, but we are now seeing the dividends here in Canada.
I think of the former minister and the efforts that he put toward the continent of Africa and toward the many countries to which we have contributed international development assistance over the years, covering a wide area of support, with emphasis on children, hunger, education, women, human rights and climate change. These are the types of values that we often tie to our foreign assistance. I believe that builds a healthier and stronger relationship.
When we take a look at the motion that has been brought forward by my friend from York South—Weston—Etobicoke, we see the three points that are amplified: integrating reciprocal economic opportunities for small businesses, non-profits and the like so there is a benefit for Canadians; having a dedicated economic partnership window, especially for larger projects, which I suspect will make a huge difference; and ultimately having a report to Parliament on an annual basis dealing with outcomes, ensuring more accountability.
These are the types of things with which we can build more public confidence within Canada and that show why it is so important that we continue to support international development and aid. Here at home, at times there can be resistance to it. If we provide a sense of accountability and explain to Canadians why it is so important that Canada plays this role, I believe it will be better received all round.
I believe we have a moral obligation to continue on the path that we started many years ago. I appreciate that this motion was brought forward by my colleague.