Aileen Carroll

[International Aid, March 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I have walked through this change in Treasury Board rules that allow us to move from conditional into grants. I have explained that we are not giving grants to fly-by-night outfits, but rather to United Nations agencies and to international organizations with auditing systems that are totally in compliance with my sense of fiduciary duty.

I have again and again explained that those NGOs with which we are working, that have been accepted for matching funds, have all the systems in place that make me very comfortable to tell Canadians they can rest assured that we are being responsible with their money.

[International Aid, March 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, over $37 million in relief to date already has been put in place in tsunami affected countries; $26 million to UN aid control; the Canadian Red Cross, which we have funded, has shipped $33 million worth of relief supplies; and in Indonesia, 1,500 wells in Banda Aceh. So far Canada has provided $10.5 million to the world food program.

Promises made; promises kept.

[International Assistance, February 25th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I join countries and like-minded donors like France, Britain and other countries in our absolute commitment to fighting poverty and to reaching the millennium development goals.

We are looked on by those countries as a strong partner. I work with them in many different venues. I will be with them next week as we work at the OECD and DAC committee to move forward in the achievement of the development goals.

Because we are a balanced government and have assigned funding to the armed forces at a time when they need it, we have also done equal funding for aid. This is a balanced response.

[International Assistance, February 25th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am a bit taken back. I would share with the member that it has been a wonderful week for foreign aid in Canada as a result of the finance minister's budget.

The budget allocated significant resources to the international assistance envelope, $3.4 billion over five years. This is on top of a $248 million increase in my budget for 2005-06 and $641 million in additional funding at the end of the year.

I cannot say that it has not been a very good news story.

[Poverty, February 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I would agree that global poverty is indeed the challenge of our time. I do not think we can leave to future generations the challenge of 40 million children going to bed hungry, of living in a world where the average life expectancy is not even 40.

We need to understand in the House that the government and the country is committed to the millennium development goals. The best thing I could say is to quote Nelson Mandela's comment, “We must make poverty history”.

[International Aid, February 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate those norms that are set as international guidelines, but I also think that one of the norms expected of me is an effective delivery of aid. It is not just all about quantity. In that regard, I would ask the hon. member to consider all of the improvements and standards that this agency has achieved.

I would note, as she listens and follows the outpouring of the international policy statement, the intention for far greater coherency and focus at my department. Effectiveness will increase and so will the total amount given to the aid budget.

[International Aid, February 21st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government has committed to increase international assistance by 8% each year which will double our budget by the year 2010.

We have done extraordinarily well in showing leadership to the entire HIV-AIDS pandemic; $100 million to the World Health Organization's 3 by 5. James Morris, who is the head of the World Food Program, said:

Canada is one of our best friends, an incredibly generous country in terms of looking at these tough humanitarian issues.

He called the Canadian International Development Agency a national treasure.

[Auditor General's Report, February 16th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am trying to explain, although it is a challenge.

We have here a difference between contributions and grants. Treasury Board made a change which we found to be very good. The Auditor General is pleased with the change. The change allows us to give grants. I have a problem and I ask that the hon. member--

[Auditor General's Report, February 16th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I know it is a subtle challenge. It is one we call flexible response. When the first question has been answered and the second is a repeat, the member should try to connect with the answer he has received.

The Auditor General made it very clear, my dear sir, that there has been a change--

[Auditor General's Report, February 16th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I will try not to judge the confidence of that question, but I think what is key here is that the Auditor General said, “Overall, CIDA has made satisfactory progress” in responding to her recommendations.

It is important to note that it is often confusing because the Auditor General makes reference to grants and contributions. She made reference to the fact we are increasing grants. There was, after 20 years, a change in Treasury Board. It now allows grants.

The organizations to which I give grants are the World Food Program and the World Health Organization. I am very comfortable with their auditing processes.