Bev Oda

[International Co-operation, June 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear. This government wants to ensure that its international assistance is actually helping those it is intended to help. This is about making good, responsible use of taxpayer dollars for the best benefit of those living in poverty.

This government has been acknowledged for fulfilling its commitment, unlike the previous government that made a commitment to the starving children of the world and did not fulfill that commitment after signing the food aid convention four years out of seven.

[Maternal Health, June 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, our government wants to ensure its international aid is making a difference. In fact, I met with representatives from the Mali government and they told me that when we increased our assistance to them, that represented 20% of their national budget. They put that forward to help the health of women. Now 80% of the women in Mali have birth attendants when they give safe delivery to their children. This is the kind of difference and this is the kind of action we want to see.

[Maternal Health, June 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to the Cairo plan of action, and in fact that is why we are making decisions according to the Paris accord and the Accra plan.

I have read the actual Cairo action plan and that is how I can assure that we are following the internationally accepted practices of helping women and children around the world.

[International Aid, June 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, the proposal from CCIC is under review, but I want to tell the House about the commendations this government is receiving.

In fact, we have an organization that is applauding the federal government's review of how it spends its international aid. It is saying this kind of decision-making is long overdue. We have many NGO organizations and partners that are actually feeding children who are starving, that are actually improving the health of mothers and children in sub-Saharan Africa and protecting the rights of women and children in the Congo. That is--

[International Aid, June 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, this government is making sure that its international aid is going to make a difference. It is about the best use of taxpayers' dollars. It is about effectively delivering results for those who are living in extreme poverty.

It is about providing $5.85 billion to UNIFEM, which I announced yesterday, so that it can be out in the field, fighting for the equal rights of women and children. UNIFEM is making sure they have fair access to property and making sure they are represented properly within legal systems. This is the--

[International Co-operation, June 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, the proposal is under review by CIDA, but this does give me the opportunity to remind the member that because of our good fiscal management and growth, we are coming out of the recession.

However, the global economic recession has had an impact on developing countries. It has put over a billion people into hunger and extreme poverty.

That is why we have to make sure that our international development money is going to get results, is going to make a difference for those people who are living in extreme poverty.

[International Aid, June 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear that actually the proposal before CIDA by CCIC is still under review. Consequently, all I can do is respond that our government is using its international aid and development support responsibly so that we can make a difference in the lives of those living in developing countries.

It was a Liberal dominated Senate that put out a report before we came to government which said to change our aid assistance programs, make them effective, make them show results. That is what we are doing.

[International Aid, June 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear that this government ensures that its international development and aid is going to really make a difference in the lives of those living in developing countries. We do it by ensuring that we are accountable, but we also do it by ensuring that those initiatives we support show results and actually make a difference.

I met with a young lady today who is making a difference by raising money, and we are supporting her, for paying teachers in Afghanistan. That is the kind of support Canadians--

[Status of Women, May 31st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud this government recognizes that when we can do something, we do it and we act. That is why we are going to be addressing the health of mothers.

A limited number of interventions can prevent most maternal and newborn deaths and these are tools that we know. They are cost effective and they are evidence-based.

By increasing prenatal care, antenatal care, by having a skilled health assistant at the birthing process, by having more antibiotics, micronutrients, all of these things will decrease mortality and improve—

[Maternal and Child Health, May 31st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the reason why we will be focusing on maternal and child health is because today 500,000 women are dying during pregnancy and delivery, and eight million children under the age of five are dying every year.

This demonstrates the kind of leadership that Canada will have going into the G8 and the G20. Because we are leaders, that is why we are also hosting all the great leaders of the world to discuss these important issues.