Josée Verner

[Official Languages, May 3rd, 2006]

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

[International Cooperation, May 2nd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for focusing on development assistance in Haiti. Yesterday, I had the privilege of meeting the president-elect, René Préval. I informed him that Canada would contribute an additional $48 million to support democracy, education and small businesses, and to improve Haitians' quality of life. Haiti is a friend of Canadians.

[Darfur, May 1st, 2006]

Mr. Chair, our new government is looking at the aid it is giving populations in need. In the case of Sudan, we consider it urgent to advance the aid planned for the second half of the year. That is why I was pleased to announce this evening that we will provide an additional $10 million.

[Darfur, May 1st, 2006]

Mr. Chair, Canada is indeed concerned about the Sudanese living conditions. We believe in the current peace process. For the time being and together with what is currently being done, we are providing humanitarian aid through various NGOs. We are following the process extremely closely.

[Darfur, May 1st, 2006]

Mr. Chair, I do not know if for my colleague a timid stand is contradicted by the announcement of an additional $10 million that I made this evening.

Canada has a leading role to play in providing assistance to Sudan. It intends to continue to help and is committed to providing $40 million in aid to the people of Sudan. Over half of this amount has been paid. This evening, I announced an additional $10 million in assistance. In my opinion, and in that of the government, this is not a timid stand.

[Darfur, May 1st, 2006]

Mr. Chair, I wish to inform you that I will share my time with my colleague from Calgary East.

I am happy to take part in this debate on Canada’s role in Sudan. I feel that our involvement in Sudan is essential. My colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has already spoken about our political and military actions. I will therefore limit my comments to humanitarian and reconstruction issues.

Sudan has the largest number of internally displaced persons, close to two million of whom are in Darfur. Most of these victims are women and children. The problem of access to these people is critical. If the humanitarian organizations cannot reach them, they cannot help them.

I am also concerned about the reduction of food rations recently announced by the World Food Programme, which affects mainly the Darfur region. CIDA has therefore decided to contribute —without waiting—$10 million of the amounts announced at the Oslo Conference to support WFP efforts. We are urging other donors who have not already done so to respond quickly since the needs are urgent.

Canada has made some important commitments to Sudan. In March 2006, at the conference of donors that was held in Paris, CIDA reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to Sudan and announced the payment of the entire $40 million budgeted over two fiscal years. This contribution will enable the government of northern and southern Sudan to rebuild the country’s infrastructures, notably in health and education.

In Oslo Canada also undertook to provide $40 million for humanitarian aid, once again over two fiscal years. To date, over half of the amount promised for two years has been used in a single year. Of this amount, our government has dedicated $16.7 million to food aid in Sudan. The $10 million I already referred to is on top of this amount.

We are assuming our responsibilities, but humanitarian action is not limited to food. Accordingly, Canada has provided $9.8 million to other humanitarian agencies for such things as improvement of health and access to drinking water. Finally, Canada will dedicate $10 million to the consolidation of peace, mine disposal and promotion of good governance.

Although the situation remains critical, there are tangible results. For example, we succeeded in setting up 25 therapeutic feeding centres in Darfur. We have supplied essential medicines to some 500,000 women and children affected by the conflict in Darfur. Our aid will be used to provide access to water and hygiene services to about 25,000 Sudanese households. We have improved access to water supply and sanitation services for over 60,000 internally displaced people.

Our government and our partners support the efforts of the international community. We help Doctors Without Borders operate a series of fixed and mobile clinics throughout the north, south and west in the region of Darfur.

The support of the Canadian government for Oxfam Québec has resulted in a program promoting health, water and sanitation services in Kalma, southern Darfur, a camp sheltering 125,000 displaced persons. A good number of these activities directly target children, which is of particular interest to me.

I am proud of the work carried out by CIDA, which promotes gender equality in all its programs, and the Sudan conflict is no exception. Canada's aid contributed directly to guaranteeing the participation of Sudanese women in the Darfur peace talks. CIDA carries out field missions to ensure the proper coordination among all its partners and to optimize the effectiveness and the scope of Canadian assistance.

To conclude, as you already know, our government is determined to promote and defend abroad Canada's fundamental values— freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights. I am proud to reaffirm the commitment of our government which, together with its Canadian and international partners, is working to give hope for a better future to Sudanese men, women and children.

[Foreign Aid, April 27th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, for this year our government has committed to maintaining $100 million to help the people of Afghanistan. We are working in the field with our partners to rebuild that country, including the Kandahar region.

Among other things, and thanks to Canada's contributions, landmines are being cleared, more children are attending schools—especially girls—and over 12,000 villages have access to clean water. These results are why we should and must maintain our presence and our leadership in Afghanistan.

[Canada's Commitment in Afghanistan, April 10th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, I thank my colleague for his question. This is obviously why Canadian troops are there.

We have never denied the danger in Afghanistan. That is why our humanitarian aid organizations and the Afghani people, who are trying to adapt to the rules of law and order, need our troops and the presence of our Canadian military.

CIDA invests through various programs, such as the World Bank. It sets up programs there and supports them so as to help the people take control of their lives and to ensure that stability and security come out on top in this exercise.

[Canada's Commitment in Afghanistan, April 10th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, I would respond to the member by saying that the work of the NGOs in Afghanistan could not be done without the security provided by our Canadian troops there.

I remind her of the quote from the spokesperson for CARE Canada regarding our assistance to widows in Afghanistan:

CIDA’s funding means that we can continue our work to help the most vulnerable women and children in Afghanistan. Not only will these women be given a chance to survive, they will become empowered and independent so that they can provide a better life for their children.

Clearly CARE Canada is pleased to be able to act in security in Afghanistan thanks to our troops.

[Canada's Commitment in Afghanistan, April 10th, 2006]

Mr. Chair, I welcome with much satisfaction my colleague's support on the importance of development aid and international aid.

I would draw the member's attention to the fact that development is certainly impossible without the whole notion of security that surrounds it.

I invite the member and all members of the House to work together so that the first beneficiaries of this international aid may be the people of Afghanistan.

My colleague in national defence could not be clearer in this regard. The mission is clear. The line of command is clear. I will keep to what he has said in this regard.