International Development  Mr. Speaker, as you know, we conducted a broad consultation last year. Our partners asked us for three things: leadership, good policies and funding. We have already proven our leadership on several occasions. Just think of the global fund: with our partners, we have managed to amass $13 billion to wipe out AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, our government makes a significant contribution of $5 million a year to development assistance and humanitarian aid. Yes, from now on we will be contributing to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. This bank will support development and infrastructure projects that will benefit the poorest and most vulnerable people in that region.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to make a significant contribution to development and humanitarian aid around the world. My mandate is to refocus Canada’s international assistance to help the poorest and most vulnerable people, and there are many such people in Asia. This investment bank deals with development projects and infrastructure projects related to energy, for example.

International Development  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle for her interest in the matter. Our government is indeed very concerned by the famine in Yemen, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia. We recently announced a contribution of $120 million to provide food, drinking water and health care for the 20 million people suffering from acute malnutrition.

International Development  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's interest in the terrible situation that is occurring right now in South Sudan. In 2016, we allocated $45 million in international aid specifically for South Sudan. We are currently reviewing the various requests for humanitarian aid, particularly for the food crisis in Nigeria, Somalia, Yemen, and South Sudan.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rivière-des-Mille-Îles for the opportunity to inform the House that the Prime Minister and I made a very important announcement this morning: we will invest $650 million over three years in sexual and reproductive health in developing countries and fragile states.

International Development  Mr. Speaker, 15,000 people participated in those consultations and most of them were Canadian. I personally participated in nine consultation sessions and round tables here in Canada. I had help from my parliamentary secretary. Many department officials participated in the round tables.

International Development  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his interest in international development. As everyone knows, my mandate involves refocusing Canada's development assistance on helping the poorest, the most vulnerable, and fragile states. We conducted extensive consultations with 15,000 people from 65 countries.

International Development  Mr. Speaker, I have a clear mandate. It consists of refocusing Canada’s development assistance on helping the poorest and most vulnerable. I can assure the House that our department is working hard to ensure that everything is done properly with respect to all contracts awarded and all assistance given to our international partners.

International Development  Mr. Speaker, we believe in the importance of developing local capacity, including developing the capacity of nearby governments. Our government is supporting the towns in developing countries that are welcoming tens of thousands of refugees in order to help them maintain stability in their region.

International Development  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Bourassa for his question. I just got back from Haiti, where I attended the president's inauguration. I also toured two Canadian-sponsored projects, the hospital in Gonaïves and the national police academy. Yesterday, I announced an investment of $92.2 million over five years for five development projects focusing on the health of women and girls, child protection, and access to justice.

International Development  Mr. Speaker, abortion is about rights, health, and development. Women have the right to choose, and young women should be in school. We must put an end to violence against women, child marriage, teen pregnancy, and dangerous abortions. I can assure the House that women and girls will be at the heart of our priorities and that sexual and reproductive health will be a major component in the new international development policy.

International Development  Mr. Speaker, I have been going through consultations for the last year, and I can assure members that it is a profound consensus here in Canada and globally that sexual health and reproductive rights are a priority. I can assure the member that it will be a major element in our new international assistance policy and that yes, we will support sexual education, contraceptive supplies, family planning, safe abortion, and obviously, maternal health and the health of newborns.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, all of my colleagues here in the House can use government points and funds to travel between their ridings and the House of Commons, or Parliament.

Ethics  Mr. Speaker, as you know, I represent the riding of Compton—Stanstead. It is impossible for me to travel by plane or train, as many of my colleagues do, so, yes, I use a car service to get home to my riding.