Canada’s plan to freeze its development aid budget for fiscal 2011-12 would undermine the country’s previous and existing investments in helping address key development issues and saving lives around the world, according to World Vision Canada.
Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty will present the country’s budget plan for the coming fiscal year in a March 22 speech in Ottawa, Bloomberg notes.
World Vision Canada said the plan includes a proposal to freeze the country’s foreign aid budget. The organization is urging the government to reconsider this decision.
“Canada has shown global leadership in responding to poverty. The decision to freeze aid in tomorrow’s budget doesn’t jive with this leadership role or the state of the world today,” World Vision Canada said in a March 21 news release. “Our strong work on development projects must be coupled with the ability to be nimble and respond when humanitarian emergencies push people further into poverty. Successful development work relies on both the long-term work and the quick responses to disasters. Budget trimming with only hamper Canada’s ability to do both effectively.”
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