MPs should vote in favour of Bill C-293 for better foreign aid

The Hill Times Letters, September 18, 2006

On Sept. 19 or 20, Parliament will vote on Bill C-293. The bottom line? This Development Assistance Accountability Act is a no-brainer. It finally provides a formal mandate for the allocation of Canadian foreign aid. If passed, the central focus of Canadian development assistance will be the reduction of poverty, and measures will be implemented to ensure aid money is being spent effectively. This particular bill was proposed by a Liberal, but nearly identical versions have also been proposed by Conservative, NDP, and Bloc MPs.

With support coming from all parties, there seems little reason for opposition to Bill C-293. Any necessary amendments can surely be negotiated when the bill passes, and goes to committee for final debate.

The Conservatives ran their election with promises for improving the transparency, and accountability of the federal government. Bill C-293 is an ideal way for them to translate these promises into effective progress. Canada still needs to fulfill its international obligation to increase development assistance to 0.7 per cent of GDP, but improving the quality of our aid is equally important.

Ashley Raeside
Windsor, Ont.
(The letter-writer is a member of Engineers Without Borders.)