[Free The Children] Canada lagging in world poverty fight

from The Toronto Star

CRAIG AND MARC KIELBURGER

The group of Indian school boys crowded around Craig. As the only foreigner around, he stood out.

"Tell us what snow is like," one of them said excitedly.

Snow is unheard of in southern India, so they were shocked when he told them that it is edible.

"All the water you can eat?" they shouted. "That's wonderful!"

Craig was surprised by how excited the boys were. For us, snow means having to shovel your driveway in the bitter cold. For them, it meant clean water — something they didn't have.

It's something we are reminded of every time we travel. We have seen appalling examples of poverty and exploitation; children denied the chance to go to school, only to be forced into gruelling and often dangerous work.

We also see that our country is one of the most respected in the world. Canadians travelling abroad can wear the maple leaf with pride because we are seen as friendly, fair and helpful — the good-natured international boy scout.

But there is a growing gap between this reputation and what we do to deserve it. Canada today is far less active in the world than it used to be, and our role as the global good guy is fast becoming a misconception.

Just take a look at what we spend on foreign aid to see that our priorities have changed.

A recent report by the Canadian Council for International Co-operationpainted an alarming picture of how aid has been hijacked by military spending. Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, aid dollars have been diverted to countries that have a strategic role to play in the "war on terror," while the neediest countries are left behind.

Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, now receive billions in aid while African countries such as Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are neglected.

We are no exception. Over the next 10 years, Canada will spend approximately $1 billion in Afghanistan while poorer countries continue to starve.

Canada now contributes a little more than $2.5 billion to the developing world. That's 0.24 per cent of our GDP — a far cry from the international goal of 0.7 per cent and roughly half of what we spent in 1990.

In contrast, just last month Stephen Harper announced that an additional $15 billion will be spent on military equipment. Of course there is no doubt that our troops need adequate equipment to keep them safe, but it must not come at the expense of our international responsibilities.

The same report also revealed that Canada is among a group of nations pushing to have military and security spending count as aid. If this happens, we will be much closer to reaching the 0.7 per cent goal — without actually doing any more to fight poverty.

This change tramples the legacy of former prime minister Lester B. Pearson, who chaired the 1968 World Bank committee that famously urged countries to spend 0.7 per cent of their GDP on foreign aid. That goal has since been adopted by the UN and remains a key target for today's world leaders.

What makes this shortcoming tragic is that for the first time in history, the resources actually exist to end global poverty. Consider that Europeans and Americans spend just under $20 billion every year on pet food alone. According to the United Nations, for roughly the same amount, we could eliminate malnourishment world-wide for an entire year.

According to the United Nations, for roughly the same amount, we could eliminate malnourishment world-wide for an entire year.

With resources now available, the will to make a difference is all that stands in the way of a huge improvement in the lives of billions of people in developing nations. While European countries are now scrambling to reach the 0.7 per cent goal, and global issues are on the minds of more and more people around the world, Canada remains non-committal. Pearson would be very disappointed.

There is no doubt Canadians care about the world, but we need to translate that into action. Write your local MP about why Canada should reach the 0.7 per cent goal, or join a community group that deals with global issues. In a world where what happens globally affects us locally, Canada's international role must once again take centre stage. Our nation, and our world, will be better off.

Craig and Marc Kielburger are founders of Free the Children and co-authors of Me to We.