International co-operation minister Bev Oda rose in the House of Commons Dec. 3 to announce to much applause a $30 million increase in Canadian food aid spending.
For the first time in history, more than one billion humans are hungry, she said.
“As the number of people who have moved into extreme poverty and hunger increases, Canada has chosen to focus on food security,” she said in answer to a planted Conservative question.
“We will continue to respond as the world’s third largest single country donor to the World Food Program.”
Oda said the new Canadian commitment would “help meet the needs of an estimated 17 million vulnerable people in a range of humanitarian situations.”
She made the announcement during a visit to Ottawa by Terri Toyota, the WFP’s director of government donor relations.
“This donation has come at a crucial time,” Toyota said in the government announcement.
“Canada continues to show bold leadership with a comprehensive approach to the world’s food security solutions.”
However, it turns out this is not really a commitment of new Canadian government funding.
In the 2009-10 federal budget, the Canadian International Development Agency received a commitment of $250 million for food aid and food security spending.
Of that, $25 million is available to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank if it can raise $6.25 million to trigger four-to-one matching funding from Ottawa.
Of the remaining $225 million, the government has announced $215 million in funding, including last week’s $30 million.
It leaves $10 million to be allocated.
“This is all part of the commitment of funds as part of Canada’s obligation under the Food Aid Convention,” Stuart Clark of the Foodgrains Bank said.
