Scheer promises to slash foreign aid spending by 25 per cent

A Conservative government would slash Canada's foreign aid spending by 25 per cent, withholding international assistance from what the party is calling"middle- and upper-income countries as well as hostile regimes."

Speaking in Toronto, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheersaid he would use the $1.5 billion in savings to pay for other policies in the Conservatives' yet-to-be-released platform.

He's also promising to redirect $700 milliontoward aid for the world's poorest countries, with an additional focus on children in conflict zones.

The Conservatives are defining "middle- and upper-income countries" as those with a HumanDevelopment Index above 0.6, which includes Argentina, China and Barbados. The United Nations figure measures life expectancy, education andstandard of living and was created to assess the overall development of a country, not economic growth alone.

Scheer also went after the Liberals for giving aid dollars to Iran, North Korea and Russia.Canada gives money to a number of programs run by a number ofinternational groups in those countries to cover programs that includefighting tuberculosis, strengthening the rule of law and providingloans to help women start small businesses.

Between early 2015 and 2017, Canada donated close to $900,000 to help fund a UNESCO study of the education system in Iran. The funding started under Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper and helped identify "effective education policy reforms and models of best practice."

"At a time when Canadians are working harder than ever and not getting ahead, Trudeau is using their hard-earned tax dollars to support anti-Semitic organizations and prop up foreign dictatorships," Scheer said.

"It is time for Canada to put our money where our mouth is and only use foreign aid to support the Canadian values we hold dear."

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Scheer said today that Tuesday's announcement would not affect groups receiving aid to provide abortion andmaternal health services to women and girls abroad.

"We are not reopening this debate at any level. What this is about is which types of countries will receive financial assistance. And so, groups that are receiving funding will continue to receive funding going in future," he said.

"This decision does not affect groups or programs going forward."

Scheerblasted Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau's record on the world stage, citing his opponent's trip to India andhis "gushing" praise for Fidel Castro.

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Scheer was asked whether the cuts could affect Canada's bid for a seat on the UNSecurity Council."It's more important to me that I help Canadians get ahead than curry favour at the United Nations," he replied."That is our priority. That is our focus."

During his announcement,Scheer also committed to providing additionalsupport to Ukraine and using Canada's Magnitsky law to target countries like Iran.Thatlaw allows the Canadian government to impose sanctions and travel banson foreign officials responsible for human rights violations.

According to Global Affairs, Canada spent more than $6 billion on international assistanceduring the 2017-2018 fiscal year. The top five recipients wereAfghanistan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Mali and Nigeria.

While the rich members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (of which Canada is a member) have agreed to spent 0.7 per cent of gross national income on aid, Canada spends about 0.28 per cent.

Scheer says it's more important to 'help Canadians get ahead than curry favour at the U.N.'

5 years ago

Duration 1:41

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer says he would cut foreign aid by 25% and use that money to help Canadians, rather than use foreign aid as a tool to get a seat on the U.N. Security Council.

The Canadian Council for International Co-operation, an umbrella group that represents many Canadian development groups, put out a statement expressing concerns aboutScheer's announcement.

"International development and humanitarian assistance are important parts of Canada's global leadership that contribute to visible impacts," the CCIC said in a statement.

"For example, South Korea went from a major aid recipient to an important trading partner for Canada and the world. In as little as 25 years, Rwanda, after suffering a vicious genocide, has gone from crisis to develop into a model of economic development for many on the African continent."