Re-elect Garry Breitkreuz

Harper announces increase in overseas development assistance

January 13, 2006

Outlines plan to advance Canadian values and interests on world stage

OAKVILLE – Conservative leader Stephen Harper today announced that a new government will increase spending on overseas development assistance.

The plan will boost overseas development assistance by $425 million over five years beyond the currently projected level. The goal is to move toward the average level among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) members.

“We will begin to reverse a decline that has gone on too long, and to bring our country to the OECD average,” Harper said.

As part of the plan to advance Canadian values and interests on the world stage, a new Conservative government will:

Articulate Canada’s core values of freedom, democracy, the rule of law, human rights, free markets, and free trade - and compassion for the less fortunate - on the world stage;

Advance Canada’s interests through foreign aid, while at the same time holding those agencies involved in the area accountable for its distribution and results;

Make Parliament responsible for exercising oversight over the conduct of Canadian foreign policy and the commitment of Canadian Forces to foreign operations; and

Place international treaties before Parliament for ratification.

The plan will ensure that Canada’s foreign policy reflects true Canadian values and advances Canada’s national interests.

“We will make foreign policy decisions that are not only independent, but are actually noticed by other powers,” Harper said. “We will meet Canada’s obligations both here and abroad.”

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