Canada’s head of foreign aid defended his department’s record before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, saying various programs characterized as extraneous by some opposition MPs are doing necessary and helpful work in foreign nations.
When asked by Conservative MP Lianne Rood about what benefits Canadians are getting as a result of the $8.4 billion spent in foreign aid, Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai said Canada’s programs and funding are carefully vetted before being given the green light and are benefitting Canada’s “soft power” around the world.
Rood asked, “Much of it is going to projects with names like ‘Beans for Women’s Empowerment’ or ‘Gender-Just, Low-Carbon, Rice Value Chains,’ or being funneled through organizations like the U.N. or the World Bank. What return on investment or outcomes can Canadians see coming from this that improves their lives?”…