By Canadian Press

Gould, aid groups discuss helping world’s poorest with $100M funding boost

Apr 6, 2020 | 7:33 AM

OTTAWA — Days before Canada announced more than $100 million in new foreign aid to fight COVID-19, a federal minister and a leading aid advocate said the country can’t afford to scrimp on its overseas spending in fighting COVID-19.

Robbing Peter to pay Paul was simply not an option, said International Trade Minister Karina Gould and Nicolas Moyer, the president of the Canadian Council for International Co-operation, an umbrella group for aid agencies.

Their pointed discussion came on Thursday during an online meeting between Gould and the aid sector as the government was preparing to announce more new money on Sunday.

The discussion highlighted a key concern: how to sell spending millions of dollars overseas to help the less fortunate when the government was trying to bolster a flagging domestic economy with tens of billions in new spending at home.

On Sunday, Gould announced that Canada was increasing its international aid by $109.5 million on top of the $50 million the government announced earlier in March to help stop COVID-19 abroad.

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The new money included $30 million to specific countries, $40 million for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations co-ordinating the world’s efforts to find a vaccine for COVID-19, and $84.5 million for a number of international groups.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on April 6, 2020.

The Canadian Press