Liberals 'doubling down' on foreign aid as G7 allies pull back

Foreign aid groups are hailing the federal Liberal government's return to a policy of increasing humanitarian and development spending each year, while asking for a plan to push allies to reverse a global decline in aid.·International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen said Canada's foreign aid will continue to put a focus on supporting women and helping them create conditions for peace.

"We can talk about the details at another time, in terms of the number-crunching. What I can tell you because the budget was just introduced, is we're very happy with the fact that our government is doubling down on international assistance," Hussen said Wednesday. Global Affairs Canada has been asked to confirm whether the total amount of aid for this year is indeed $7 billion. Higgins said the government needs to be more transparent in how it reports data.The new humanitarian funding comes at what Higgins calls an unprecedented state of need and complexity, with major wars in the Gaza Strip, Ukraine and Sudan, along with conflict and mass migration crises in Myanmar, Nigeria and Venezuela.

The budget also reaffirms Canada's pledges to push for the reform of multilateral financing institutions like the World Bank. The aim is help poor countries escape debt traps and the financial burden of catastrophic natural disasters, moving instead toward being able to invest in infrastructure that's more resilient to climate change.

Hussen would not say whether Canada plans to push its G7 peers on aid, and instead lambasted the Conservatives for a "reckless" pledge in February to divert an unspecified amount of "wasteful" foreign aid toward military spending. The Tories did not respond to an interview request.NDP foreign affairs critic Heather McPherson said the increase in humanitarian aid doesn't make up for cuts the Harper and Trudeau governments have made over recent years.

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