Canada's Role in Foreign Aid

The Mark Radio ep.23: Is Canada doing its share to solve the world's problems?

Six months have passed since an earthquake devastated Haiti, leaving an estimated 230,000 dead, 300,000 injured and more than one million homeless. Now, half a year and millions of dollars later, the damage is still largely unrepaired – the result of ineffective leadership and uncoordinated aid efforts. Bureaucracy has stymied much needed donations and so far only about 10 per cent of the $5.3B pledged at a United Nations conference in March has actually reached the country.

But is money really what poverty- and disaster-ravaged nations need? Obviously it helps with the immediate requirements, but what long term impacts does it have? Aid has been flowing into poor countries for decades, so if money alone can fix the world's problems, why hasn't it done so already?

On the show this week, host Chris Mitchell speaks with four experts with ideas on how to improve Canada's role in foreign aid.

First up, Patricia Adams, author of In the Name of Progress: The Underside of Foreign Aid and Executive Director of Probe International, on why Haiti needs democracy more than it needs money.

Stephen Brown, associate professor of Political Science at the University of Ottawa, on what Canada needs to do to save its reputation on the global aid stage.

William Cowie, president of the Society of International Development, on Canada's shift from aid to trade.

And finally, Patrick Johnston, Senior Fellow at the William & Duncan Gordan Foundation, on how technology is changing the ways we help.

(Run-time: 29 minutes.)

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