Question Period Note: Canada's Official Development Assistance and Poverty Reduction

Does Canada's official development assistance (ODA) focus on poverty reduction?

• Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy seeks to eradicate poverty and build a more peaceful, more inclusive, and more prosperous world.

• In line with Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada's official development assistance (ODA) focuses on helping the world's poorest and most vulnerable people.

• In fact, under the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act, Canada's ODA must: contribute to poverty reduction, take into account the perspectives of the poor, and be consistent with international human rights standards.

Canada disbursed $5.37B in official development assistance (ODA) in 2017-2018. This includes spending by multiple federal departments and agencies.

The Official Development Assistance Accountability Act (ODAAA/the Act) came into force on June 28, 2008; and, was amended by the Budget Implementation Act 2018, No. 2. It outlines key principles and reporting requirements for Canada's ODA reported to Parliament, and applies to all federal entities.

As per section 4(1) of the Act, to be reported to Parliament as ODA, the competent Minister must be of the opinion that Canada's international assistance (IA): contributes to poverty reduction; takes into account the perspectives of the poor; and, is consistent with international human rights standards.

Canada's ODA represents the vast majority of Canada's IA, which is mainly delivered by Global Affairs Canada to support development, humanitarian, and international security mandates. The balance is provided via other federal entities including: Finance Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the International Development Research Centre, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

None