Posted on 05/12/2004 1:36:42 PM PDT by MegaSilver
Days before Canada is set to pass a law allowing the production of low-cost drugs, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced a $100-million contribution to treat millions of people who have AIDS.
The money will be given to a new initiative of the World Health Organization to treat three million people with AIDS by the end of 2005.
The contribution of new money has made Canada the largest donor in the program.
“Canadians can take pride in this, because this is a question of life and death,” Martin told a Montreal audience yesterday.
The money will be used to train doctors and nurses, and help countries develop treatment plans and strategies.
Rock star Bono welcomed Canada’s commitment.
“This is real leadership,” the lead singer of the Irish group U2 said in a statement. “I hope Canadians will know what this means in the rest of the world.”
The AIDS funding was part of a series of international proposals Martin outlined as part of his desire to have Canada take a leading role in helping developing countries build better legal and economic institutions.
Martin also expanded on the creation of Canada Corps, introduced in the throne speech. The new agency is being created to provide much-needed expertise to poorer countries.
The program will involve experts in the public and private sectors, volunteers, and young people with training in law, management, or community organizing.
The agency’s co-chairs will be astronaut Julie Payette and Gordon Smith, former deputy minister of foreign affairs, Martin announced.
“The international community must build the capacity of vulnerable countries to create and manage their own public and private institutions,” he said.
“And there is no country better placed to take on a leadership role in this area than Canada.”
Martin also pushed his concept of a G-20 to complement the G-8.
“I am convinced that a meeting of the G-20 leaders can make a significant contribution by galvanizing our efforts at the multilateral level,” he said.
Martin told a luncheon of foreign affairs specialists he will discuss the concept with regional powers in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
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