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Earlier this week, Make Poverty History launched a new ad campaign urging Canadians to speak out to convince the Federal government to make Canada a leader in irradicating poverty around the world by simply standing by a promise made years ago: commit 0.7% of the Gross National Income (GNI) to foreign aid and development.
In 1968, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson became the Chairman of the Commission on International Development, a United Nations committee whose mission was to analyse previous development assistance programs and make concrete suggestions for what the world could do to lessen the disparity of wealth amongst the nations. After a year of constant travel around the world, consulting both wealthy nations and nations receiving aid, the Commission published their report "Partners in Development" (also known as The Pearson Commission Report). At the heart of this report was the concept that all nations must work together, as partners, if developmental aid was to succeed. It is this report that coined the concept that foreign aid is a feasible task requiring a constant flow of income from the wealthy nations that would be equivalent to 0.7% of their GNI. And living up to Canada's international reputation as compassionate and caring, the government of the day immediately made the commitment to allocate the necessary funds.
Unfortunately, over the past four decades, Canada has not kept their promise. Over the years, we've come close to allocating the full 0.7% (the closest being 0.53% in 1975) but we've yet to actually hit the target. In fact, we're averaging less than 0.3% of our GNI. We're far behind other wealthy nations including the Netherlands and Norway, who give 0.81% and 0.95% respectively.
K-os: one of the many Canadian celebrities participating in the Get to the Point campaign.
The new ad campaign is part of a call to action leading up to the next G8 summit in Japan in July, where one of the main topics of discussion will be the member nation's contribution to foreign aid. By meeting the target, Canadians could become world leaders in the battle against global poverty. The ad campaign (created by ad agency Taxi on a pro bono basis) is endorses by a wide selection of Canadian celebrities including: Feist, Chantal Kreviazuk, Sam Roberts, Gord Downie, Sarah McLachlan, Tom Cochrane, K-OS, Billy Talent, Jann Arden, Suzie McNeil and George Stroumboulopoulos.
From a press release dated June 11, 2008:
"We're at a critical juncture in the battle against global poverty," says Gerry Garr, Chair of the Make Poverty History campaign. "If every nation that has promised to sign onto the .7 campaign follows through on its word, we can stave off a much larger global disaster that many experts think will come our way if we don't act now."
How can you get involved? Make a statement. Go to Make Poverty History to tell Prime Minister Harper and your local MP that they need to commit to the promise we made to the world. By signing up with the Point Seven campaign, you can send a message to the government, telling them, "Get to the Point!" and publically commit to finally keep the promise that Pearson first made so many decades ago.
You can also view the ad on The Hour website.
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