Debates of the Senate (Hansard)

2nd Session, 39th Parliament,
Volume 144, Issue 16

Tuesday, November 27, 2007
The Honourable Noël A. Kinsella, Speaker

Foreign Affairs

Africa—Funding for Malaria

Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, my question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

I commend the Prime Minister on last week’s announcement of a funding initiative to save 1 million African lives. The Prime Minister says that it will save over 500 African lives per day. In light of the fact that malaria kills 3,000 African children per day, can the honourable leader tell us how much of the $105 million over the next five years will go specifically towards fighting malaria? Will this funding be in addition to what is already allocated for malaria prevention by the federal government?

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Hon. Marjory LeBreton (Leader of the Government and Secretary of State (Seniors)): I thank the honourable senator for her question and welcome her back. I was pleased to learn that she accompanied the Prime Minister on his trip to Uganda. I will take the question as notice and obtain an exact breakdown as to how this money will be allocated.

Senator Jaffer: Honourable senators, may I also request that the Leader of the Government in the Senate find out whether the federal government has provided additional money requested by the World Health Organization and the Red Cross for malaria projects that are currently underway? I should also like to know how much money will be provided towards a major expansion of CIDA’s bed net project.

Senator LeBreton: Honourable senators, I will be happy to inform Senator Jaffer of same. As she knows, the Prime Minister has said in answer to questions from the media that we still have quite some work to do in the field of foreign aid. I will be happy to take her second question as notice as well.