The federal budget announced recently includes a $2.7 billion four-year cut to international food aid.
It adds to the woes inflicted when United States President Donald Trump slashed international aid programs earlier this year.
Canadian charities, such as Mennonite Central Committee, World Renew, Caritas Canada (Roman Catholics) and Presbyterian World Service & Development, were already impacted by Trump’s cuts to shared programs in poor countries.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank, the most ecumentical Christian organization in Canada, spoke out against thee cuts.
“We’re concerned that the budget seems to signal declining importance, I guess, for aid,” said Foodgrains Bank public policy director Paul Hagerman.
“The only time international development and aid is mentioned (in the 2025 budget) is ‘we’re going to cut here, we’re going to cut there, we’re going to cut somewhere else,” Hagerman said.
“It signals a shift away from seeing aid as a key part of Canada’s identity, and I think in the long term, that’s more worrisome.”
Hagerman said charities such as the Foodgrains Bank have the potential to have impacts on Canadian agriculture beyond charity, as their work could help to strengthen Canada’s reputation abroad.
“If you look at some of the places where Canada was contributing aid 20-30 years ago, a lot of them are strong trading partners now,” he said.
“It’s because we’ve helped to overcome poverty and build up prosperity in those countries to the point where they’re now interested in buying what we have to sell.”
“If we all live in a world where there’s constant wars, where there’s diseases moving across borders, where there’s conflict moving across borders, it’s not good for any of us. And that’s the root that we’re trying to address as a development in the humanitarian organization.”
Come on, Liberals! Can't you see this is wrong?
