American Republican-style Stephen Harper obstructs progress at G8 summit on vital issues to humanity such as climate change and food shortages
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Jul 08, 2008 04:30 AM
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Les Whittington
Ottawa Bureau
TOYAKO, JAPAN–Canada is being accused by humanitarian groups here of
acting as a barrier to progress on such major issues as the world food
shortage, climate change and aid to Africa.
Oxfam International, the charity and advocacy group, accused Stephen
Harper's Conservative government of trying in the closed-door talks to
weaken a major effort by G8 leaders meeting here to step up support
for health programs in Africa.
Rather than a firm G8 recommitment to spend $60 billion over several
years to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases in Africa, Canada
is trying to ensure that the G8's final communiqué refers to these
measures only as a recommendation, according to Oxfam spokesperson Max
Lawson and other activists here. The pledge was originally made at
last year's summit in Germany.
"A number of countries are trying to water down that language ...
We're very concerned about the Canadians in particular," Lawson told
reporters during the first day of this year's summit in Toyako,
located in northern Japan.
On climate change, Harper continues to say here it is useless for G8
leaders to sign on to mandatory targets for reducing carbon emissions
unless China, India and other emerging economies do likewise.
This position, shared by U.S. President George W. Bush, could have the
effect of delaying co-ordinated international action to fight global
warming because newly developed nations want the industrialized
countries that created the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions to set an
example in making sacrifices.
"Basically, Canada is not playing a constructive role," said Dennis
Howlett of Make Poverty History.
"The only way we are going to get an agreement on climate change is if
the industrialized countries who are responsible for most of the
pollution take the lead."
In Ottawa, Liberal environment critic David McGuinty said Harper's
"obstructionist approach to fighting climate change continues to
embarrass Canada on the international stage."
On the food crisis, Canada is taking the position that it has already
done enough to respond to the worldwide unrest caused by the price
increases that are driving tens of millions of people into poverty.
Bev Oda, the minister of international co-operation, scoffed at the
accusation by Oxfam that Ottawa wants to water down the commitment to
help Africa. But Oda, who is accompanying Harper at the G8, did not
deny the push for new wording.
"The government wants to make sure that whatever commitments we make
are real commitments and they are going to make a difference in the
lives of those people," in Africa, she told reporters when asked about
Oxfam's statement.
She said Canada has committed more than $1 billion to support a range
of programs to improve health systems in Africa and reduce HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases.
But anti-poverty activists continue to question Harper's commitment to
Africa.
"The Canadian government is so focused on Afghanistan that it can't
seem to think about anything else," Howlett said.
Oxfam lumped Canada in with France and Italy as countries whose aid
effort for Africa is less than it should be.
At the G8 meeting in 2005 in Gleneagles, Scotland, Canada pledged that
its aid to Africa by 2008 would reach $2.8 billion, double the 2003
level. But the Harper government says that actual aid in 2003 turned
out to be less than forecast and insists that doubling it only comes
to $2.1 billion in 2008. Aid groups say this short-changes Africa's
needy by $700 million a year.
Oxfam contends that this is part of a wider picture of G8 backsliding.
As a result, the group says, the G8 will miss its Gleneagles promise
to boost aid by $50 billion (U.S.) by 2010 by as much as $30 billion,
at a cost of perhaps 5 million lives. Sources said some G8 leaders
were hoping the Japan summit would water down, rather than strengthen,
the Gleneagles development aid commitments to Africa.
Of Harper, Oxfam's Lawson says, "I don't think he's particularly
interested in these issues and I think he's ignoring a big grass roots
campaign in Canada. Until the recent government, Canada was always a
champion on these issues. So it's really sad to see this turnaround."
Similar complaints from anti-poverty activists were heard during last
year's summit in Germany, when Irish rock star and political activist
Bob Geldof accused Harper of trying to block G8 agreement on increased
financial support for Africa. Harper denied doing so.
Environment Minister John Baird was excoriated in Bali last December
by domestic and international critics after Canada became a lone
holdout trying to block a crucial world agreement recognizing the need
to set binding greenhouse gas reduction targets.
On the food shortage, Oda said that, in response to the current
crisis, Canada has increased food aid by $50 million to $230 million.
"So we're there," she said. But she stresses that the Harper
government has no intention of providing aid to any country that might
not use the money in an accountable way. "We're monitoring the needs
around the world and we will respond appropriately, but we want to
make sure that our dollars are really going to make a difference."
Oliver Buston, spokesperson for the U.S.-based activist group ONE,
said Harper needs to take a more progressive role on aid to Africa and
other humanitarian issues because otherwise he is creating a "G8 time
bomb." Many of the pledges of support for development by richer
nations come due in 2010, when Canada will be on the hot seat as host
of the G8 summit, he said.
On the second day of the conference, the leaders are turning their
attention to global economic problems, climate change and political
issues such as Iran's nuclear ambitions, the conflict in Afghanistan
and Middle East tensions.
http://www.thestar.com/News/World/article/456072
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PM blocks progress at summit, critics say
Jul 08, 2008 04:30 AM
Comments on this story (3)
Les Whittington
Ottawa Bureau
TOYAKO, JAPAN–Canada is being accused by humanitarian groups here of
acting as a barrier to progress on such major issues as the world food
shortage, climate change and aid to Africa.
Oxfam International, the charity and advocacy group, accused Stephen
Harper's Conservative government of trying in the closed-door talks to
weaken a major effort by G8 leaders meeting here to step up support
for health programs in Africa.
================================
The amount of money that is poured into Africa has done very little as a
result of corruption and ignorant Tribal competition. Forget Africa, let the
idiots over there do their own thing and solve their own problems. They have
resources, they have people, they could have industry, they can trade and
make money. But when you have stupid ignorant Black men who can't manage a
paper bag, then tough bloody luck.
Oxfam should concentrate on other priorities other than Africa.
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