Stephen Harper pushes G8 to help world's poorest women and kids

[Keepitsimple]

OTTAWACanada intends to champion a new international agenda to improve the health of women and children in the world's poorest regions, Prime Minister Stephen Harper says.

Harper is vowing to make the issue a "top priority" when he hosts the G8 meeting of influential world leaders this June in Huntsville.

Harper says he wants to put the plight of these vulnerable populations on an agenda usually dominated by issues of economics and global security. Reflecting on the quick mobilization of global aid to help Haiti, Harper says it "should not take a natural disaster to turn our attention to the less fortunate.

"The world's poor have been hit hardest by the global economic downturn and in these difficult times we must address their pressing needs," Harper wrote in an opinion piece in the Star Tuesday.

"Indeed, tragedy strikes all too frequently on those that can least afford it. The lack of the most basic services can lead to dire consequences, especially for the world's most vulnerable populations."

Here's Prime Minister Harper's Opinion Piece:

G8 agenda: Focus on human welfare - Stephen Harper

This week, many global leaders and members of the international business community will meet at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. There, Canada will set out its plans as president of the G8 and host of the G20 Toronto summit in June. We remain committed to working with our partners to keep our commitments including fully implementing government stimulus measures and opposing trade protectionism.

The G20 has emerged as the world's premier forum for fiscal and economic cooperation. Its members include developed and developing nations alike. Previously, this responsibility belonged to a club of developed nations, the G8. Going forward I believe the smaller, but still influential, G8 will focus on security concerns and human welfare. It is incumbent upon the leaders of the world's most developed economies to assist those in the most vulnerable positions.

The plight of the people of Haiti concerns us all and the world's response has been uplifting and encouraging. Within hours of the devastating earthquake demolishing the capital, governments around the world mobilized and coordinated a massive relief effort. Soon after, donations began pouring in as people opened their hearts and wallets to help. It serves as a reminder of the innate human kindness we hold toward one another.

Yet, it should not take a natural disaster to turn our attention to the less fortunate. The world's poor have been hit hardest by the global economic downturn and in these difficult times we must address their pressing needs.

Indeed, all too frequently, tragedy strikes those who can least afford it. The lack of the most basic services can lead to dire consequences, especially for the world's most vulnerable populations. Each year, it is estimated that 500,000 women lose their lives during pregnancy or childbirth. Further, an astonishing 9 million children die before their fifth birthday.

This is simply not acceptable. The United Nations had hoped to reduce the number of deaths related to pregnancy by 75 per cent by 2015 as part of its Millennium Development Goals. It now appears this target will go unfulfilled. What makes it worse is that the bulk of the deaths during pregnancy experts claim as many as 80 per cent are easily preventable. There is a pressing need for global action on maternal and child health.

As president of the G8 in 2010, Canada will champion a major initiative to improve the health of women and children in the world's poorest regions. Members of the G8 can make a tangible difference in maternal and child health and Canada will be making this the top priority in June. Far too many lives and unexplored futures have already been lost for want of relatively simple health-care solutions.

The solutions are not intrinsically expensive. The cost of clean water, inoculations and better nutrition, as well as the training of health workers to care for women and deliver babies, is within the reach of any country in the G8. Much the same could be said of child mortality. The solutions are similar in nature better nutrition, immunization and equally inexpensive in themselves.

As its contribution to this G8 initiative, Canada will look to mobilize G8 governments and non-governmental organizations as well as private foundations. Setting a global agenda for improving maternal and child health is an ambitious plan. But working with other nations and aid agencies on the ground where the need is greatest makes it an achievable goal.

There is other business to be transacted at the G8 as well as informal discussions on security, nuclear proliferation and the environment. But our focus on maternal and child health will be a priority.

As the Haitian emergency demonstrates, our humanity spans borders as developed nations coordinate efforts to help the sick, people lost under rubble and those left hungry by tragedy. Together, we must do so again. As leaders of the most developed economies of the world, we have an obligation to assist those who are most vulnerable to hardship. Canada hopes members of the G8 will rally together on this.

Link to The Star Story: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/755798--stephen-harper-pushes-g8-to-help-world-s-poorest-women-and-kids

Link to Opinion Piece: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/755721

Edited January 26, 2010 by Keepitsimple

[Michael Hardner]

Here's Prime Minister Harper's Opinion Piece:

Link to The Star Story: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/755798--stephen-harper-pushes-g8-to-help-world-s-poorest-women-and-kids

Link to Opinion Piece: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/755721

Good for him. This should make Maple_Leaf182 happy.

[Shady]

Prime Minister Harper is clearly a monster.

[Shakeyhands]

There must be an election around the corner in his opinion... just sayin'

[Topaz]

That's all well and good but what about the Canadians who are poor and homeless. I know these people of Haiti need the world's help but I'm wondering if he had a promise to the GG, or is this all about HIM because he doesn't come across as a PM with a heart.

[bush_cheney2004]

That's all well and good but what about the Canadians who are poor and homeless.

No problem....Canada can make Haiti the next province and have a much warmer vacation destination...better than Florida and a lot cheaper. That's a win-win!

[ToadBrother]

No problem....Canada can make Haiti the next province and have a much warmer vacation destination...better than Florida and a lot cheaper. That's a win-win!

I thought we were getting the Turks and Caicos Islands. Now that the Brits have been forced to suspend their government, I think we should tell the folks down there that we're interested and we would gladly make them an 11th province.

Getting Haiti would be a lot like the German Reunification, yeah, everybody is happy at first, but then the waiter presents the bill, and half the party goes "Whoops, forgot our wallet!"

But hey, I'm all for creating our own little Caribbean Empire. In the long run, it's probably not a bad idea. Turks and Caicos have a similar governing system to ours, so integration shouldn't be too big a deal, and Haiti would beef up the Francophone end of things which should probably make Quebec feel a little less picked on.

Edited January 27, 2010 by ToadBrother

[Smallc]

I thought we were getting the Turks and Caicos Islands. Now that the Brits have been forced to suspend their government, I think we should tell the folks down there that we're interested and we would gladly make them an 11th province.

I think they would just join Nova Scotia (since NS wants it). The Constitutional change would be simpler.

[ToadBrother]

I think they would just join Nova Scotia (since NS wants it). The Constitutional change would be simpler.

That probably makes more sense. I think it's a pretty damned good idea. They'd get some responsible government, we'd get a Caribbean vacation spot that didn't try to screw us when we went to convert our Canadian dollars.

[wyly]

Prime Minister Harper is clearly a monster.

about time you realized that...he's a pure power hungry political vampire, his every waking moment is devoted to political scheming and he'll kiss as many babies and butts as he can to gain it...

[William Ashley]

Here's Prime Minister Harper's Opinion Piece:

Link to The Star Story: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/755798--stephen-harper-pushes-g8-to-help-world-s-poorest-women-and-kids

Link to Opinion Piece: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/755721

And its only going to cost Harper 2 Billion tax dollars.. so the cons sell the oilsands to China and spend the money to give healthcare to children in other countries.

If this wasn't the publics money I'd think the guy had heart.

My gosh I wonder what rich country he is going to run in 10 years when Canadians have no healthcare. Does harper know chinese?

Aim high steveo.

Foreign charity should be a private enterprise not done with public tax dollars..

There are domestic doctor shortages in canada, some people don't even have a family doctor.

Edited January 27, 2010 by William Ashley

[EyesWideOpen]

Here's Prime Minister Harper's Opinion Piece:

Link to The Star Story: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/755798--stephen-harper-pushes-g8-to-help-world-s-poorest-women-and-kids

Link to Opinion Piece: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/755721

well good for him!

So, I expect first on his agenda will be focusing on the recent data that shows that Inuit infants die at a rate of almost 3 and half times higher than the Canadian average, stillbirths at almost twice the Canadian average and approx. 70% of these children are raised in homes where there is not enough food.

Of course he will! Just like he never fiddled with spending on National Childcare programs or 'fudging' numbers in the Kelowna Accord.

He's such a saint.

[wyly]

well good for him!

So, I expect first on his agenda will be focusing on the recent data that shows that Inuit infants die at a rate of almost 3 and half times higher than the Canadian average, stillbirths at almost twice the Canadian average and approx. 70% of these children are raised in homes where there is not enough food.

Of course he will! Just like he never fiddled with spending on National Childcare programs or 'fudging' numbers in the Kelowna Accord.

He's such a saint.

it's all good optics for the media but it's empty he doesn't have to worry about following up...he could've stepped up to the plate in Copenhagen and made a difference but he didn't because that response could be measured...

[fellowtraveller]

The one and only reason that Harper is interested in the welfare of women and children is because he eats babies. That fact is not on any policy papers but it is on the daily menu at 24 Sussex.

Edited January 27, 2010 by fellowtraveller

[EyesWideOpen]

it's all good optics for the media but it's empty he doesn't have to worry about following up...he could've stepped up to the plate in Copenhagen and made a difference but he didn't because that response could be measured...

indeed. :angry:

It's the hypocracy that rankles, is all

[noahbody]

And its only going to cost Harper 2 Billion tax dollars.. so the cons sell the oilsands to China and spend the money to give healthcare to children in other countries.

Yet I'm guessing you supported Kyoto didn't you? That would have sent five to ten times that money to other countries solving or accomplishing nothing.

[fellowtraveller]

spend the money to give healthcare to children in other countries.

good points William, aid to the less fortunate is an utter waste of money.

Will you lead the campaign to get back every penny we are wasting on Haiti?

[William Ashley]

Yet I'm guessing you supported Kyoto didn't you? That would have sent five to ten times that money to other countries solving or accomplishing nothing.

Action on climate change is needed, paying money to other countries isn't.

Also just cause A sucks doesn't mean B sucks any less.

This whole but they did it too bs. If it sucks it sucks, it doesn't matter if someone else sucked, they still suck. Two sucks does not make a right. Two conservatives can make the right wing though, such as after the election that brought the liberals to power in the 90's.

My point is the government ought to help the domestic situation, not spend all the money on war and foreign aid. There are plenty of needy people and unemployed people that could benefit from domestic spending.

CANADA FIRST, not the third world. If we give everything to the third world, we will soon be it, although even if we don't spend, with harper at the helm it may happen anyway. . .. _

Let people with money donate to domestic aid organization that are involved domestically and foreign and get a tax break on it, but not the public purse directly.

CANADA FIRST!

Edited January 27, 2010 by William Ashley

[Moonlight Graham]

"it should not take a natural disaster to turn our attention to the less fortunate."

I agree with this 100%. Bravo Harper, now i hope he just follows up on it. This quote coming from a guy who refuses to meet the 0.7% of GDP to foreign aid that has been an internationally agreed threshold for decades. Hope he's changed his tune.

[William Ashley]

good points William, aid to the less fortunate is an utter waste of money.

Will you lead the campaign to get back every penny we are wasting on Haiti?

You are painting. Foreign aid from the government should exist in the form of investments, eg. setting up business operations that are needed in the economy, or buying land and setting up agriculture, establishing export industries that can yeild back to the domestic economy for the loss, you know imperialistic ventures.

Selfless acts of giving should be left to the public. (the government has already allowed a limit for tax break charitable donations - which is where charitable giving should come from) While the government should help organize they shouldn't be giving the public purse to foreign governments. 2 Billion represents about 1% of federal revenue It is fiscally irresponsible. If those govenrment want Canadians tax dollars they should surrender to Canada, or it should come from Canadians, not a government.

(It is sort of a conflict of interest to give to some foreign governments and not others, or to some organizations and not others)

A lot of spending in Haiti is wasted money. I tend to agree with bill clinton in saying that the best way to donate is to invest in the eocnomy by establishing or investing in haitian businesses, this would fall directly in line with imperialistic venture.

Edited January 27, 2010 by William Ashley

[Michael Hardner]

Action on climate change is needed, ...

CANADA FIRST!

These two sentences don't resolve themselves, though... Canada of all countries could benefit from climate change.

[wyly]

These two sentences don't resolve themselves, though... Canada of all countries could benefit from climate change.

how's that? by losing prime agricultural land, the prairies are semi-desert any significant drop in rainfall and they're done, Calgary's prime source of water is glacial runoff and that particular glacier is projected to be gone in 30 years, a projected doubling of population and even less water than we have now...Ontario is losing much of it's best farm land to urbanization...

I keep hearing how we'll farm further north in the arctic, I've lived up there I want someone to tell me where this prime agricultural land is in the arctic, is there some new agricultural technology out there that turns bedrock, muskeg and gravel into farmland?

[Topaz]

No problem....Canada can make Haiti the next province and have a much warmer vacation destination...better than Florida and a lot cheaper. That's a win-win!

We may as well make it part of Canada since the Tories have forgiven any debt and all the money we have already put into that country.

[eyeball]

I keep hearing how we'll farm further north in the arctic, I've lived up there I want someone to tell me where this prime agricultural land is in the arctic, is there some new agricultural technology out there that turns bedrock, muskeg and gravel into farmland?

Perhaps not but after pine-beetles turn the Boreal Forest into compost we'll be able to plant just about anything.

I'm planning for an orange tree grove in my backyard on Vancouver Island.

[capricorn]

One of the stated outcomes of improving the health of women in poor countries as proposed by the PM is a decrease in infant mortality. This will not go over well with those who blame overpopulation for many of the ills of some of those countries and of the planet, from endemic poverty to global warming. Another likely dissenting group will be looking at this endeavor sideways based on the premise that Harper is pushing a Christian agenda which is to elevate the status of the fetus. I don't know if we will see animated protests from these interest groups at the G8, but the prospects are there. Look to left wing and anti-conservative blogs to get very creative with their interpretation of his motives and their perception that his ideas are short sighted.