QUESTION PERIOD — Finance
Budget 2024
April 10, 2024
Senator Gold, the government has been very busy making a number of announcements related to next week’s budget. I have budget questions for you.
First, in a meeting of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Kate Higgins, CEO of Cooperation Canada, said:
Investing in and supporting civil society is one of the surest ways to sustain and protect economic and social development gains and secure peace and democracy.
Yesterday, I met with representatives of Cooperation Canada, whose recent report called upon the federal government to commit an additional $3 billion over five years toward supporting women and girls in humanitarian emergencies and protracted conflicts and crises, and supporting human rights, civil society and democracy.
Senator Gold, will we see this important international assistance investment in this year’s budget?
Thank you for your question and for underlining the importance of measures to assist women and girls throughout the world. In that regard, this has been a priority for this government, as we know. It was this government that launched Canada’s first Feminist International Assistance Policy. I have every confidence that this government will continue to advocate for and support the interests and the rights of women and girls around the globe as part of its feminist foreign policy.
With regard to your specific question, as will be no surprise to you and other colleagues, I’m really not in a position to comment on what might or might not be in the budget. We await with eagerness next Tuesday’s announcements.
