Embassy Magazine has presented its analysis on the budget with reference to international development:
Highlights for International Development Professionals:
The Liberals said they plan to increase the international assistance spending envelope gradually to $5.2 billion by 2018 from the current $4.5 billion-an important symbolic change after years of frozen aid budgets under the Conservatives. And, in a major shift from the Harper government, the budget said the Liberals are refocusing foreign aid on helping the "poorest and most vulnerable" in the world. With the Conservatives, Canada's overseas aid activities had moved away from poverty reduction to put more emphasis on commercial opportunities for Canadian companies in the developing world.
BY THE NUMBERS: New foreign policy dollars in the 2016 budget
- $256 million: New funding for Canada's International Assistance Envelope, over two years (2016-2018)
- $586.5 million: Existing, unallocated funding in the International Assistance Envelope to be earmarked over three years (2016-2019), including "up to" $450 million for the Global Peace and Security Fund; $106.5 million for the International Police Peacekeeping and Peace Operations Program; and $30 million for the Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program-Sahel Envelope
