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Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay |
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May 22, 2012 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the conclusion of the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay:
“Over two decades ago, Rick Hansen captured the imagination of the country by rolling his wheelchair across the world to raise awareness of and money for spinal chord research.
“I am very pleased that the legacy of this hero lives on in the annual Canadian relay that bears his name. As the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay draws to a close, I would like to congratulate all 7,000 participants in 600 communities across our great nation who covered 12,000 kilometres by run, walk, wheel or bike, retracing the steps of the Canadian portion of the original Man in Motion World Tour.
“Our Government believes in Rick Hansen’s vision. Through the Economic Action Plan 2012, we will continue to support the work of his institute as it strives to achieve breakthroughs in spinal cord injury research and treatment.
“Congratulations again to all participants of this year’s relay, which managed to raise awareness for this important cause.” |
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End to Canada's Military Mission in Afghanistan |
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May 21, 2012 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper today confirmed that Canada's military mission in Afghanistan will come to a firm and final end once the current training mission concludes on March 31, 2014. The Prime Minister made the announcement at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit in Chicago.
"For more than a decade, the brave men and women of our Canadian Armed Forces, the RCMP, and many dedicated public servants and civilians have made enormous sacrifices to assist the Afghan people," said the Prime Minister. "Canada will honour its commitment and complete its current training mission but our country will not have any military mission in Afghanistan after March 2014."
To ensure the future stability of a secure and democratic Afghanistan the Prime Minister announced that Canada will provide financial support to the Afghanistan National Security Forces (ANSF).
“Canada plays an integral role in ensuring that Afghan National Security Forces are well-trained so they can assume full responsibility for their own national security,” said Prime Minister Harper. “The support being announced today will help sustain these Forces by ensuring they are well equipped beyond 2014.”
Canada will contribute $110 million per year over three years (2015-2017) towards helping sustain the ANSF. Canada joins a broad international coalition of NATO and non-NATO partners in supporting the ANSF. Canada will insist on strict accountability measures for this fund.
The Prime Minister added that the Afghan Government must continue to demonstrate its commitment to meeting international human rights obligations, combating corruption, strengthening the rule of law, increasing tolerance of religious freedoms, and protecting women’s rights as enshrined in the Afghan Constitution.
Canada’s ultimate goal is to sustain the gains that have been made as a result of the sacrifices of Canadian troops and help Afghans rebuild Afghanistan into a viable country that is better governed, more stable and secure, and never again a safe haven for terrorists. |
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Food Security and Nutrition in Africa |
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May 18, 2012 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced support for a new initiative aimed at addressing the challenges of agricultural productivity in Africa. The initiative was announced by Barack Obama, President of the United States, at the Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security in Washington, D.C.
The New Alliance for Food and Nutrition Security will allow African partners, G-8 countries, other donors and the private sector to create new and innovative partnerships that will drive agricultural transformation, improve nutrition and unlock sustainable economic growth in Africa. These efforts will complement initiatives being undertaken by the African Union.
“As a continuation of our international leadership on food security and agriculture, we are pleased to support the New Alliance for Food and Nutrition Security,” said Prime Minister Harper. “The New Alliance is a partnership based on mutual accountability, aimed at unlocking the enormous potential of Africa’s agricultural sector and improving nutrition outcomes.”
Canada’s contribution to the New Alliance, which will be funded through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)’s bilateral and multilateral programs, builds upon its solid track record of global leadership in food security. At the G-8 Summit in L’Aquila in 2009, Canada announced new funding of $600 million for sustainable agricultural development, elevating its total support to $1.18 billion. In April 2011, Canada became the first G-8 country to fully meet its L’Aquila commitment.
Canada’s support for the initiative will complement our multilateral and bilateral efforts to enhance food security and agricultural development in Africa. More specifically, Canadian support will contribute to: assisting farmers throughout Africa to improve their yields and sell their crops, implementing food security initiatives in Ghana and Ethiopia, and developing a new Canadian-led initiative to support innovative nutrition research and technologies. Our contribution will also help build farmers’ resilience to unexpected events like droughts or conflict, while promoting long-term growth and productivity.
In 2009, the Government of Canada launched its Food Security Strategy, a comprehensive approach to address immediate food needs in developing countries and find solutions for lasting food security through three paths: sustainable agricultural development, food assistance, and nutrition and agricultural research. |
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May 13, 2012 - Prime Minister Stephen Harper today issued the following statement on the occasion of Mother’s Day:
“Today we celebrate those mothers who by virtue of their wisdom, kindness, decency and work ethic have inspired us to be better people and better citizens.”
“While we celebrate the mothers in our lives who have been family keystones and beacons of guidance and care, let us recognize that there are many remarkable women in this country who, along with raising families, are also juggling careers, community service and taking care of elderly parents.”
“Our Government recognizes this reality and has been taking steps to help lighten the load of mothers and families. This includes implementing a Universal Child Care Benefit to help with child care expenses, creating a Children’s Fitness Tax Credit to help with the cost of registering children and youth in physical activity programs, as well as establishing a new Family Caregiver Tax Credit to help mothers and families with the cost of caring for an infirm dependant relative, including a child, spouse or parent.”
“I encourage Canadians to honour all mothers – past and present – on this special day for all they do and have done for us. In that spirit, Laureen and I wish all mothers a wonderful day." |
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