Support for foreign aid is dwindling in many developed countries, including Canada. Reflecting this trend, a recent survey found 59 per cent of Canadians want to reduce foreign aid to developing countries.
This is striking, given that Canada’s foreign aid, amounting to 0.38 per cent of its gross national product, is already below the OECD’s target of 0.7 per cent, placing Canada in the middle of the spectrum of donor countries.
Cutting foreign aid from developed countries doesn’t just hinder international development; it also jeopardizes the international competitiveness of a donor country’s domestic businesses.
