I’d like to start a revolution!

I’d like to insist that every negative headline be replaced by a positive one and that Canadians be fed a healthy diet of what we are doing right rather than what we are doing wrong.

As Canadians we recognize our good fortune living in a country that offers so much to our citizens: low taxes, a high quality of life, education, well-paying jobs, healthcare and a roof over our heads.

That good fortune is the reason so many of us care about what is happening in the rest of the world and why our government continues to make it a priority to support our global neighbours when they need it the most.

But you wouldn’t know it.

According to the headlines Canada is failing. We are just not holding up our end. 

Whether it’s our ongoing commitments to Haiti or the fight against AIDS in Africa, according to the headlines, we are not doing enough.

Take Haiti for instance.  I’ll wager it takes less than a minute for the average person to comprehend the sheer magnitude required to get assistance to the people of Haiti, a country virtually reduced to rubble by the January earthquake. 
 
I’ll also wager that, when faced with a problem, few us would be willing to just hand over financial aid to anyone unless we were sure that aid was going to be used effectively.

So if you and I can figure that out, why not those who are complaining that, 7 months into one of the worst disasters in history, Canada is failing?

Wouldn’t it do more to get fully behind the effort?

How many of you know that, last week, Canada donated supplies from the Canadian Forces' recent relief mission to non-profit organizations involved in ongoing, critical humanitarian aid and reconstruction work in Haiti.

The donation includes medical equipment, food, water, and construction materials with a value of more than $764,000. These supplies will bolster both short-term and longer-term efforts to support Haiti as it rebuilds. 

The supplies, delivered on July 9 and 10, have been strategically distributed among partners that include local Haitian, Canadian, and United Nations organizations where they will have the most impact on the work of these agencies and organizations.

Approximately 2,000 personnel from the Canadian Army, Navy and Air Force helped countless people and brought assistance to those who needed it most in the aftermath of the earthquake.  Canadian Forces personnel provided nearly 1.5 million meals, 2.6 million litres of drinkable water and medical care for more than 22,000 Haitians.

Not only did Canada take the lead hosting a meeting of foreign ministers and key multilateral players to begin reconstruction of Haiti, we are actively helping to support the comprehensive reconstruction and development efforts being led by the Government of Haiti. 

As we speak, Canadians are helping to rebuild key infrastructure like roads and hospitals and important social structures including government services, police forces and the judicial infrastructure.
 
Now why couldn’t the headlines be loud and clear about that?

The same goes for the ongoing battle against HIV and AIDS.

This week, Canada, in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, announced the renewed Canadian HIV Vaccine Initiative (CHVI), which features the creation of the CHVI Research and Development Alliance.

The Alliance will enable Canada to be a leading contributor to global efforts in developing a safe, effective, affordable and globally accessible HIV vaccine.

As well, there is an emphasis on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in low- and middle-income countries.

I’m not saying Canada does everything perfectly and that constructive criticism isn’t helpful.  I’m saying  it’s time we gave less air time to those who benefit from making Canadians feel bad about their efforts and more time to those who recognize that Canada and Canadians do a lot of good in this world. 

I firmly believe the end result will be an even greater commitment to do more.
 
Ron Cannan is the Member of Parliament for Kelowna-Lake Country.  For more information on Canada’s Haiti and HIV/AIDS initiatives please go to the following websites or contact Ron at ron@cannan.ca.

http://www.international.gc.ca/humanitarian-humanitaire/earthquake_seisme_haiti.aspx

http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdi-cida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/Eng/JUD-12912349-NLX

http://www.chvi-icvv.gc.ca/chvifs-eng.html