The Group of Eight (G8) is an international forum for eight of the world’s most powerful heads of government—including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Together, these countries represent about 65% of the world economy and the majority of global military power. Each year the group’s activities culminate with the G8 Summit, attended by the heads of government of the eight member states [the European Union is also present].

HIV and AIDS
At the G8 Summit in July 2005, G8 leaders—including Canada—made a commitment to “develop and implement a package for comprehensive HIV prevention, treatment and care, with the aim of as close as possible to universal access to treatment for all people who need it by 2010.” This commitment was endorsed by all UN member states in 2006.

So far, this promise has not been kept. We are just 2 years away from the target date and are facing a major funding shortfall. As a result, last year 420 000 children became newly infected with HIV, and more than 2 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses.

HIV and AIDS has been an increasingly important agenda item at the Summit in recent years. Now is the time that Canada and other G8 countries fulfill the promises made to millions of children whose lives depend on them.

Official Development Assistance (ODA)
The latest Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report from November 2007 shows that Canada’s Official Development Assistance (foreign aid) is in decline. In 2006, our aid spending was just 0.29% of Gross National Income (GNI)—down from 0.34% in 2005.

This level of aid funding represents broken promises. In 2005, Prime Minister Harper pledged that, if elected, his party would increase aid toward the average percentage contribution of donor countries by 2010. At the time the average was 0.42% of GNI. Today it is 0.46%. Declining aid levels also breaks promises Canada has made (and some other countries have already met) to increase aid spending to 0.7% of GNI.

We are asking our government to set a clear budgetary plan for reaching these goals. Increasing aid by 15% per year over ten years will mean we reach the 0.7% target by 2017.

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