HAPPY CANADA DAY!

June 30, 2010

Photo: Cheryl Gallant, MP representing Canada in Addis Abba, Ethiopia, Africa.


Happy Canada Day from your Federal Member of Parliament! I hope you had an opportunity to celebrate Canada’s birthday in grand, Ottawa Valley style!

Being Your Brothers Keeper: Canada’s Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health
People in the Ottawa valley have a reputation for compassion and fairness to their fellow human beings. Of the many initial policies brought in by a new Conservative government, our emphasis on being “family friendly” has proven to be very well supported locally. I am particularly pleased to confirm Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s initiative at the recent international summit held here in Canada on maternal, newborn and child health.
This contribution will make significant, tangible differences in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people.  Canada led the way in mobilizing support among world leaders, key donors and private foundations for this initiative to reduce the mortality rates of mothers and their children. 
Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that the total Canadian contribution for maternal, newborn and child health will be $2.85 billion over five years.  In addition to $1.1 billion in new money, the Government will also renew existing funding of $1.75 billion over the next five years, for what will be a permanent and long-term commitment.

Targeting the leading causes of maternal, newborn and child mortality, Canada’s efforts will support comprehensive and integrated approaches to provide the necessary health services for mothers and children. Canada’s efforts will be fully integrated into country-led plans on maternal, newborn and child health, and will focus on high-risk countries such as Haiti, Afghanistan, Mali, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Mozambique.

Recognizing significant needs in sub-Saharan Africa, about 80 per cent of Canadian funding will be targeted to countries in that part of the world. In my role as Vice-Chair of the NATO Parliamentary Association, I had the opportunity to visit health care facilities in Ethiopia. I look forward to returning to that country to see the difference Canada is making in the lives of some of the poorest people on this planet.

For mothers and newborns, Canada will focus its efforts on improving the services and care needed to ensure healthy pregnancies and safe delivery, while placing a particular emphasis on meeting the nutritional needs of pregnant women, mothers, newborns and young children.   To address child mortality, Canada will work to increase access to the high-impact, cost-effective interventions that address the leading killers of children under the age of five. 


Drawing on Canadians’ expertise and knowledge in maternal and child health, Canada will bring together Canadian partners, experts and practitioners to build and share the latest knowledge in the field to ensure that Canadian programming delivers tangible results.  Accountability for results will be an integral part of Canada’s contribution to the maternal, newborn and child health initiative.  We will design a rigorous accountability framework to measure our progress, track results and ensure that Canadians’ aid dollars are used effectively to contribute to a sustainable reduction in maternal and child mortality.

As your Federal Member of Parliament, I am pleased to represent you on a variety of issues. Whether that issue is eliminating the long gun registry, promoting agriculture, international trade, AECL, the military or jobs in the working forest, I am here to serve you!

As always, if you have any concerns of a federal nature, or just want to share your views with me, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Office contact Information: Constituency Office of Cheryl Gallant, MP, 84 Isabella St., Pembroke On. K8A 5S5 or call 732-4404. There is no postage required when you write your Federal Member of Parliament.