Editorial: We forked out 300 times that on the flawed gun registry

PUBLICATION: The Province
DATE: 2004.12.30
EDITION: Final
SECTION: Editorial
PAGE: A18
SOURCE: The Province
ILLUSTRATION: Photo: “While no longer a powerful military nation,Canadians pride themselves on their role in fostering world peace and helping the poor and afflicted in less developed countries.”

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Canadian government slow to get serious about sending aid to Asian tsunami victims

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Chump change. That was the reaction of many Canadians to the news earlier this week that Ottawa would make a contribution of just $4 million to help the victims of the terrible Christmas tsunami in Southeast Asia.

After all, we taxpayers had already forked out 300 times that amount on the flawed gun registry. We even spent more sending Gov.-Gen. Adrienne Clarkson and her elite pals to Russia, Finland and Iceland.

And, while no longer part of a powerful military nation, we continue to take pride in Canada’s role in fostering world peace and helping the poor and afflicted in less developed countries.

That is why many of us felt the federal government was being lackadaisical over this latest world disaster — especially as no word had been heard from Prime Minister Paul Martin, vacationing in Morocco.

Skilled emergency help from countries like Canada was obviously needed. And, as the government dithered, the death estimates kept rising, to more than 80,000.

So yesterday afternoon there was a general sense of relief among sympathetic members of the public that Ottawa had finally decided to play catch-up.

Defence Minister Bill Graham told reporters the government was increasing its originally planned Asian aid contribution to $40 million.

He announced Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew and International Co-operation Minister Aileen Carroll would return to Canada from their respective vacations. And he read a statement from Martin offering his condolences.

Further, Graham said a 12-member advance group would go to the devastated area to make recommendations about additional help. The group would be made up of members of the controversial Disaster Assistance Response Team, last used five years ago to assist in earthquake relief efforts in Turkey.

It was the same team that on Tuesday was described by defence officials as “not the right tool at this time” to help the tsunami victims.

Now, Ottawa may slowly be getting its act together over how to address this horrific disaster.

But, it is hard to avoid the feeling that it has had to be prodded into doing so by a more caring and concerned public.