OTTAWA, ON and MONTREAL, QC - To celebrate Canada's 25th International Development Week, the partners of the Haiti-Canada Municipal Cooperation program-the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, l'Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) and the city of Montreal-today highlighted the importance of municipal engagement in international cooperation in the company of the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie.
"Thousands of Canadians are involved in international development work because they are convinced that all of their individual efforts combined can make a big difference when it comes to improving the lives of the world's poorest people," stated Minister Paradis. "The Government of Canada's partners, such as the city of Montréal, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), the Union of Quebec Municipalities (UQM), civil society and the private sector, share this conviction, and with all sectors working together, we will be able to reduce poverty. My government is proud to be working with the city of Montréal, the FCM and the UQM to help municipalities around the world strengthen their governance and foster local economic development."
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities was represented by its past president, Claude Dauphin. The Union of Quebec Municipalities was represented by its president, Sainte-Julie mayor Suzanne Roy. Mayor Denis Coderre represented the city of Montreal.
"The inauguration of the Maison des collectivités territoriales last December was a fine example of municipal cooperation on an international scale. This new institution will help Haitian municipalities build credible and effective local governments through improved devolution of powers and resources to local authorities," said FCM Past President Claude Dauphin.
"For the past five years, the UMQ and its members have shown their solidarity with the Haitian people and are proud to have helped launch a number of initiatives to provide local elected officials with concrete help in re-establishing the institutional capacity of communities affected by the earthquake. The second phase of the Haiti-Canada Municipal Cooperation Program (MCP2), of which the UMQ is a partner, will build on existing accomplishments and continue strengthening Haiti's territorial communities," said UMQ president Suzanne Roy.
"International Development Week is the perfect occasion to highlight municipal commitment to building a better world. Whether in Haiti or elsewhere in the world, municipal employees contribute to the progress and advancement of developing countries. There are many excellent examples of this, including the projects Montreal is leading in Port-au-Prince, such as the rehabilitation of public spaces and lighting in a number of neighbourhoods," said Montreal mayor Denis Coderre.
MCP2 is expected to last for five years, from 2014 to 2019. Its $21.4 million budget includes a $19.1 million contribution from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) and a contribution of services valued at $2.3 million from the FCM, the city of Montreal and the UMQ.
The Haiti-Canada Municipal Cooperation Program benefits from the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).
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