One of our biggest aid recipients in the 1990s was China; a decade later it was Afghanistan and Iraq. Now it’s Ukraine.
Ian Smillie argues against using cuts to Canada's foreign aid budget to fund a proposed military base in Nunavut, as suggested by Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre. Smillie highlights that foreign aid is often used for purposes beyond poverty alleviation, including advancing political and commercial interests, and that Canada already contributes significantly below OECD targets. He warns that diverting aid to build a military base creates a false trade-off, undermining the long-term security benefits that effective foreign aid provides. Smillie emphasizes that foreign aid should prioritize ending poverty and addressing global insecurities, rather than being used to finance military projects.
