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Feds to match private donations to aid groups in Myanmar, China
By THE CANADIAN PRESS
OTTAWA - Bev Oda, the minister of International Co-operation, said Thursday the federal government will match private donations made to aid groups working on disaster relief in Myanmar and China.
Oda earlier promised $2 million for aid to cyclone-ravaged Myanmar, where tens of thousands have died and hundreds of thousands are homeless.
Her promise to match the donations of individuals will raise that figure.
Canada also offered help to China, where an earthquake killed tens of thousands on Monday, but there's no word on whether such aid is needed or wanted.
"We're constantly talking with the organizations on the ground and we're going to be responding as they assess their needs and get their requests into us," Oda told reporters.
But the money is nowhere near what Canada should be offering, a Liberal MP countered.
"We've asked for that to be increased by tenfold, you can't do much with two million dollars," Keith Martin said.
Myanmar state television said Thursday that the official cyclone death toll to has climbed to more than 43,000, while UN officials have said the number of dead could be more than 100,000.
Officials in China said Thursday the death toll from that disaster could reach 50,000. |
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