A cross-section of members of Parliament, including at least one Liberal MP, say Ottawa should match donations to more organizations that are responding to devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
The federal government has offered to match up to $10 million in donations to the Canadian Red Cross, which has partners on the ground helping people who are suddenly homeless after last week's massive earthquake.
Stephen Salewicz, the department's head of international humanitarian assistance, said the Red Cross seemed like the best choice because it already has a large presence in Turkey. Department officials responded that they are following a Canada-backed 2016 declaration at the United Nations World Humanitarian Summit, which asked countries to support whichever groups can have the most impact on the ground.
The Humanitarian Coalition, a group that includes 12 major charities, has been part of past government donation-matching. "There are many places where the Red Cross is not able to access, that many of our members are able to deliver. That local capacity in all regions of Syria is a good example of that."
He noted that other rich countries to a better job of leveraging philanthropy to respond to humanitarian crises.
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