The
Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper P.C., M.P
Prime Minister of Canada
House of Commons
Ottawa Ontario
K1A 0A6
Disaster
in Guinsaugon, Philippines
Friday 17th February 2006.
Dear Mr. Prime Minister
It is with much sadness that
I have not noticed on your website and or any other Government Website any
mention of the mud slide disaster in
Guinsaugon, Philippines.
What is even more hurtful to
the Canadian-Philippine community is that their
Prime Minister does not issue a statement expressing his
condolences for the lives
that were lost in the Philippines today.
Mr. Prime Minister your
government must step up to the plate immediately and
provide substantive aid.
Canada has a well-earned
international reputation for helping people when and where natural
disasters occur, and certainly your government failed today.
After meeting tonight with
members of the Toronto Philippine community to discuss their priorities,
as other nations committed resources to respond to the rescue, recovery
and relief efforts underway on the island of Leyte,
they have asked me to convey
the following message to your Government:
The Government of Canada
needs to:
- Commit $10 million
immediately, for rescue, recovery and relief efforts;
- Issue a one-time charitable
tax number to community organizations that collect relief funds;
- Match relief funds raised
by Canadians until March 31, 2006; and
- Deploy Canada's DART, if
requested by the Philippine government and
international organizations.
I am looking forward to your
response on the call by the Philippine-Canadian Community and addressing
the needs of the People of the Philippines in their time of need.
