Better late than never

Canada is finally sending members of the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Southeast Asia. Bruce Rolston explains the policy decisions which have prevented us from sending the DART team earlier. Politics aside, I'm sure every Canadian joins me in wishing the team - and other Canadian aid workers in that blighted region - the best of luck.

The Martin government has also announced it will double its aid to the region (to $80 million) and several other moves, including a change to tax rules allowing Canadians to claim donations made before Jan. 11 on their 2004 tax return. As of Sunday, Canadian citizens had given $36 million, and charities have been overwhelmed by the response. (One guy pledged half a million dollars to CARE Canada.) Ontario and Alberta are chipping in $5 million each. The government of Newfoundland and Labrador has donated $100,000.

Canadians can donate through several organizations, including the Canadian Red Cross, CARE, Oxfam and World Vision. Every little bit counts.

Update: NBC and its cable networks will air a three-hour telethon for disaster relief on Jan. 15.

Update II: a reader chides me for not pointing out that British Columbia has pledged $8 million, and asks why I didn't mention it. Simple: I didn't know.

So far, Saskatchewan has pledged $1 million. Manitoba, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have all pledged $100,000 apiece, and tiny Prince Edward Island is giving $20,000.

Posted by damian at January 3, 2005 08:12 PM