This Act sets rules for Canadian official development assistance abroad, including a poverty-reduction focus, consultation duties, reporting duties, and regulation-making power.
An Act respecting the provision of official development assistance abroad Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: Short title This Act may be cited as the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act. Purpose The purpose of this Act is to ensure that all Canadian official development assistance abroad is provided with a central focus on poverty reduction and in a manner that is consistent with Canadian values, Canadian foreign policy, the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness of March 2, 2005, sustainable development and democracy promotion and that promotes international human rights standards. Official development assistance Canadian official development assistance abroad shall be defined exclusively with regard to these values. Definitions The following definitions apply in this Act. Canadian values means, amongst others, values of global citizenship, equity and environmental sustainability. (valeurs canadiennes) civil society organization means a not-for-profit or charitable organization whose governing structure is independent of government direction, and includes, but is not limited to, registered charities, non-governmental development organizations, community groups, women’s organizations, faith-based organizations, professional associations, trade unions, self-help groups, social movements, business associations, coalitions, human rights organizations and advocacy groups. (organisme de la société civile) competent minister means the Minister for International Development, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Foreign Affairs or any other minister who is providing official development assistance. (ministre compétent) democracy includes, but is not limited to, political and civil rights as defined by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. (démocratie) international agency means any organization whose objectives include global poverty reduction or international humanitarian assistance. (agence internationale) international assistance means funding provided by government for international development, international financial institutions, global peace and security, crises overseas and international development research. (aide internationale) international human rights standards means standards that are based on international human rights conventions to which Canada is a party and on international customary law. (normes internationales en matière de droits de la personne) Minister means the Minister for International Development or any other minister designated by the Governor in Council as the Minister for the purposes of this Act. (ministre) official development assistance[Repealed, 2018, c. 27, s. 656] Regulations For the purposes of this Act, the Governor in Council may make regulations defining the expression official development assistance, in which case, the Governor in Council must take into account, among other things, the most recent definition of official development assistance formulated by the Development Assistance Committee of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Official development assistance may be provided only if the competent minister is of the opinion that it contributes to poverty reduction; takes into account the perspectives of the poor; and is consistent with international human rights standards. Disaster or other emergency occurring outside Canada Notwithstanding subsection (1), official development assistance may be provided for the purposes of alleviating the effects of a natural or artificial disaster or other emergency occurring outside Canada. Consultation The competent minister shall consult with governments, international agencies and Canadian civil society organizations at least once every two years, and shall take their views and recommendations into consideration when forming an opinion described in subsection (1). Calculation of contribution In calculating Canada’s official development assistance contribution in Government of Canada publications, the competent minister or the Governor in Council shall consider only official development assistance as defined by this Act that meets the criteria in subsections (1) and (1.1). No limit or restriction imposed Nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to limit the funding or restrict the activities of the International Development Research Centre. Report to Parliament The Minister or the competent minister shall cause to be laid before each House of Parliament within one year after the end of each fiscal year or, if either House is not sitting, on any of the first five days on which that House of Parliament is sitting, a report containing the total amount spent by the Government of Canada on official development assistance in the previous fiscal year; a summary of any activity or initiative taken under this Act; a summary of Canada’s activities under the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act that have contributed to carrying out the purpose of this Act. [Repealed, 2018, c. 27, s. 658] [Repealed, 2013, c. 33, s. 193] Statistical report The Minister shall issue a statistical report on the disbursement of official development assistance within one year after the end of each fiscal year. Coming into force This Act comes into force 30 days after the day on which it receives royal assent. [Note: Act in force June 28, 2008.]