MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 11/17/13 -- Speaking at a fundraising musical concert by local Filipino-Canadian artists, Lois Brown, Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development, Christian Paradis, commended the compassion and generosity of Canadians for responding time and again to the needs of people affected by natural disasters and other crises around the world. PS Brown called on Canadians to continue to give generously to the urgent relief efforts to assist those affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
"We must do all that we can to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan," said PS Brown. "When natural disasters have struck in the past, we have seen Canadians step up to the plate and deliver. The donations that have already been collected are making a huge impact on the ground in the Philippines."
Today's concert fundraiser was organized by a movement of Filipino-Canadians across the Greater Toronto Area as part of efforts to raise funds for those affected by the devastating typhoon. All eligible proceeds from the event will be channelled to World Vision's typhoon relief fund and matched by the Government of Canada. Donations and pledges from Canadians to World Vision have reached more than $1.6 million so far, which has enabled the organization to help close to 4,000 people affected by the typhoon, providing them with food and hygiene kits.
"World Vision is committed to provide relief to the Philippines emergency response," said Dave Toycen, President of World Vision Canada. "With the generous support of Canadians, we are urgently assisting families who need food, water, hygiene kits, emergency shelter, and child protection."
To date, individual Canadians and Canadian businesses combined have already donated almost $16 million in support of the relief effort in the Philippines. The Government of Canada established the Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund on November 10, 2013, and is committed to match dollar for dollar all eligible donations made between November 9 and December 9, 2013, by individual Canadians to registered Canadian charities responding to the crisis.
Contacts:
Margaux Stastny, Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of International
Development and Minister for La Francophonie
819-953-6238
margaux.stastny@international.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD)
819-995-1874
media@international.gc.ca
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