EvanL
05-12-2004, 08:26 PM
By DARREN YOURK
Globe and Mail Update
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Prime Minister Paul Martin landed another visit from rock star Bono Wednesday, with the singer turned activist praising Canada's effort in the fight against AIDS in Africa.
The U2 frontman joined the Prime Minister at an International symposium on HIV/AIDS in Ottawa Wednesday, where the government announced its second spending increase in the past week to fight the disease.
"I'm not here to elect Paul Martin or the Liberal party," Bono told reporters when asked about the timing of his visit. "I'm here to elect our issue the AIDS emergency. I'm here to elect that to office, that's really it.
"We have to compliment the Prime Minister and his team. It's not just the easy money before an election ... there's some cleverness going into this money."
Canada's support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will now increase to $70-million for the 2005-06 fiscal year about twice as much as the $25-million (U.S.) a year pledged for the past four years.
"It is not simply money," Mr. Martin said. "It is demonstrating to the world that a leadership position is required which reflects Canadian values."
Sources say the new commitment, to be announced by Aileen Carroll, the minister for international co-operation, was finalized only in recent days. It comes just 48 hours after Mr. Martin pledged $100-million for an international initiative to boost AIDS treatment in developing countries, a promise representing a full one-third of the program's initial budget.
The Martin government sought to have Bono present at the Montreal announcement on Monday. Sources say the U2 singer's decision to travel to Canada came only after the second commitment was made.
Asked by reporters after the announcement if he resented the perception that his celebrity was being used to boost Liberal re-election chances, the singer shrugged.
"Of course I'm being used," Bono said. "I want to be used, that's my job to provide applause when somebody does the right and courageous thing and provide criticism when they don't.
"You get involved, but it is at what price? The price that we're talking about here are lives. Hundreds of thousands of lives these Canadian dollars are going to change and transform."
Mr. Martin denied that the appearance was politically motivated, noting that he and Bono have worked together for a number of years.
"It has noting whatsoever to do with an election but has everything to do with the reasons why people go into politics," he said.
Despite the recent funding announcements, Bono promised to be a "pain in the ass" to Mr. Martin in the future, starting with pressing the Prime Minister to follow and idea first put forward by former prime minister Lester Pearson that 0.7 per cent of GDP should be contributed helping the world's poor.
It was a great Canadian another prime minister Lester, I think his name was. Lester Pearson, who put forward the idea of 0.7 per cent as the right contribution of national income for the world's poor," Bono said. "That's less than 1 per cent. I think that's where we're going to have to go finally, to deal with the AIDS emergency."
Mr. Martin was not firm on that goal but called it a challenge he wanted to be a part of.
Bono was last in Canada in November to make a speech at the Liberal leadership convention calling on Canada to increase its role in the fight against AIDS.
WIth a file from Drew Fagan
----------------------------------------------------------
Wish he didnt make it so political. Its only gonna make the Liberals seem as if they actually care about somebody else other than themselves and their free healthcare.
Globe and Mail Update
E-mail this Article
Print this Article
Advertisement
Prime Minister Paul Martin landed another visit from rock star Bono Wednesday, with the singer turned activist praising Canada's effort in the fight against AIDS in Africa.
The U2 frontman joined the Prime Minister at an International symposium on HIV/AIDS in Ottawa Wednesday, where the government announced its second spending increase in the past week to fight the disease.
"I'm not here to elect Paul Martin or the Liberal party," Bono told reporters when asked about the timing of his visit. "I'm here to elect our issue the AIDS emergency. I'm here to elect that to office, that's really it.
"We have to compliment the Prime Minister and his team. It's not just the easy money before an election ... there's some cleverness going into this money."
Canada's support for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will now increase to $70-million for the 2005-06 fiscal year about twice as much as the $25-million (U.S.) a year pledged for the past four years.
"It is not simply money," Mr. Martin said. "It is demonstrating to the world that a leadership position is required which reflects Canadian values."
Sources say the new commitment, to be announced by Aileen Carroll, the minister for international co-operation, was finalized only in recent days. It comes just 48 hours after Mr. Martin pledged $100-million for an international initiative to boost AIDS treatment in developing countries, a promise representing a full one-third of the program's initial budget.
The Martin government sought to have Bono present at the Montreal announcement on Monday. Sources say the U2 singer's decision to travel to Canada came only after the second commitment was made.
Asked by reporters after the announcement if he resented the perception that his celebrity was being used to boost Liberal re-election chances, the singer shrugged.
"Of course I'm being used," Bono said. "I want to be used, that's my job to provide applause when somebody does the right and courageous thing and provide criticism when they don't.
"You get involved, but it is at what price? The price that we're talking about here are lives. Hundreds of thousands of lives these Canadian dollars are going to change and transform."
Mr. Martin denied that the appearance was politically motivated, noting that he and Bono have worked together for a number of years.
"It has noting whatsoever to do with an election but has everything to do with the reasons why people go into politics," he said.
Despite the recent funding announcements, Bono promised to be a "pain in the ass" to Mr. Martin in the future, starting with pressing the Prime Minister to follow and idea first put forward by former prime minister Lester Pearson that 0.7 per cent of GDP should be contributed helping the world's poor.
It was a great Canadian another prime minister Lester, I think his name was. Lester Pearson, who put forward the idea of 0.7 per cent as the right contribution of national income for the world's poor," Bono said. "That's less than 1 per cent. I think that's where we're going to have to go finally, to deal with the AIDS emergency."
Mr. Martin was not firm on that goal but called it a challenge he wanted to be a part of.
Bono was last in Canada in November to make a speech at the Liberal leadership convention calling on Canada to increase its role in the fight against AIDS.
WIth a file from Drew Fagan
----------------------------------------------------------
Wish he didnt make it so political. Its only gonna make the Liberals seem as if they actually care about somebody else other than themselves and their free healthcare.