Canada is expected to respond in a big way today to an urgent worldwide plea from the United Nations for an extra $755 million in food aid for poor countries.
Senior government officials say the dollar amount will be "substantial." Prime Minister Stephen Harper approved the aid package in response from a request from the World Food Program for emergency help. Last week, government sources hinted that the figure could more than double the $84 million Ottawa has provided to the World Food Program so far this year.
Last year, Canada provided $161 million in aid, making it the second-largest donor to the UN program, behind the United States.
The deadline for aid commitments is Thursday.
A global surge in food prices brought on by rising fuel prices, biofuel production, drought in Australia, market speculation and increased demand from China and India, has sparked violent riots in the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.
A number of countries, including Germany and Switzerland, have already committed additional money to the UN program.
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Article online since April 30th 2008, 0:00
Steven Guilbeault - 
