Colombo, Sri Lanka, January 7, 2013 —Canada will provide $18,700 in disaster relief for families affected by floods in two districts in Sri Lanka, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced today.
“Canada is pleased to be able to support Sri Lanka’s disaster relief efforts and we hope the relief items will help families as they try to rebuild their lives,”
said Minister Kenney.
The funds will be provided to Caritas Sri Lanka - Social and Economic Development Centre, which is part of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 164 Roman Catholic relief, development and social service organizations operating in over 200 countries and territories worldwide. Caritas will use the funds to provide immediate humanitarian assistance for displaced people in the Mannar and Anuradhapura districts of Sri Lanka - areas hard hit in 2012 by a series of disastrous floods.
Relief will come in the form of non-food items, such as blankets, bed sheets, towels, soap and drinking water to people who lost their belongings in the floods.
Minister Kenney met with Caritas National Director Father George Signamoney and advised him of Canada’s contribution to relief support.
This disaster relief funding is being provided as part of the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), which supports community level development projects through modest financial support to local organizations.
"While Canada is pleased to offer assistance to the victims of this particular tragedy, we also continue to strongly encourage the government of Sri Lanka to undertake meaningful reconciliation with all Sri Lankans in the wake of the country's devastating civil war," Minister Kenney said.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Alexis Pavlich
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-954-1064
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada’s economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
