Canada has committed nearly $3 billion for maternal-and-child health in the developing world over the next five year, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced Friday at the G8 meeting in Huntsville, Ont.
About $1.1 billion of the figure is new money, while the remaining $1.75 billion had been previously announced.
Maternal health was Harper's signature initiative going into this week's G8/G20 meetings.
The issue became controversial earlier this year when the Conservative government said that no Canadian money will go towards funding abortion abroad.
Some aid groups, experts and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized the abortion caveat, but the U.S., along with the U.K. and France, have supported the wider initiative.
Germany and Russia may also donate cash for the program.
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said that depending on the country, Ottawa will use either governments or NGOs -- based on accountability measures -- to ensure the funds are used appropriately.
Cannon mentioned that countries such as Haiti, Afghanistan, Mali, Tanzania and Mozambique will all benefit from the measure.
When asked about the abortion controversy, Cannon told CTV's Power Play that other rich countries donating money will be able to put funds to whichever procedures they wish.
Meanwhile, negotiations are currently underway for how much other nations will pledge. The Prime Minister's Office expects the so-called "Muskoka Initiative" to pass.
Private organizations as well as non-G8 countries are being pushed by Canada to contribute as well.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has already committed more than $1 billion to the initiative.
Still, former prime minister Paul Martin cautioned that past grand global commitments -- such as funds for AIDS drugs and curbing climate change -- have failed to live up to expectations.
"When a country makes a commitment, it should be held to account for it," Martin told Power Play.
Martin said that the G8 countries must ensure the maternal health funds flow in order to "maintain credibility."
