TORONTO - The Canadian government has announced it's now committed more than $31 million in disaster aid for earthquake victims in China.
International Cooperation Minister Bev Oda says Canada has matched nearly $30 million in private donations to help victims of China's May earthquake, on top of the $1 million it initially committed to the quake victims.
The federal government is also matching more than $11.6 million for people affected by the cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, which killed nearly 85,000 people in May.
Oda, who was in Toronto today, said the matching funds are being channelled through experienced humanitarian organizations.
The minister admitted there was a challenge in getting aid to victims in Myanmar, whose government initially refused to allow foreign aid workers into the country.
Oda said the government was confident the Red Cross could do the job, because there were more than 27,000 local Red Cross volunteers in Myanmar.
