OTTAWA - Outgoing Liberal MP Belinda Stronach lashed out at Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his government on Saturday for failing to live up to African aid commitments.
In a TV interview, she pointed to the former Liberal government's 2005 budget, which pledged to double African aid by 2010.
Stronach said the amount set aside by the Conservative goverment falls $700 million short of that, and Harper is responsible.
Stronach is a spokeswoman for UNICEF's "Spreading the Net'' campaign to help distribute bed nets to help prevent the spread of malaria in Africa.
Malaria is the leading cause of death for children under five in Africa and affects up to a half billion people a year.
She echoed the disappointment voiced Friday by rock star Bono with the $60-billion G8 commitment to fight disease in Africa, saying it's just a reannouncement of prior commitments.
Bono accused the prime minister on Friday of blocking efforts to reach a meaningful deal on African aid, something Harper denies.
Stronach noted it's an interdependent world, and asked rhetorically if Canada won't lead the world in helping to eradicate poverty, "who will?''
She has said she won't be seeking re-election.
