Pakistani Floods

While this may seem to be a gloomy way to begin the week, it is a reality.  A sad reality.  For those who don't know, Pakistan suffered extreme flooding due to a heavy monsoon season.  Roughly fourteen million people have been affected, with close to one million displaced and 1,600 have died also.  Canada pledged $2 million for aid, and later committed an additional $31 million.  It's crucial that Canada, the United States as well as other nations involved with the Afghan mission continue to pledge funds in rough areas of Pakistan with a special focus on areas where there is a lot of suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda activities.

Canadians have always been generous when it comes to commitments such as this. We are a country that has been able to promote business but also charity at the same time which is not something we do not see often. If we support funding to aid groups (reputable ones, mind you) to help in these ravaged areas, their people tend to have a positive image of not only our country but its people, companies, charitable organisations, NGOs but even more so, our troops.  If we can convince Pakistani and Afghan people to say, decline to build an improvised explosive device (IED) for the Taliban or al-Qaeda that could be used in Afghanistan, no amount of money can put a price on the lives that that could save (for the flood affected people but for our troops, as well.)

Therefore, I would like to personally congratulate the Canadian government on donating those $33 million and urge them to scrounge what they can in order to pledge more.  There is never a shortage of what we can donate to such a cause because, if we save an innocent child's life, his or her parents will never forget that and would most likely never be shy to tell the tale.