Canada Sends Relief Supplies to Jamaica

A Canadian Forces C-17 jet left the country for Jamaica late last week with 32 tons of relief supplies for victims of Hurricane Dean.
A release from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) said that Minister of International Cooperation, Beverley Oda and Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Peter Gordon MacKay oversaw the loading of the relief items, which included food, tarpaulins, jerricans (plastic containers) and buckets.
Minister Oda said the 32 tons of supplies will bring much-needed relief to the victims of Hurricane Dean.
Minister MacKay noted that the large shipment would not have been possible without the new C-17, which was only delivered to the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton some 10 days ago.
According to the CIDA release, the supplies to Jamaica are in addition to Canada’s $2 million financial commitment made on August 20, for relief and recovery efforts for those affected by Hurricane Dean; a February 2007 contribution to the $20 million Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility; and a $20 million regional disaster risk reduction programme.