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U2 star pans G8 rhetoric
Chretien's crusade for Africa a flop, says singer Bono
By MARIA McCLINTOCK -- Sun Media
CALGARY -- Rock superstar Bono says Prime Minister Jean Chretien has failed in his crusade to convince world leaders to fork over significant aid money for Africa.
The lead singer of the Irish rock band U2 said the PM promised him last year that a massive aid package for the poverty-stricken continent would come out of the G8 summit in Kananaskis.
"It was an inspired thing, I think, of Prime Minister Chretien ... to have it as the centerpiece at this year's G8, but really what I'm looking at is a lot of rhetoric, a lot of the old numbers just kind of fiddled with," Bono told CBC's The National.
"Prime Minister Chretien said to us a year ago that 'I'm going to give you your voice. I'm going to give your chance' .... I just hoped they'd have had the imagination to make a giant, giant leap here.
NO VISION
"There's a little bit more money going around, but none of the vision we were hoping for. Basically, the scale of the response does not match the scale of the problem."
The Prime Minister's Office had no comment to make about Bono's remarks.
Leading up to the Kananaskis summit Chretien touted his Africa plan as an initiative that would have a major impact on the continent.
Bono has met with some of the world's most powerful leaders to bend their ears about Africa, and the politicians used the meetings to boost their own profiles.
Last October, Bono broke away from a tour to go to Ottawa seeking a meeting with then Finance Minister Paul Martin.
But Martin was out of town, so he ended up spending 90 minutes at 24 Sussex Dr. with Chretien.
PMO officials said the pair talked about the G8 summit in Kananaskis, Alta. When he met Chretien at last summer's G8 summit in Italy, Bono was front and centre praising Canada for taking a leading role on Africa.
Although Bono couldn't make it to Kananaskis, he did call the PM Tuesday night to offer his support for the anticipated Africa plan that was unveiled Thursday.
The rock superstar is leading an international campaign to persuade rich countries to forgive Third World debt, and praised the G8 leaders for agreeing to pay their share of up to $1 billion needed to top up a debt relief program for poor countries.
But at the Kananaskis meeting G8 leaders refused to commit to dedicating 50% of new aid money specifically for Africa.
As part of Canada's response to the Africa plan, Chretien closed the G8 summit by announcing $6 billion for Africa -- most of which is already in place.
U2 star pans G8 rhetoric
Chretien's crusade for Africa a flop, says singer Bono
By MARIA McCLINTOCK -- Sun Media
CALGARY -- Rock superstar Bono says Prime Minister Jean Chretien has failed in his crusade to convince world leaders to fork over significant aid money for Africa.
The lead singer of the Irish rock band U2 said the PM promised him last year that a massive aid package for the poverty-stricken continent would come out of the G8 summit in Kananaskis.
"It was an inspired thing, I think, of Prime Minister Chretien ... to have it as the centerpiece at this year's G8, but really what I'm looking at is a lot of rhetoric, a lot of the old numbers just kind of fiddled with," Bono told CBC's The National.
"Prime Minister Chretien said to us a year ago that 'I'm going to give you your voice. I'm going to give your chance' .... I just hoped they'd have had the imagination to make a giant, giant leap here.
NO VISION
"There's a little bit more money going around, but none of the vision we were hoping for. Basically, the scale of the response does not match the scale of the problem."
The Prime Minister's Office had no comment to make about Bono's remarks.
Leading up to the Kananaskis summit Chretien touted his Africa plan as an initiative that would have a major impact on the continent.
Bono has met with some of the world's most powerful leaders to bend their ears about Africa, and the politicians used the meetings to boost their own profiles.
Last October, Bono broke away from a tour to go to Ottawa seeking a meeting with then Finance Minister Paul Martin.
But Martin was out of town, so he ended up spending 90 minutes at 24 Sussex Dr. with Chretien.
PMO officials said the pair talked about the G8 summit in Kananaskis, Alta. When he met Chretien at last summer's G8 summit in Italy, Bono was front and centre praising Canada for taking a leading role on Africa.
Although Bono couldn't make it to Kananaskis, he did call the PM Tuesday night to offer his support for the anticipated Africa plan that was unveiled Thursday.
The rock superstar is leading an international campaign to persuade rich countries to forgive Third World debt, and praised the G8 leaders for agreeing to pay their share of up to $1 billion needed to top up a debt relief program for poor countries.
But at the Kananaskis meeting G8 leaders refused to commit to dedicating 50% of new aid money specifically for Africa.
As part of Canada's response to the Africa plan, Chretien closed the G8 summit by announcing $6 billion for Africa -- most of which is already in place.
