MONTREAL — Bob Geldof is criticizing the prime minister's claim that spending 0.7 per cent of Canada's gross national income on foreign aid is too ambitious.
The musician and international activist says that Canada can do much more to help finance aid projects around the world, notably on the African continent.
Geldof is reacting to Justin Trudeau's comments earlier in the week that the 0.7-per-cent goal endorsed by the United Nations is not realistic for this year or the next.
The world body has long urged rich countries to devote more to what's known as Official Development Assistance, although few hit the UN target.
In 2015, Canada spent 0.28 per cent of its so-called gross national income on aid, according to the OECD. That was up from 0.24 per cent in the previous year, one of the lowest figures for Canada in more than a decade.
The overall international figure was 0.30 per cent.
Geldof said Canada first introduced the 0.7 target in 1969, yet never met its promise.
He was in Montreal giving a speech on the benefits of international investment in Africa.
