Majority of Canadians want to keep their commitment to reduce child deaths around the world

GTA parents and children gathered at an African-style clinic in downtown Toronto today, where World Vision released a poll that showed most Canadians (84%) think it's great that a lot of focus is placed on immunizing Canadian children against the H1N1 flu and other diseases. They (79%) want to see just as much focus on immunizing children in poor countries.

The majority (87%) of Canadians polled say that despite the economic downturn, because Canada and other G8 countries made promises to reduce the number of child deaths by two thirds in poor countries by 2015, Canada should keep this commitment.

World Vision's Five for 5 campaign asks everyone to give five minutes of their time to do five simple things that will help save children's lives. The campaign will push the government to take real action to do what Canadians want and reduce the unacceptable levels of child deaths around the world.

Quick Facts ----------- - 9 million children under five die each year, malnutrition is the underlying cause in at least 35% of the deaths - 2/3 of children could be saved through simple interventions like better nutrition and skilled birth attendants (aid for maternal, newborn and child health accounts for only 3% of global aid) - The 30 worst countries for child mortality account for four out of every five child deaths, but they get less than half of the aid for health Quotes ------

"Letting nearly nine million children a year die when we have the resources and know how to save them is the biggest shame of this generation. Canada has to use its Olympic and G8 hosting moments in the spotlight to push the world into changing this." Tom Cochrane, Canadian singer-songwriter

"Mothers and children around the world are counting on us for action. Without serious financial commitments from our government to programs that will end child deaths, promises and announcements about focus on children are just good intentions paving the way to more deaths." Dave Toycen, president and CEO of World Vision Canada

"Eighty-seven percent of Canadians don't buy the economic crisis as an excuse for dropping our national and G8 commitment to help reduce child deaths by two thirds by 2015. In fact, 90 per cent of them say Canada should use its influence to make sure the promise is kept." Sean Simpson, Ipsos-Reid

"My three-year-old daughter had pneumonia last month and was airlifted to Sick Kids and treated there for five days. Most kids will never get that kind of help and that's just not right." Britt Hamilton, Ontario mother of two