Former Ontario premier Bob Rae appointed as special envoy to Myanmar.

Ottawa has appointed former Ontario premier Bob Rae as special envoy to Myanmar, where ongoing violence has created a humanitarian crisis. Rae says the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees is “extraordinary.”

Bob Rae promised no miracles but rather a sustained effort towards finding a way Canada can be part of a solution to the humanitarian crisis generated by ongoing violence in Burma.

He will head there next week to begin gathering facts from officials on the ground as reports now say nearly a million Rohingya refugees have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh.

In addition to Rae’s appointment, the federal Liberals announced Canada will provide an additional $12 million in humanitarian assistance, bringing the total of Canada’s financial commitment to $25 million so far.