Time to rethink Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country deal in face of U.S. immigration sweeps: Amnesty International researcher
Canada and a leading human rights organization may be on the same page when it comes to helping out Rohingya refugees from Myanmar more than 12,000 kilometres away, but there are issues closer to home needing more Canadian attention, says Amnesty International’s top researcher, pointing to what she sees as a declining human rights situation […]
It’s time for Canada to have bigger dreams for its children and youth
If you heard that Canada didn’t rank among the top 10 countries for child well-being, would it surprise you? Maybe not. You might think Scandinavian countries dominate most indexes of health and happiness. You might even be OK with that. But what if you heard that Canada doesn’t crank the top 20—would that surprise you? […]
Municipal elections a turning point in Tunisia’s democracy, says envoy
Tunisia’s “historic” May 6 municipal elections show the country has been able to become more democratic since the ousting of former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s 23-year autocratic regime during the Arab Spring in 2011, says the country’s new ambassador to Canada. For the first time in seven years, the municipal election gave typically underrepresented […]
Myanmar: the perfect opportunity for Canada to show up
“We can’t build a better world unless we work together, respect our differences, protect the vulnerable, and stand up for the things that matter most.” That’s part of what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the United Nations General Assembly in a speech last fall. Trudeau’s statement is indicative of the leadership Canada must take to […]
How Canada can kick-start the engine of global innovation and entrepreneurship
In order to end poverty, reduce inequalities, and have any chance of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the world needs new ways of thinking. Diagnoses of poverty that ignore underlying flaws in social, economic, and political systems, and the simplistic solutions they produce, do not work. In fact, badly conceived short-term interventions can distort markets, […]
It’s time Canada act on the Sustainable Development Goals
Last week, the federal environment and sustainable development commissioner, who operates within the auditor general’s office, issued an audit report on Canada’s preparedness to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—a set of 17 global goals for economic, social, and environmental sustainability that were adopted in 2015 and agreed to by all 193 members of the United Nations, including Canada. […]
Why girls’ education matters, even in a conflict zone
Growing up in a conflict zone, I know all too well how it feels to be told: “You can’t go to school today. It is too dangerous!” As a girl, I felt the frustration and anger of being stuck in an underground shelter instead of going to school, playing with my friends and learning new […]
Parliamentary Centre celebrates 50 years with 300-person gala
The Parliamentary Centre started out to support the Canadian Parliament. Fifty years later, it’s expanded to help 120 legislatures in 45 countries better serve the people they represent. On the evening of April 23, the Ottawa-based non-governmental organization celebrated 50 years of promoting and supporting democracy around the world at a gala reception hosted at the […]
Women and the forgotten emergency response
Fatima Abba Bukar is nine months pregnant. It is her first pregnancy since she miscarried while fleeing Boko Haram late one night more than a year ago in northern Nigeria. She’s safe now and recently learned of a nearby maternal health clinic. It’s the first time she’s ever received antenatal care, including regular check-ups, free […]
MPs look to support Syrian rescue workers after ‘riveting’ Ottawa appearance
Moved by “riveting” stories of life and death told by members of the famed Syrian ‘White Helmets’ to the House Subcommittee on International Human Rights late last month, MPs say Canada must work to ensure that the cash-strapped search and rescue organization continues its humanitarian work in the war-ravaged country. Subcommittee chair Michael Levitt (York […]
