How Canada plans to run the world’s newest development finance institution
Most of us don’t think twice about stopping at a coffee shop each morning. But did you know the cost of one cup of coffee is more than what hundreds of millions of people around the world live on in a day? According to data from the United Nations, more than 700 million people are […]
DFAIT-CIDA merger has led to a foreign ministry dominated by development staff
It is always enjoyable to stay in touch with former foreign ministry colleagues in my “retryment.” Like “Godwin’s Law” of the internet, or any discussion of United States politics that leads to Donald Trump, it is inevitable when two or more former employees from the Department Now Known As Global Affairs gather together, the talk inevitably […]
For Afghanistan to develop it needs security, and Canada must help
Insurgent attacks beginning on Jan. 21 devastated Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul. Three sophisticated attacks on Kabul’s Intercontinental Hotel, a site near the former interior affairs ministry in central Kabul, and the National Military Academy left more than 100 dead and many others severely injured. These attacks call into question the ability of Afghanistan’s central […]
Food policies should support small-scale producers
Ten years ago, a spike in food prices ignited a global food crisis that compromised the ability of the world’s poorest people to access an adequate diet. Governments around the world responded by supporting the expansion of large-scale agricultural production, based on the idea that producing more food in this way translates into lower prices […]
Congrats for funnelling aid to education, health programs, but more aid money is needed
My congratulations to the Canadian government for doubling our annual contribution to the Global Partnership for Education, which is working successfully to provide access to a quality education for children around the world. The GPE focuses on the needs of the poorest and most disadvantaged children, particularly girls, children with disabilities, and children in refugee camps. I […]
Human rights ombudsperson will bring long-awaited accountability to Canadian mining
Nenita Andes Condez risked her life to visit Canada last spring. She was part of a KAIROS tour of Philippine leaders seeking accountability for mining operations from Canadians and government officials. Nenita is an Indigenous Subanen leader from the Philippine island of Mindanao. She advocates for her people in the face of complaints of human […]
More than ever, youth must matter in Canadian politics and policy
We have hit a generational tipping point in Canadian political engagement. Millennials have the potential to be the largest generation voting in the 2019 election, and youth voter turnout is on the rise. The Indigenous population in Canada is young and rapidly expanding; nearly half of Indigenous peoples in Canada are under the age of […]
Building community resilience in Nicaragua: Canadian development assistance at work
This past January, I was very privileged to be invited by the Canada Foodgrains Bank to accompany other Canadian Members of Parliament to visit Nicaragua to witness some of the community agriculture projects supported by the Canadian government. This work is supported by non-governmental organizations, including the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, USC Canada, and the World […]
Canada must lead by example on foreign aid
Davos seems to have generated various announcements this year again. Canada has made public its commitment to dedicate $60-million per year to the Global Partnership for Education, the organization that coordinates the international community’s efforts to put every child in school. It is an improvement over previous years, but, at less than two dollars per […]
What the Aga Khan Foundation does with Canadian government money
On the day the Bamyan hospital first opened its doors, 12 women arrived in various stages of labour. In Afghanistan, where pregnancy kills one of every 52 women, giving life can be a death sentence. But the chances of survival for these 12 women dramatically increased when they walked through the new hospital’s front doors. […]
