Minister of International Development appearance before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) on Main Estimates 2020-2021 – Briefing material

2020-11-17

Table of contents

• A) Committee overview
  • Scenario Note
  • FAAE Committee bios
• B) Hot issue notes
  • Programing and Policy
    • Canada’s International Assistance response to COVID-19 (Global Response, including vaccinations)
    • Funds that have been re-purposed to respond to COVID-19
    • FIAP Overview
    • FIAP/LGBTQ2I
    • Humanitarian Policy
    • ODA levels
    • Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
    • Support for Democratic Institutions (noting the transition in Sudan)
    • Canada’s Innovative Finance Programs
    • Climate Finance
    • FinDev Canada
    • IDRC
  • Asia
    • Afghanistan
    • Assistance to China (with reference and position on the Belt and Road initiative)
    • Rohingya Crisis (Canadas Development and Humanitarian Response)
  • Latin America
    • Venezuela
  • Middle East
    • The Middle East Strategy
    • Lebanon & Canadian Assistance
    • Allegations regarding Canadian funding for Union of Agriculture Work Committees
    • OCHA’s COVID-19 Humanitarian Aid in the West Bank and Gaza
    • UNWRA
• C) Mandate
  • Agenda 2030: Increase international development assistance until 2030
  • FIAP/Accomplishments and targets
  • Global Education
  • Innovative Finance Programs
  • Improving the Management of International Development Assistance for Greater Effectiveness, Transparency and Accountability
  • The Gender Equality Focus behind Canada’s International Assistance Investments
  • Women’s Rights and Climate Change Adaption
  • Reducing the Unequal Distribution of Paid and Unpaid Care Work
  • Canadian Centre for Peace, Order and Good Government

A) Committee overview

Scenario Note

Meeting scenario

• Your virtual two-hour appearance before the House Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) begins at 3:30 p.m. In addition to Main Estimates and mandate, Committee members typically ask questions on a broad range of topics related to your portfolio.
• The following officials are accompanying you virtually during the appearance and may be called on to respond to questions:
  • Leslie MacLean, Deputy Minister, International Development
  • Anick Ouellette, Chief Financial Officer
  • Elissa Golberg, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy
  • Peter MacDougall, Assistant Deputy Minister, Global Issues and Development
  • Caroline Leclerc, Assistance Deputy Minister, Partnership for Development Innovation
  • Shirley Carruthers, Director General, Financial Resource Planning and Management Bureau

Committee membership & interests

• The last appearance by your predecessor before the Committee was on May 30, 2019 for the 2019-2020 Main Estimates. The membership of FAAE has changed for the new Parliamentary session as follows:
  • Liberals
    • Sven Spengemann (Chair)
    • New Julie Dabrusin
    • Peter Fonseca
    • New Hedy Fry
    • Robert Oliphant
    • Ruby Sahota
  • Bloc Québecois
    • Stéphane Bergeron (Critic, Vice Chair)
  • NDP
    • Jack Harris (Critic)
  • Conservatives
    • New Michael Chong (Critic, Vice Chair)
    • New Garnett Genuis
    • Kerry Diotte
    • Marty Morantz
• Committee members and leaders’ questions during committee meetings and Question Period have focused on the following areas:
  • MP Chong – arms exports to Turkey, conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, sanctions on Iran.
  • MP Bergeron – France and Islamic terrorism, freedom of expression, relations with China,human rights (Badawi)
  • MP Genuis – human rights, freedom of expression, Canada-China relations, Taiwan, Israel (BDS & antisemitism), persecution of religious minorities, Venezuela, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC)
  • MP Harris – arms exports to Turkey, conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, human rights, relations with China (Vice-Chair of CACN)
  • MP Diotte – Ukraine, Russian aggression, Crimean Tartars, returning ISIS fighters
  • MP Morantz – antisemitism and discrimination, Israel
  • MP Fonseca – international trade, trade agreements, temporary foreign workers.
  • MP Fry – human rights, trade agreements and gender equality.
  • MP Oliphant – consular cases, rules-based international order
  • MP Sahota – public safety and immigration
  • MP Dabrusin – public safety, climate change
  • MP Spengemann – diplomacy, peacekeeping, UN, NATO, Iraqi Kurdistan region, Rohingya, Yemen and defence policy, relations with Africa
  • CPC Leader O’Toole – human rights in China (Uighurs), democracy in Hong Honk, China’s threats towards Canadians living in Hong Kong
  • BQ Leader Blanchet – France and Islamic terrorism, including freedom of expression
  • NDP Leader Singh – largely silent on GAC issues

Committee work

• Since the beginning of the 2nd session of the 43rd Parliament, FAAE has held or planned multiple sessions to hear from GAC ministers and officials.
• Minister Champagne is scheduled to appear on Main Estimates 2020-2021 two days after your appearance.
• GAC officials have already appeared on Nagorno-Karabakh and Belarus. The Committee has passed a motion to hear from GAC officials on Venezuela; no date yet been set for this appearance.
• As well, the Committee has passed a motion to study and report on the vulnerabilities created and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic particularly in crisis- and conflict-affected situations. No departmental briefings for the Committee have yet been scheduled related to this motion.
• On October 29th, the Committee passed a motion brought forward by MP Jack Harris to study the granting of arms exports permits and the controls, protocols and policies that inform the granting of such permits and the imposition of export freezes including Canada’s freeze of arms exports to Turkey. The study will begin with GAC officials appearing before the Committee on December 8, 2020. As part of the motion, GAC has been ordered, within 60 days, to produce papers on arms export permits (including all documents, briefing notes, memos and emails) between the Department and your office, PMO and PCO from October 2019 to October 28, 2020.
• During the 1st session of the 43rd Parliament, FAAE met twice and tabled three one-page reports before the summer adjournment, including on the Crimean Tatar deportation, the situation in Sri Lanka and the human rights situation in Iran.
• During the May 30, 2019, appearance on Main Estimates 2019-2020, members asked a broad range of questions, including on Canada’s response to the Rohingya crisis, SRHR, Feminist International Assistance Policy, trade negotiations with India, China and Saudi Arabia, the UNSC campaign and funding dedicated to democratic development.

FAAE Committee bios

Sven Spengemann, LPC (Mississauga-Lakeshore, ON), Chair

GAC-Related Key Interests

• International Affairs, Diplomacy & Peacekeeping
• United Nations
• Rohingya
• Crisis in Yemen
• Defence Policy
• Relations with Africa

Parliamentary roles

Mr. Spengemann has been a member of numerous Parliamentary Associations and Interparliamentary Groups since his election in 2015. He became the Co-Chair of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association (CAAF) in February 2020. He has been a member of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (CANA) since 2016, the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU) since 2015, and was a member of the Canada-China Legislative Association (CACN) from November 2016 to March 2017.

Notable committee memberships

• Chair, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), October 2020-Present
• Member, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), February 2020-Present
• Member, National Defence (NDDN), February 2020-Present, 2016-2019
• Member, Public Safety and National Security (SECU), 2016-2019

Background

Mr. Spengemann complete his law degreed at Osgoode Hall and was called to the Bar of Ontario in June 2000. He pursued graduate degrees at the College of Europe in Belgium and Harvard Law School. Mr. Spengemann’s academic work earned him numerous awards and distinctions, including a Canada-US Fulbright Scholarship.

Mr. Spengemann worked in the Government of Canada’s Privy Council as a Senior Policy Analyst, where he led federal interdepartmental policy processes in the areas of risk management, international cooperation and national security. He also served as a UN official in Baghdad with the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). In Iraq, Mr. Spengemann negotiated operational protocols with the US Coalition Forces to ensure operational, security and medical support for the UN Mission.

Mr. Spengemann is a frequent speaker in the community on international affairs, diplomacy and peacekeeping and has been hosted by the NATO Association to discuss his work with UNAMI and Iraq’s ongoing transition. He continues to work closely at the local level with communities from the Middle East and North Africa, including Iraq, the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, Egypt, Somalia and Syria.

Issues-specific background/statements

On March 9, 2020, Mr. Spengemann asked about the violence in Delhi during Question Period. He noted that at least 50 people lost their lives and hundreds more were injured. Mr. Spengemann stated that one of the elements that caused dissension was the Citizenship Amendment Act that was recently adopted by the Indian government.

On February 6, 2020, Mr. Spengemann rose in the House of Commons to speak about his visit to the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar. He and Cheryl Hardcastle were scheduled to appear before SDIR on March 24, but the meeting was cancelled.

During the 42nd Parliament, Mr. Spengemann spoke about what the government had done to promote peace, human rights, and democracy internationally. He also spoke about his trip to Senegal and Mali with the House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence.

Hon. Michael D. Chong, CPC (Wellington – Halton Hills, ON), Vice-Chair, Critic for Foreign Affairs

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Democratic Reform
• Climate Change

Parliamentary roles

Mr. Chong is currently serving as the Official Opposition’s Critic for Foreign Affairs. MP Chong served as the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Minister for Sport from February to November 2006. He has been a member of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (CANA), the Canada-China Legislative Association (CACN), the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (CEUS), among others.

Notable committee memberships

• Vice-Chair and member, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), October 2020-present
• Member, Industry, Science and Technology (INDU), 2009-2010, September 2018-2019
• Member, Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (TRAN), September 2017-2018
• Member, Public Safety and National Security (SECU), October 2013-January 2014

Background

Mr. Chong was first elected to Parliament in 2004 and has been Chair of several House of Commons Standing Committees. He is a co-founder and member of the All Party Climate Caucus since it was formed in 2011. In the 42nd Parliament, MP Chong served as the Official Opposition’s Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Shadow Minister for Science. In 2015, Chong’s Reform Act passed Parliament and became law.

Prior to his election, Mr. Chong acted as Chief Information Officer for the National Hockey League Players’ Association and as a Senior Technology Consultant to the Greater Toronto Airports Authority for the redevelopment of Pearson International Airport. MP Chong also co-founded the Dominion Institute, now known as Historica Canada, an organization committed to raising Canadians’ awareness of history and civics. He currently sits on its Board of Governors. Mr. Chong attended Trinity College in the University of Toronto where he obtained a degree in philosophy.

Issue specific background

On October 7, 2020, MP Chong spoke about Iran during Question Period. He asked the Prime Minister when the government would list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Crops as a terrorist organization.

On October 6, 2020, during debate on the Speech from the Throne, MP Chong declared that the “government needs to uphold its obligations under domestic law, under the law concerning export and import permits for military exports and imports, and it needs to uphold its international obligations under the arms treaty” saying the government has been inconsistent in upholding those obligations. He also gave the example of Turkey saying that “A year ago, the government halted exports of military equipment to Turkey out of concern that it was failing to uphold its obligations as a NATO member. Last April/May, it reinstated the approvals for those permits, and exports have allegedly gone to Turkey. These are being used in Azerbaijan in the conflict currently unfolding in the Caucasus. Then several days ago it reversed course yet again and put another halt to the export of permits. It seems to me that the government is not upholding its obligations under domestic and international law.”

On September 30, 2020, MP Chong commended the government for re-imposing sanctions on Belarus. He then stated that China was violating human rights and international treaties in its treatment of Michael Spavor, Michael Kovrig, the Uyghurs, and the people of Hong Kong. He asked if the government would impose sanctions on those responsible in China.

On December 10, 2019, MP Chong rose in the House of Commons to speak about Canada’s relationship with China. He stated, “I would say this in response to the economic concerns that have been voiced by many about our relationship with China. More important than economic concerns are the principles and values on which this country is founded, principles such as democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Those are the very principles we risk undermining and doing away with if we continue to focus on the economic consequences of taking a reset and decoupling in our China relationship”. He went on to speak about how China has increasingly used economic blackmail, including attacks on Canadian farmers with regards to pork, beef and canola. MP Chong also raised concerns about Uyghurs in concentration camps and Beijing’s systemic campaign to wipe out this population in a genocidal manner. Finally, he asked if the government would take a firmer, stronger, and clearer position on Hong Kong.

Stephane Bergeron, BQ (Montarville, QC), Vice-Chair, Critic for Foreign Affairs

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Canada-China relations writ large
• Human Rights

Parliamentary roles

Mr. Bergeron is currently the Bloc Québécois’ (BQ) Critic for Foreign Affairs. He is a member of numerous parliamentary associations and interparliamentary groups, particularly the Canada-China Legislative Association (CACN) and the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (CANA). He also served as the Whip for the BQ from 1997 to 2001.

Notable committee membership

• Vice-Chair, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), February 2020-present
• Vice-Chair, Special Committee on Canada-China Relations (CACN), January 2020-present
• Member, Subcommittee on International Trade, Trade Disputes and Investment of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade (SINT), 2004
• Vice-Chair, Subcommittee on International Trade, Trade Disputes and Investment of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade (SINT),  2002-2003
• Member, Foreign Affairs and International Trade (FAIT),  2004; 2002-2003

Background

Mr. Bergeron served as a BQ member of the House of Commons from 1993 to 2005 and a member of Quebec’s National Assembly from 2005 to 2018. In 2019, he returned to the House of Commons as a BQ member.  Mr. Bergeron has bachelors and master’s degrees in Political Science. After first leaving the House of Commons and serving in Quebec’s National Assembly for 13 years, he was Registrar of Rimouski’s CEGEP. He was previously a political advisor and a teaching assistant at Université Laval within the Political Science department. From 1984 to 1993 he served in the Canadian Forces as a naval Cadet Instructor Cadre officer.

Issues-specific background/statements

The majority of Mr. Bergeron’s statements have been regarding China, including the eight-month vacancy of the Ambassador position and the effect on the bilateral relationship.

He has raised human rights in Question Period, asking “What will it take for the government to take action and finally get Riaf Badawi released?” Then following up his question by stating, “it is scandalous that Raif Badawi is languishing in prison after seven years without having committed any crime. If the government can sit down with Saudi Arabia at the G20 , if it can sit down with Saudi Arabia to do business and sell the country weapons, then it can certainly sit down with Saudi Arabia to demand the release of Raif Badawi.”

Upon the announce that Canada is lifting its ban on export of military goods to Saudi Arabia, MP Bergeron tweeted: Aurait-on profité de la crise (COVID-19) pour aller de l’avant en catimini avec cette décision controversée, en espérant qu’elle passe sous le radar?

On COVID-19, on social media, MP Bergeron criticized the government for not closing its borders with the US. He also commented on repatriation of Canadians saying that Minister Champagne needed to keep his promise to offer consular and financial support to Canadians abroad. BQ leader Yves-François Blanchet also expressed early on his concerns about the Canada-US border staying open, insisting that all non-essential entries should be prohibited. On the repatriation of Canadians, he stressed that no Canadian should be left alone and declared that the government must do its job. He criticized the government in light of closures of consulates and missions. He asked his caucus members to help in any way possible with repatriation efforts of Quebecers. On April 9 though, he thanked GAC and consular officials for having done a Titans’ job.

Jack Harris, NDP (St. John’s East, NL), Critic for Foreign Affairs

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Human Rights

Parliamentary roles

Mr. Harris is currently the NDP’s Critic for Foreign Affairs, Public Safety, and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. He is also the Deputy Critic for Defence.

Notable committee memberships

• Vice-Chair, Special Committee on Canada-China Relations (CACN), January 2020-present
• Member, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE),February 2020-present
• Vice-Chair, National Defence (NDDN), 2011-2015
• Member, National Defence (NDDN), 2009-2015
• Vice Chair, Justice and Human Rights (JUST), 2011-2012
• Vice-Chair, Public Safety and National Security (SECU), 2009

Background

Jack Harris is a lawyer and politician from Newfoundland and Labrador. He has represented St John’s East several times: from 1987-1988, from 2008 to 2015, and winning his seat again in 2019. He was the leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party from 1992 to 2006.

Issues-specific background/statements

On December 10, 2019, Mr. Harris rose in the House of Commons to voice his support for the creation of a special committee on Canada and China relations. He stated, “Madam Speaker, clearly, the relationship would deteriorate. We have seen in the past year or so how quick and easy it is for China, in this case, to take actions that hurt people. We have to move on this and we should move quickly”. On the same day, Mr. Harris also spoke about the importance of Canada engaging in multilateralism as a solution to ongoing tensions between Canada and China.

Robert Oliphant, LPC (Don Valley West, ON), Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Consular cases
• Africa writ large
• Rules-based international order

Parliamentary roles

Rob Oliphant was made the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in May 2019 and retained this role in the 43rd Parliament.

He is actively involved in parliamentary associations. In particular, he has been a member of the Canada-China Legislative Association since December 2015.

Notable committee memberships

• Member, Special Committee on Canada-China Relations (CACN), January 2020-present
• Member, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), February 2020-present
• Chair, Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM), 2017-2019
• Chair, Subcommittee on the Agenda and Procedure of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SSEC), 2016-2017
• Member, Public Safety and National Security (SECU), 2016-2017; 2009

Background

Mr. Oliphant was first elected to the House of Commons in October 2008. He was defeated in the 2011 federal election but was re-elected in 2015 and 2019.

Mr. Oliphant graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto in 1978. During his time at U of T, he was active in the University of Toronto Liberal Club, as well as the Ontario (New) Young Liberals.  After obtaining a Master of Divinity from the Vancouver School of Theology, he was ordained as a United Church Minister in 1984.  His official title is The Reverend Doctor Robert Oliphant, MP.

Mr. Oliphant worked in Premier David Peterson’s office in 1989. He later worked for two provincial ministers, Christine Hart, Minister of Culture and Communications, and Mavis Wilson, Minister Responsible for Women’s issues. 

Issues-specific background/statements

Mr. Oliphant frequently defends Canada’s foreign policy model, stating it “is based on renewing a rules-based international order that Canadians have built together, protecting universal human rights, supporting democracies,” and noting, “We are a leader in the world on critical issues, whether it is in Venezuela, or in the Middle East or in China, all around the world. We will continue to stand with our allies, with NATO partners, as we continue to ensure Canada's leadership is strong and heard in our world with allies and like-minded who work with us.”

Mr. Oliphant raises Canadian consular services abroad in a number of contexts, including committee, social media, and House debate. He has stated a number of times that the return of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor are the top priority of the Government.

Peter Fonseca, LPC (Mississauga East – Cooksville, ON)

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Domestic & International Trade
• Trade Agreements: CUSMA, CPTPP
• Temporary Foreign Workers Program

Parliamentary roles

Peter Fonseca was a member of the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CCOM) from December 2018 to March 2019. He was also a member of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (CANA) from September 2018 to March 2019, and the Canada-China Legislative Association (CACN) from December 2016 to March 2017.

Notable committee memberships

• Member, Subcommittee on International Human Rights on the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (SDIR), February 2020-Present
• Member, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), February 2020-Present
• Chair, Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada of the Standing Committee on Health (SCSC), 2018-2019

Background

Mr. Fonseca was first elected to the House of Commons in 2015. Prior to entering federal politics, he was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and served in Premier McGuinty’s cabinet. Mr. Fonseca was born in Lisbon, Portugal and immigrated to Toronto with his family in 1968. He graduated from St. Michael's College School and attended the University of Oregon, gaining a Bachelor of Arts on an athletic scholarship. He also holds a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Windsor. He worked as a senior performance management consultant for the Coach Corporation, and has run an importing and distributing company in Portugal.

Issues-specific background/statements

MP Fonseca has spoken about China at various parliamentary committees including the Subcommittee on International Human Rights. As a previous member of CIIT, Mr. Fonseca focused his commentary on GAC-related files on international trade during House debate and committee. Most recently, he rose in the House to speak on the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement Implementation Act.

Hon. Hedy Fry, LPC (Vancouver Centre, BC) 

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Human Rights
• Trade Agreements: CUSMA, CPTPP
• Gender Equality

Parliamentary roles

Dr. Fry served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and the Minister of Human Resources and Skill Development (Internationally Trained Workers Initiative) from July 2004 to November 2005. She also served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration from December 2003 to June 2004. Fry has been a member of many Parliamentary Committees, Associations, and Interparliamentary Groups since 2002. She currently serves as head of Canada’s delegation to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (OSCEPA), and is the OSCEPA’s Special Representative for Gender Issues. She also Chairs the Canadian Association of Parliamentarians for Population Development.

Notable committee memberships

• Member, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), February 2020-Present
• Member, Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM), 2004-2005
• Member, Justice and Human Rights (JUST), 2002-2003

Background

Ms. Fry is a Trinidadian-Canadian politician and physician. She completed her medical training at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. She is currently the longest-serving female Member of Parliament, winning nine consecutive elections in the constituency of Vancouver Centre. Ms. Fry worked at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver for 23 years. She served as president of the British Columbia Federation of Medical Women in 1977. She was president of the Vancouver Medical Association in 1988 to 1989, the BC Medical Association in 1990-1991, and chaired the Canadian Medical Association's Multiculturalism Committee in 1992-9.

Issues-specific background/statements

In January of this year, Ms. Fry spoke about the Canada-United States Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

Ms. Fry rose in the House to speak on female genital mutilation (FGM), noting, “In 1997 the Liberal government criminalized FGM in Canada. Now we are engaging with other nations, donors, UN organizations and civil society to take action to eliminate FGM globally… More needs to be done. Ending FGM requires governments to act with legislation to protect the human rights of women and girls, with policies that empower them and, most importantly, in this year of Beijing+25, to remember that women's rights are human rights.”

In 2017, Ms. Fry rose in the House to speak on refugee and migrant women and girls worldwide, “Of the 65 million people displaced by conflict, 55% are women and children. Displaced women and girls often experience rape, forced marriages, and sexual slavery… As we laud our own progress, let us remember that women's rights are human rights, and we cannot celebrate fully until all women enjoy those rights.”

Ruby Sahota, LPC (Brampton North, ON)

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Public Safety
• Immigration

Parliamentary roles

Since becoming an MP in 2015, Ms. Sahota has been a member of numerous Parliamentary Associations and Interparliamentary Groups. She was involved with the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CCOM) from January 2016 to February 2018, the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association from September 2018 to March 2019, the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (CEUS) from January 2016 to April 2018, and the Canada-China Legislative Association (CACN) from December 2015 to 2016.

Notable committee memberships

• Member, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), February 2020-Present
• Member, Public Safety and National Security (SECU), 2018-2019

Background

Before entering politics, Ms. Sahota worked as a lawyer, practicing for five years in the areas of criminal law, civil litigation, and dispute resolution in both the public and private sectors. She holds a combined Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Peace Studies from McMaster University and a J.D. with a concentration in Litigation from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

Issues-specific background/statements

Ms.Sahota rose in the House of Commons on the 10-year anniversary of the end of the war in Sri Lanka, asking the Minister of Foreign Affairs how the government is holding those responsible for the atrocities to account.

Ms. Sahota is a proponent of the improvements made to the Canadian immigration system under the Liberal government, “we have an effective immigration system that Canadians and those wishing to become Canadians and members of our society can rely on.”

Ms. Sahota has spoken out about racism in the House, noting that the “Sikh community has been a victim to racism, discrimination, and violence.”

Julie Dabrusin, LPC (Toronto-Danforth, ON)

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Public Safety
• Climate Change

Parliamentary roles

Ms. Dabrusin currently serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Since becoming an MP in 2015, Ms. Dabrusin has been a member of numerous Parliamentary Associations and Interparliamentary Groups. She has been involved with the Canada-Israel Parliamentary Group (CAIL), the Canada-China Legislative Association (CACN), the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (UIPU), the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas, and the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie (CAPF).

Notable committee memberships

• Member, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), October 2020-Present
• Member, Canadian Heritage (CHPC), January 2016-Present
• Chair, Canadian Heritage (CHPC), February 2018-September 2019
• Member, Public Safety and National Security (SECU), October 2017-September 2019

Background

Ms. Dabrusin grew up in Montréal and completed her undergraduate degree in Middle East Studies at McGill University, before attending law school at the University of Toronto. She practiced litigation, including serving for a time as commission counsel to the Toronto External Contracts Inquiry, which reviewed municipal government procurement.

Ms. Dabrusin was an active volunteer in her community. She founded Friends of Withrow Park, served on the Board of Directors of Park People, and started initiatives such as the local Second Harvest Hunger Squad.  In 2012, she was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal for her community service. Ms. Dabrusin has been a strong advocate for her community on issues of gun control, healthy eating and banning single-use plastics.

Issues-specific background/statements

Ms.Dabrusin often speaks about topics related to Canadian Heritage in the House of Commons. MP Dabrusin has not made comments related to foreign affairs in the House of Commons during the 43rd Parliament to date.

Garnett Genuis, CPC (Sherwood Park-Fort Saskatchewan, AB), Critic for International Development and Human Rights

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Human Rights
• Canada-China Relations (critical of China)
• Freedom of Expression
• Democracy and the Rule of Law

Parliamentary Roles

Garnett Genuis is currently the Conservative Critic for International Development and Human Rights. He previously served as the Conservative Critic for Canada-China Relations and Multiculturalism. He was a member of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (CANA) from September 2018 to March 2019 and a member of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (CEUS) from February to March 2017. In September 2017 he triggered an emergency debate in the House of Commons concerning the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, and he has presented a private member’s bill and numerous petitions over the past two parliaments to draw attention to the combat against trafficking in human organs.

Notable committee membership

• Member, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), October 2020-Present; 2017-2018
• Vice-Chair, Special Committee on Canada-China Relations (CACN), October 2020-Present
• Member, Special Committee on Canada-China Relations (CACN), February 2020 – August 2020
• Member, Subcommittee Committee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (SDIR), February 2020-August 2020
• Member, Standing Joint Committee for the Scrutiny of Regulations (REGS), January 2016-September 2017

Mr. Genuis was elected in 2015 and 2019. He grew up in Strathcona County and got involved in his community through volunteering with various organizations, including a local care centre. At age 15, he began writing a column for Sherwood Park News for which he continues to be a regular contributor as an MP.

Mr. Genuis holds a Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University and Master’s of Science in Philosophy and Public Policy from the London School of Economics. Prior to his election, he worked in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Issues-specific background/statements

Mr. Genuis often rises in the House of Commons to speak about a variety of foreign affairs-related issues. In the 43rd Parliament he has asked the government about Iran, Sri Lanka, Canada-China relations, and Taiwan during Question Period. He also sparked an emergency debate in the House of Commons concerning the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Burma and has presented a private member’s bill to combat trafficking in human organs.

During a briefing on International Development by departmental officials on October 15th, 2020, MP Genuis asked for details related to the Canadian Centre for Peace, Order and Good Governance as outlined in the mandate letter for Minister Gould and Minister Champagne.

Kerry Diotte, CPC (Edmonton Griesbach, AB)  

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Ukraine
• Crimean Tartars
• Returning ISIS fighters

Parliamentary roles

Mr. Diotte has been the Vice-Chair of the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group (CEUS) since February 2019. He is also a member of numerous parliamentary associations and interparliamentary groups including the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (CANA), the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas (CPAM), and the Canadian Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CCOM). He previously served as the Conservative Party of Canada’s deputy critic for National Revenue and Public Services and Procurement.

Notable committee memberships

• Member, Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), February 2020-Present

Background

Kerry Diotte worked as a journalist and then an Edmonton City councillor before becoming a federal MP in 2015. his seat in the 2015 general election. Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and educated at Ottawa’s Carleton University, Mr. Diotte enjoyed a long and successful career as a journalist, working in radio, TV, magazines and newspapers. Mr. Diotte has taught journalism, authored a book about Edmonton’s history and was a national director of the Canadian Association of Journalists.

Issues-specific background/statements

On January 29, 2020, Mr. Diotte rose to commemorate the victims of Flight PS752 and stated, “Iranian authorities must be transparent and fully co-operate with independent agencies investigating this horrific event. Families also deserve that the remains of their loved ones are allowed to be repatriated to Canada as soon as possible. Anything less is completely unacceptable. These loved ones have suffered enough”.

Martin B. Morantz, CPC (Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB) 

GAC-Related Key Interests

• Antisemitism and discrimination
• Israel

Parliamentary Roles

Martin Morantz was first elected in October 2019. He served as the National Revenue Critic from March to August 2020. Shortly after his election he joined the Canada-Europe and Canadian NATO Parliamentary Associations, the Canada-Israel and Canada-Italy Interparliamentary Groups, the Canada-United Kingdom Inter-Parliamentary Association and the Canadian Delegation to the OSCE (December 2019-March 2020). He is part of the multipartite Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism announced in September 2020.

Notable committee membership

• Member, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), October 2020-present
• Member, Special Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic (COVI), April 2020 – June 2020
• Member, Standing Committee on Finance (FINA), January 2020-August 2020

Background

Mr. Morantz holds a BA in political studies from the University of Manitoba and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. Prior to his election to Parliament he served as City Councillor on the Winnipeg City Council (2014-2018) where he chaired the Finance and Infrastructure Committee. Prior to his tenure as City Councillor, Mr. Morantz was a lawyer for 23 years in a Winnipeg law firm. He also presided Jernat Investment Ltd., a property investment and financial services firm. He also served on the boards of many community groups focusing on autism advocacy and research, assisted living and numerous groups in the Jewish community. MP Morantz is married and they have one son.

Issues-specific background/statements

On October 8, 2020 MP Morantz rose in the House of Commons and presented a petition regarding the persecution of the Uyghurs. He stated, “The petition says in part that it is clear that the UN conventions around the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide have been breached. Canada cannot remain silent in the face of this ongoing atrocity. The petition formally requests we recognize that Uighurs in China have been, and are being, subject to genocide and to use the Magnitsky Act in this case”.

B) Hot issue notes

Programing and Policy

Canada’s International Assistance response to COVID-19 (Global Response, including vaccinations)

• Canada is committed to a robust, comprehensive global effort to stop COVID-19. To date, Canada has announced over $1.1 billion to support the response to COVID-19 in developing countries.
• Canada’s assistance has ensured continuity of education for children, access to school feeding programs, and support to civil society organizations, including women’s rights organizations on the frontline.
• In June-July 2020, Canada provided nearly 1.1 million items of personal protective equipment to partners in the ASEAN region and Africa.

Supplementary messages

• Canada has invested over $380 million towards equitable, timely, and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines, testing and treatments.
• Canada has taken a leadership role internationally to coordinate with partner countries, notably through the Development Ministers’ Contact Group on COVID-19 and the Ministerial Coordination Group on COVID-19.

Supporting facts and figures

• Canada has made an additional $1 billion available for IMF loans related to COVID-19.
• Canada’s most recent announcement on September 29, 2020, committed $400 million in international assistance funding to support the recovery and resilience of developing countries as they fight COVID-19.

Background

COVID-19 is causing devastating health, social, and economic impacts for people around the world; the pandemic is estimated to push an additional 88 million to 115 million people into extreme poverty this year. Canada’s international assistance response to COVID-19 is focused on fighting the pandemic; managing financial stresses and stabilizing economies; and supporting the most vulnerable and reinforcing recovery. Canada is collaborating as a member of the G7 and G20, and working hand in hand with international partners, including the World Health Organization. Canada’s humanitarian and development assistance response is rooted in the Feminist International Assistance Policy, with a particular focus on the world’s poorest and most marginalized, and considering the differentiated needs of women and girls. Importantly, and in complement to its own procurement efforts, Canada has made significant investments to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics are affordable and equitably distributed globally. In May, Canada joined the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a critical platform for global cooperation on the development, production, and distribution of safe and effective COVID-19 medical interventions. Canada is contributing to the COVAX Facility, the vaccine pillar of the ACT-Accelerator, both as a self-financing participant and to purchase vaccine doses for low- and middle-income countries through the Advance Market Commitment.

Funds that have been re-purposed to respond to COVID-19

• Canada’s commitment to strong and comprehensive global efforts to stop COVID-19 is being implemented through the combination of new funding and repurposing of existing resources.
• In addition to the $1.1 billion announced to date, Canada has also reallocated/repurposed over $483M of existing resources to respond to the pandemic.
• In Ethiopia for example, where incomes are falling and the ability to meet the need for food is worsening, Canada has reallocated $10 million to provide support to food insecure women, men and children greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supplementary messages

• Canada will continue to work with implementing partners and developing countries to ensure planned and operational initiatives directly respond to the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable.
• Canada will closely monitor the implementation of funded initiatives to facilitate their timely and effective delivery.

Supporting facts and figures

Repurposed amount by continent

Repurposed amount by partner type

Background

COVID-19 is causing devastating health, social, and economic impacts for people around the world; the pandemic is estimated to push an additional 88 million to 115 million people into extreme poverty this year. Canada’s international assistance response to COVID-19 is focused on fighting the pandemic; managing financial stresses and stabilizing economies; and supporting the most vulnerable and reinforcing recovery. Canada’s response is rooted in the Feminist International Assistance Policy, with a particular focus on the world’s poorest and most marginalized, and considering the differentiated needs of women and girls. Canada has announced over $1.1 billion in addition to repurposing more than $483 million from existing resources to support global efforts to end the COVID-19. Canada’s support will be implemented through Canadian, multilateral and other international partners.

FIAP Overview

• Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy seeks to eradicate poverty and build a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous world.
• Canada firmly believes that promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls is the most effective approach to achieving this goal.
• Preliminary statistics show that, in 2019-2020, Canada met its commitment and is on track to meet the 2021-22 target of 95% of bilateral international assistance that advances gender equality.

Supplementary messages – signature initiatives

• Through signature initiatives such as ‘’Her Voice, Her Choice’’, the Government is meeting the Policy’s objective to close gaps in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• The Women’s Voice and Leadership initiative supports local women’s organizations in 30 countries to advance women’s empowerment.
• With the Equality Fund, Canada is building a “first of its kind” global funding platform which will leverage grants, philanthropy and private capital, to mobilize unprecedented funding for women’s rights organizations in developing countries.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to exacerbate inequalities and reverse development gains. Canada’s feminist approach helps address these risks with its focus on the poorest and most vulnerable.

Supporting facts and figures

• The 2017 Policy represents the first integrated approach to Canada’s humanitarian, development and peace and security assistance.
• Through the Policy, Canada committed to ensuring that 95% of bilateral international assistance will advance gender equality by 2021-2022. This goal was met in 2018-19, with 95% of programming targeting or integrating gender equality.
• The Policy commits to ensuring that 15% specifically targets gender equality. Canada is making good progress towards this target; the amount specifically targeted towards gender equality increased from 5.9% in 2018-19 to 14.0% in 2019-20.  This increase includes the first payment to the Equality Fund and programming towards Women’s Voice and Leadership.  Canada continues to make good progress towards reaching and sustaining this target by 2021-22.
• Canada also committed to directing no less than 50% of its bilateral international assistance in support of Sub-Saharan Africa by 2021-22. In 2018-2019, 44% of Canadian bilateral international assistance was directed to sub-Saharan African countries.  The amount directed towards Sub-Saharan Africa decreased to 41.7% in 2019-20 mainly due to increased spending towards climate change and humanitarian assistance outside Africa.
• In 2018-2019, the most recent fiscal year for which these statistics are available^{Footnote 1}, Canada’s international assistance helped to ensure that:
  • 2.8 million women and girls received access to sexual and reproductive health services.
  • Over 18 million people were reached by projects that support women’s leadership in governance.
  • Over 3.8 million entrepreneurs, farmers and smallholders received financial and/or business development services.
• The Government of Canada’s international assistance funding increased by 7% since 2017. Budget 2018 provided an additional $2 billion over five years to implement the Policy, and this was further augmented by a Budget 2019 announcement of an additional $100 million in 2023-2024, bringing the ongoing increase to $700 million per year. This represents the largest increase to Canadian international assistance since 2002. Budget 2018 also provided $1.5 billion over five years for the International Assistance Innovation and Sovereign Loan programs, to expand Canada’s development toolkit and enhance our ability to mobilize additional resources for sustainable development.

Background

The 2017 Feminist International Assistance Policy focuses Canada’s efforts on providing international assistance that is human rights-based and inclusive in six action areas: Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls; Human Dignity (health and nutrition; education; and gender-responsive humanitarian action); Growth that Works for Everyone; Environment and Climate Action; Inclusive Governance; and Peace and Security. The Policy commits Canada to improving the effectiveness of its international assistance. Canada is investing in innovation and research, experimentation, seeking out new partnerships and ways of working, and is better communicating its results, activities and spending.

$2 Billion for the Feminist International Assistance Policy:

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

Feminist International Assistance Policy Commitments %

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

FIAP/LGBTQ2I

• Canada considers the human rights of all persons to be universal and indivisible, including the human rights of LGBTQ2I persons.
• Aligned with the Feminist International Assistance Policy and its focus on advancing gender quality, Canada is committed to providing international assistance that is human rights-based and inclusive.
• In 2019, Canada announced $30M in dedicated international assistance funding over five years and $10M per year thereafter to advance human rights and improve socio-economic outcomes for LGBTQ2I people in developing countries.

Supplementary messages

• As per commitments made at the Equal Rights Coalition Conference in 2018, Canada is collaborating with Canadian civil society to ensure that efforts to implement the Policy address the particular barriers faced by LGBTQ2I persons in contributing to and benefiting from sustainable development.

Update

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the challenges faced by LGBTQ2I persons and communities around the world. In line with the feminist approach to international assistance, Canada is ensuring its COVID-19 response is human rights-based and inclusive of the most marginalized and vulnerable. For example, through its LGBTQ2I International Assistance Program, Global Affairs Canada is providing COVID-19 emergency financial and practical support to help local LGBTQ2I communities and organizations create tailored responses based on the needs of the people they serve.

Supporting facts and figures

• Since 2013, Canada has provided over $11M in international assistance funding to projects that seek to advance the human rights of LGBTQ2I persons. Projects include strengthened access to justice and improved rule of law for LGBTQ2I persons and support to local organizations working to protect LGBTQ2I human rights.
• According to the latest Global Resources Report in 2017-2018, Canada ranked 8th amongst governments and multilateral funders to LGBTQ2I funding, having invested just over $5M USD in 2017-2018. Building on its previous investments, the new $30M in dedicated funding will increase Canada’s standing among stakeholders working in support of these issues.

Background

In line with the Feminist International Assistance Policy, Global Affairs Canada has been working with civil society to ensure the meaningful inclusion of LGBTQ2I persons in its international assistance efforts. More recently, the department has been taking steps to prioritize the implementation of a feminist approach that is intersectional across its policy and programming work in order to fully consider the inequalities that various groups experience. Canada’s feminist approach adopts an expanded definition of gender equality that takes into account diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) identity factors and calls for the application of a gender based analysis plus (GBA+), a human rights-based approach and intersectional lens to all initiatives.

At the Equal Rights Coalition Global Conference held in 2018, Canada committed to identifying strategies to better address the challenges that LGBTQ2I communities face at home and abroad. This included meaningful engagement with LGBTQ2I persons and their representative organizations to ensure they are able to contribute to and benefit from Canada’s international assistance efforts. The LGBTQ2I International Assistance Program ($30M) was developed as a direct result of this commitment and is being informed by the needs and realities of LGBTQ2I persons and their representative organizations.

Humanitarian Policy

• Canada’s humanitarian assistance is gender-responsive, addressing the intersectional and gender differentiated needs of vulnerable people across our programming.
• We have sharpened our focus on programming gaps, such as sexual and reproductive health and rights and addressing gender-based violence.
• We work with international and Canadian partners to provide approximately $820M in humanitarian assistance each year to the most vulnerable.

Supplementary messages

• Over the last four years, Canada has increased investments in sexual and reproductive health and rights in humanitarian contexts by $52 million^{Footnote 2}.

Update

The impact of COVID-19 has re-affirmed the policy priorities set out in sub-action area policy, A Feminist Approach: Gender Equality in Humanitarian Action. GAC’s internal Feminist International Assistance Policy stocktaking exercise assessed implementation of this sub-policy as on track.

Supporting facts and figures

• Canada’s total spending (Global Affairs and Other Government Departments) for humanitarian assistance has averaged approximately $845 million over the last five years.  For GAC specifically, spending for humanitarian assistance has averaged $820 million over the last five years.
• In the 2019-2020 fiscal year:
  • Gender equality considerations were integrated into 96% of Canada’s Humanitarian Assistance projects.
  • Canada provided $73.4M to support sexual and reproductive health and rights services through humanitarian assistance.
  • Top Canadian partners included, for example, the Canadian Food Grains Bank ($25M) and Action Against Hunger ($11.6M).
• Canada’s funding to UN multi-donor Country-Based Pooled Funds (CBPF) has increased over the least 4 years, from CAD $6.5 M in 2016 to $47.25 M in 2020. CBPF’s provide timely and needs-based humanitarian funding to local actors.

Background

To advance gender-responsive humanitarian action, Canada expects its partners to:

1. implement gender equality policies in field operations;
2. better understand beneficiaries needs;
3. address gender-related programming gaps in humanitarian assistance; and
4. empower women and girls through leadership and participation.

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

ODA levels

• In 2018-2019, Canada disbursed $6.4B in international assistance of which $6.2B was official development assistance (ODA); all but $335M was disbursed federally, and $5.9B was reported under the ODA Accountability Act.
• Since 2018, the government has committed more than $3.4 billion in additional international assistance to reinforce the implementation of the Feminist International Assistance Policy.
• And this year, Canada has announced commitments totalling $1.1 billion to support the global response to COVID-19, of which $740 million consists of new funding.

Supplementary messages

• Canada places a high priority on ensuring the quality and effectiveness of its assistance to generate results for the poorest and most vulnerable.
• Canada is also working hard to use its ODA to attract additional private and public capital in support of development objectives.
• Canada is doing this because, as the United Nations has noted, while ODA remains extremely important especially to support least developed and fragile states, on its own it is insufficient to fully finance the SDGs.
• Further assistance to support Lebanon’s economic recovery is contingent on implementation of critical reforms, including on governance, the economy, the banking sector, and electricity.

Update

• Canada reported $6.27 billion of ODA (federal and provincial) to the DAC for the 2019 calendar year; and, $5.9 billion of federal ODA to Parliament for the 2018-2019 fiscal year, out of $6.1B of total federal international assistance.

Supporting facts and figures

• The OECD-DAC calculates each donor country’s ODA volume and ODA/GNI ratio on a calendar year basis using all official sources of ODA (i.e. national and sub-national entities), whereas Canada reports to Parliament only on federal ODA on a fiscal year basis, as per the Official Development Assistance Accountability Act.
• For the 2018-2019 fiscal year, Canada’s federal international assistance funding increased by 7% from 2017-2018; and for the 2019 calendar year, Canada’s net ODA reported to OECD-DAC rose by $231 million (or 4%) compared to 2018.
• Multilateral ODA increased in 2019, due to Finance Canada’s exceptional capital share increase to International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Global Affairs Canada’s contribution to the Green Climate Fund as well as payments to the Global Environment Facility. Bilateral ODA decreased compared to calendar year 2018 due to the timing of payments. For instance, there were two disbursements made to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund in 2018 that covered obligations for 2017-18 and 2018-19 while other payments took place in the last quarter of 2019-20 (for example the second payment to the Equality Fund) which will be counted in calendar year 2020.
• According to 2019 preliminary figures for other donors, Canada is the 9th largest DAC donor in total volume at US$4.73 billion (same ranking as 2018 and 2017) and 15th in terms of ODA/GNI at 0.27% (compared to 16th in 2018 and 2017). The OECD-DAC average is 0.30%.
• The $740 million figure refers to the amount of money, within the $1.1 billion, that was added to the international assistance envelope (IAE) (i.e. funds that are considered new IAE resources). These additional funds ($740M) are also included in the $3.4 billion figure, which refers to the additional international assistance committed by the government since 2018. The remaining amount ($379M) are funds from the crisis pool which are already counted as part of the government’s total IAE.
• Regarding the eligibility of vaccines, as per normal procedures, funds will be evaluated post-facto to determine the portion of funding that meets ODA eligibility. For this reason, we have used the broader terminology of ‘international assistance’ which remains accurate.

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)

• Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are essential to the enhancement of women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, in all their diversity.
• With support from Canada and other donors, contraceptives provided through UNFPA Supplies in 2019 had potential to avert: 8 million unintended pregnancies, 152,000 child deaths, 24,000 maternal deaths, and 2.3 million unsafe abortions.
• Canada strongly supports the goal of ensuring that women and girls can decide themselves whether, when, how many and with whom to have children.

Supplementary messages

• Canada is working to support access to the full range of sexual and reproductive health services and information. This includes strengthening national health systems, investing in family planning and contraceptives, comprehensive sexuality education, and supporting a woman’s right to choose safe and legal abortion and access to post-abortion care.
• Canada’s support for safe, reliable and high quality family planning services is helping to decrease the number of unplanned pregnancies, reduce recourse to abortion, and improve the health and rights of women and girls.

Supporting facts and figures

• On March 31, 2020, Canada met its $650 million commitment and objectives for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (2017-2020). This was achieved through about 189 projects delivered in 65 countries. These initiatives helped make a difference in the lives of millions of women, their families and their communities.
• As part of its Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada has launched a ten-year commitment to improve the health and rights of women and girls. This will reach $1.4 billion annually, starting in 2023, with $700 million of the annual investment dedicated to further advancing sexual and reproductive health rights.

Background

SRHR includes: age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education; reproductive health services; family planning services, including contraception; safe and legal abortion services and post-abortion care; prevention and management of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections and other diseases.

Current and future Health and SRHR Targets

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

Support for Democratic Institutions (noting the transition in Sudan)

• Canada's foreign policy and Feminist International Assistance Policy highlight democracy as a key driver for sustainable development.
• Today, we see democratic values, processes, and institutions increasingly under threat across the world, and Canada is working to overcome these harmful trends – in part – through support to democratic institutions in developing countries.
• In Sudan, Canada is supporting initiatives to increase the meaningful participation of women in the transitional political process, helping the country transition to a civilian-led, democratic state that fosters more equal opportunities.

Update

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, democratic systems of governance built on strong institutional capacity, transparency and trust have the best basis to overcome the crisis and build back sustainably.

Supporting facts and figures

• Nearly half of the world’s population (43 per cent) live in countries that have experienced some form of democratic erosion in the last five years, including both newer and established democracies.
• In 2019-20,^{Footnote 3} Canada disbursed $167.61 million in democracy support that contributed to (for example) strengthening electoral processes, legislatures, political parties and civil society, out of a total of $325.64 million in spending for the inclusive governance action area.

Background

Supporting democracy, and democratic institutions in particular, is central to Canada’s strategic foreign policy interests and is reflected in the Feminist International Assistance Policy’s Inclusive Governance action area, which addresses human rights, access to justice, participation in public life, and public services that work for everyone.

Canada has long supported countries and communities as they strive to strengthen their democracies. We take a comprehensive approach by investing in public sector institutions to ensure they are effective, accountable, transparent and responsive and by promoting the full participation of all citizens in the decision-making processes and institutions affecting their lives, with an emphasis on the inclusion of women, youth and marginalized groups.

PSOPs is currently funding two projects in Sudan aimed at increasing the meaningful participation of women in the transitional political process:

• Supporting Feminist Transformative Peace and Democracy in Sudan (Inter Pares, $1.1M, 18 months, 2020/2022): contributing to the legal reform process of discriminatory laws towards women, raising awareness of, and providing support for, women’s political participation, and training youth on human rights and feminism to sustain reforms in the future.
• The Engendering Equality: Increasing Women’s Political Participation in Sudan (Strategic Initiative in the Horn of Africa, $650,000, 12 months, 2020/2021): strengthening, coordinating and amplifying the influence of local women’s organizations and networks to represent the diversity of women’s voices across Sudan.

Canada’s Innovative Finance Programs

• The International Assistance Innovation Program (IAIP) and Sovereign Loans Program (SLP) are new programs that provide Canada with an expanded toolkit to finance development initiatives.
• These tools represent a significant departure from traditional grants and contributions, and developing and testing them has taken time.
• Given the changing post-COVID global economy, the Programs continue to adjust their strategies and build a pipeline of potential financing initiatives.

Supplementary messages

• The IAIP and SLP offer Canada an extensive suite of development finance tools, including repayable contributions and sovereign loans, for poverty alleviation and economic development.
• Developing this new line of business has taken longer than anticipated.  Global Affairs Canada is currently undertaking required due diligence on potential initiatives that have been identified for both programs.
• Innovative financing tools are more relevant than ever given global post-COVID recovery needs, and their potential to leverage additional public and private financing towards development goals.
• These Programs remain a priority for Global Affairs Canada.

Update

On Oct 10, 2020, the Globe and Mail published an article criticizing Canada’s Innovative Finance Programs for having accomplished too little since their announcement in Budget 2018. On Aug 21, 2020, a similar critique of the IAIP was published in the Hill Times by Engineers Without Borders, an organization also featured in the October Globe article.

Background

• In Budget 2018, Canada announced its intention to create two new pilot programs, together valued at $1.59 billion over five years on a cash basis:
  • International Assistance Innovation Program (IAIP) ($974.7M): Giving Global Affairs Canada a wider range of development financing tools, including conditionally and unconditionally repayable contributions (debt), guarantees and equity, enabling it to more effectively mobilize private sector resources for development purposes.
  • Sovereign Loans Program (SLP) ($616.5M): This program enables Canada to provide sovereign loans to eligible recipients with concessional terms, thereby enhancing their capacity to make important investments in poverty reduction and peace and security, while recognizing their relative ability to pay for these investments.
• [REDACTED]. In this early stage, limited funds (approximately $120,000) have been disbursed by the IAIP and no funds yet disbursed by the SLP.
• Potential initiatives have been identified for both programs but as these are still under consideration for approval, further information is not yet available.

1.59 Billion for the International Assistance Innovation and Sovereign Loans Program:

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

Climate Finance

• Canada’s climate finance commitment reflects the understanding that developing countries, and the most vulnerable people in these countries, are the most impacted by climate change and are least able to cope with the consequences.
• Canada’s international climate finance helps people and communities in developing countries to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
• Canada is delivering $2.65 billion over five years to help developing countries to transition to low-carbon, climate resilient economies. This funding supports climate solutions such as renewable energy, climate smart agriculture, and activities that build communities’ resilience to climate change, particularly when it comes to empowering the poorest and most vulnerable people, including women and girls.

Supplementary messages

• In line with the Paris agreement, Canada has been supporting developing countries transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient economies and mobilizing new private sector capital for global climate action.
• Through the Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada committed to ensure that its international climate-related planning, policy-making, and financing acknowledge the particular challenges faced by women and girls.

Update

In the summer of 2020, Global Affairs Canada held public consultations to seek input on the strategy to deliver Canada’s international climate finance from fiscal year 2021/2022 to fiscal year 2025/2026. The Department will post a summary of the consultations’ findings in November.

Supporting facts and figures

• From the current international finance commitment ($2.65 billion over 5 years):
  • Over $2 billion in programming announced and approved to date.
  • Approximately $1.76 billion disbursed as of March 31, 2020.
  • 123 climate finance projects supported through the commitment to date.
  • Projects in implementation are expected to help approximately 4.6 million people adapt to the effects of climate change.
  • Projects implemented to date will help reduce CO2 emissions for years to come. Currently, Canada’s climate finance commitment is expected to help reduce 176 Megatons of CO2 equivalent emissions.

Background

Canada is delivering $2.65 billion over five years to help developing countries transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient economies. The objectives of this funding include significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, supporting adaptation actions, and mobilizing new private sector capital for global climate action.

Global Affairs Canada portion of the commitment is $2.59B, with the remainder to be programmed by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

FinDev Canada

• FinDev Canada provides financial services to the private sector in developing countries and mobilizes private capital with the objective of stimulating sustainable economic growth for the benefit of local populations, and women in particular.
• FinDev Canada is a key implementer of Canada’s development agenda, particularly women’s economic empowerment and climate action in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
• In three years of existence, it has established a solid base of operations, with a stable governance structure and fourteen active deals valued at $226 million.

Supplementary messages

• An operational review of FinDev Canada was recently completed and concluded that it has made considerable progress to date and built the necessary policy and operational frameworks to deliver on its mandate.
• We are in the process of seeking the approval to recapitalize FinDev Canada with additional capital from Export Development Canada (EDC) so that the organization can continue to deliver on its development mandate and achieve financial sustainability by 2025-2026.

Supporting facts and figures

• FinDev Canada became operational in 2018 with an initial EDC-funded capital of $300M paid in three equal instalments in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
• It provides loans, equity, and guarantees on commercial terms to the private sector, with a view to have a favourable impact on poverty reduction through job creation, women’s economic empowerment, and climate change mitigation.
• FinDev Canada builds on Canada's proven expertise and focuses on areas of potential impact (green growth, agribusiness, financial services) and expands Canadian engagement in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean.
• 75% of the initial capital is now invested and new transactions are in negotiation.

Background

[REDACTED].

An agreement is in place between GAC and FinDev Canada ($3.8M/4 years) to support FinDev Canada’s Technical Assistance Facility. The Facility aims to address a range of capacity building needs of FinDev Canada’s investee companies, including around gender equality, governance and leadership, inclusive human capital development, impact targeting, measurement and reporting.

IDRC

• The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is a valuable and unique part of Canada’s international assistance toolkit, investing in knowledge, innovation, and solutions to improve lives and livelihoods in the developing world.
• IDRC is investing in solutions to improve the health, nutrition and education of refugees and other vulnerable populations facing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supplementary messages

• For 50 years, IDRC has been supporting innovative solutions to development challenges in developing countries, such as the ones caused and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• IDRC has invested in ground-breaking work, such as testing and scaling up an Ebola vaccine in response to the outbreak that struck West Africa in 2014.
• IDRC has also supported initiatives that have significantly improved food and nutritional security for men and women smallholder farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
• Research and evidence must be at the centre of our global response to COVID-19, and IDRC is an important part of that effort through investments in policy-oriented health and socio-economic research.

Update

• IDRC is currently investing in 21 projects working across 42 countries to understand the socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, improve existing responses, and generate better policy options for recovery.
• IDRC is partnering with funding agencies in Canada and abroad to support 80 projects in health research and science engagement across 17 African countries.
• The Centre is also contributing to the Canadian Rapid Research Funding Opportunities led by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, as well as new investments in food systems and nutrition, artificial intelligence and data science, health of refugees and vulnerable populations, and education.

Supporting facts and figures

• Through the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund, IDRC invested in scaling up solutions that have increased production, access, and consumption of safe and nutritious food in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
• The Centre also has a long history of supporting public health innovation, including the trial and scale-up of an Ebola vaccine.
• IDRC’s recurring parliamentary appropriation is stable this year, at the same level as last year, but is planned to increase in each of the next two years.
• In 2019-20, more than a quarter of IDRC’s budget came from donors such as private foundations and the development agencies of like-minded countries.

Asia

Afghanistan

• Canada needs to stand with Afghanistan as it faces a dire humanitarian disaster due to the COVID-19 pandemic, compounding many of the existing challenges including worsening poverty and the ongoing conflict.
• Canada’s contributions will remain focused on supporting the government’s capacity to deliver basic services, including in health and education for the poorest and most vulnerable. These areas are essential for long-term stability and growth.
• Canada expects human rights, women’s rights, the rights of minorities and democratic institutions will be respected as peace talks progress, and will track that very closely and calibrate our future commitments accordingly.

Supplementary messages

• Canada is deeply concerned about the troubling increase in levels of violence witnessed in Afghanistan in recent months.
• Canada has urged the Taliban to cease hostilities and negotiate in good faith, and called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to permit the ongoing provision of safe assistance to those in need, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause suffering in Afghanistan.
• Canada is working with Afghan men and women to ensure that women’s voices are heard in the peace process. Canadian development initiatives in Afghanistan are framed by a “Women’s and Girls’ Rights First” approach.
• On prospects for peace, Canada, with the international community, is cautiously optimistic but recognizes the vulnerability of the gains achieved to date, most notably, but not limited to, women’s and human rights. Preserving the hard fought gains of the last 19 years on women’s rights, human rights, education, health, democracy and rule of law is a priority for Canada, (See Annex 1).

Update

• On September 12, 2020, the long-awaited Afghan Peace Negotiations began in Doha, Qatar with the Afghan government and the Taliban meeting formally for the first time in nearly two decades of war. So far, discussions have been focused on establishing the rules of procedure and the agenda for the negotiations.

Supporting facts and figures

• The Afghan economy will be the most adversely affected in Asia due to COVID19 with poverty expected to increase above the current basic needs poverty rate of 55% of the population. Approximately 10 million Afghans (31.5% of the population) have been infected with COVID-19.
• Canada has contributed an additional $1.6M to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF) to help respond to COVID-19; this funding is in addition to $14M allocated to respond to humanitarian needs in Afghanistan in 2020.
• Canada is among the top ten donors and continues to support stabilization, development, and humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan, providing a total of $3.6 billion in international assistance since 2001.

Annex 1: Planned & Actual disbursements for FY 2020-21

Assistance to China (with reference and position on the Belt and Road initiative)

• Canada’s direct bilateral aid to China expired in 2013. In February 2020, Canada donated 16 tonnes of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to China to aid the COVID-19 response. China in turn donated more than 32 tonnes of PPE to Canada.
• Both Canada and China contribute to multilateral development assistance through the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
• Canada has not taken a position on China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Canada calls on China to ensure that all BRI projects conform to the established rules and norms set out in the multinational system concerning transparency, governance, human and labour rights, environmental protection and financial sustainability.

Supplementary messages

• We support opportunities for Canadian companies to engage in global infrastructure initiatives that seek quality and professionalism, all while respecting international standards on transparency and governance.

Background

• Assistance to China: Canada’s development assistance to China began in 1981 as a $4 million food initiative and later grew to a variety of development projects focused on poverty reduction and sustainable development. China became ineligible for Canada’s bilateral development assistance beginning in 2014. China, along with many other countries, receives funding for projects through multilateral organizations to which Canada contributes, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Canada owns 1% of AIIB, which has adopted the operating framework, governance structures and best practices of existing international financial institutions. Other AIIB members include the UK, Australia, France and Germany. As the lead on AIIB, all questions should be directed to Finance Canada. In February 2020, the Government of Canada donated 16 tonnes of personal protective equipment (PPE) to China. China donated more than 32 tonnes of PPE to Canada.
• Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): In 2013, President Xi Jinping announced a pair of new development and trade initiatives for China known as BRI. In recent years, China has become the world's largest official creditor, surpassing the WB, IMF, and OECD members combined. Only about a fifth of China’s assistance qualifies as official development assistance, as the remainder of China’s assistance is in the form of concessional lending. 12 countries owe China at least 20% of nominal GDP, though over 50% of China’s lending to developing countries is unreported. [REDACTED], whether BRI projects are economically and financially sound, whether China is practicing “debt trap diplomacy”, and whether BRI projects conform to global environmental and labour standards. Canada's official engagement regarding the BRI is limited to participation in the inaugural meeting of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing in May 2017.
• Based on its GNI per capita, China is considered an eligible ODA recipient under the OECD-DAC Definition.

China: (2018-2019 Bilateral: $3.4M / Multilateral: $37.61M / Total: $41.02 M)

• Multilateral Assistance makes up the majority of Canada’s expenditures in China ($37.6 million), two thirds of which is estimated from the exceptional IBRD (Banque international pour la reconstruction et le développement) capital share increase.
• Canada's bilateral expenditures in China ($3.4 million) represent mainly CFLI (Canada Fund for Local Initiatives – Fonds canadien d’initiatives locales) initiatives, a cooperation project by Environment and Climate Change Canada, and student scholarships from the Government of Quebec.
• GAC bilateral funding totalled $0.56 million that relate to scholarships, capacity building to implement sanctions on the DPRK’s (République populaire démocratique de Corée) proliferation activities and local initiatives selected by our mission in Beijing.
• The remaining bilateral funding of $2.85 million includes a contribution from ECCC (Environment and Climate Change Canada) to the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development for $900K, research on various topics (nutrition, inequalities, labour market, etc.) by IDRC (CRDI – Centre de recherche pour le développement international), technical assistance (workshops, exchange visits, etc) by other departments and provinces and finally, student scholarships form the Government of Quebec.

Rohingya Crisis (Canadas Development and Humanitarian Response)

• Canada's development assistance and humanitarian assistance in Myanmar and Bangladesh respond to the needs and priorities of vulnerable people, especially women.
• To date, Canada has committed $271.55 million against the $300 million dedicated towards Canada’s Strategy to Respond to the Rohingya Crisis and expects to have spent the entire $300 million by March 2021.

Supplementary messages

• Canada supports humanitarian programming in food security, health, shelter, and water, sanitation and hygiene, and is a top donor to the Joint Response Plan in Bangladesh and the Humanitarian Response Plan in Myanmar.
• Canada is providing assistance to Bangladeshi host communities affected by the crisis and longer-term development assistance to Rohingya refugees to increase access to health services and informal learning opportunities.
• Canadian partners are continuously assisting vulnerable populations, despite challenging operating environments, access restrictions, and compounded by the impacts of COVID-19.
• The Government of Bangladesh has provisionally approved the use of Myanmar’s education curriculum for children and youth Rohingya refugees, for which Canada has consistently advocated, which contributes to our efforts to ensure that all refugee and displaced children access education.

Update

Parliamentary Secretary Oliphant represented Canada at an October 22nd donor conference on the Rohingya crisis, which raised US $597M in new pledges to the Joint Response Plan in Bangladesh. He affirmed Canada’s continued leadership on the crisis and flagged plans for a renewed multi-year strategy.

Supporting facts and figures

Summary of Funds Committed to Date:

By March 2021, we expect to have spent the totality of the $300 million.

Background

In August 2017, systematic, large-scale and targeted attacks by Myanmar’s security forces caused over 711,000 Rohingya in Rakhine State to flee to Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The speed and scale of the influx has resulted in significant humanitarian needs in Cox's Bazar. Conditions in the refugee camps and settlements in the area remain difficult. The impact on Bangladeshi host communities is high, for example, with the loss of land, forests, access to health care and livelihoods.

The humanitarian and security situation in Rakhine State is also dire, with an estimated 600,000 remaining Rohingya in Rakhine, and over 120,000 remain confined in internally displaced person camps since outbreaks of inter-ethnic violence in 2012. They all face discriminatory systems and attitudes limiting their access to essential health services, freedom of movement, pathways to citizenship and livelihood opportunities – making the still unimplemented RAC recommendations all the more important.

On May 23, 2018, Canada released its Strategy to Respond to the Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh, which dedicates $300 million over three years (2018-2021) for addressing humanitarian, development, peace and stabilization needs, as well as support for positive political developments in Myanmar and accountability. Canada is working to renew our multi-year Rohingya strategy.

In Myanmar, to implement Canada’s strategy, bilateral development projects support efforts to counter sexual and gender-based violence and to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights; strengthen women’s voices and leadership; and strengthen inclusive governance and the capacity of local civil society organizations.

In Bangladesh, bilateral development funding included $82 million to help mitigate the impact of the crisis on host communities in areas such as livelihoods, community cohesion, education and environment  and for longer term learning opportunities and health services for the refugees.

Peace and stabilization programming has contributed to peaceful national reconciliation, including effective participation of women in the peace process and peacebuilding activities.

Disbursements for final year of the Rohingya Strategy (2020-21)

Latin America

Venezuela

• Deeply concerned that Venezuelans are facing an alarming humanitarian crisis, malnourishment, disease and poor opportunities to make a living.
• Appalled by the magnitude of human rights violations, including extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions and torture.
• Committed to maintaining the attention on the refugee and migrant crisis, to provide humanitarian and development assistance, and to lead the follow-up to the May 2020 donors’ conference.

Supplementary messages

• Canada has committed to host a follow-up conference for Venezuelan migrants and refugees in 2021.
• As the region struggles to respond to the refugee and migrant crisis, Covid-19 creates additional pressure on already stretched national support systems in all counties of the region.
• The September 2020 report of the UN Fact Finding Mission on Venezuela confirmed that the Maduro regime has committed crimes against humanity.
• Canada has contributed over $82M since 2019 to respond to the Venezuela crisis.

Update

At the October 19, 2020, Ministerial Quito Process and Group of Friends meeting, Minister Gould announced that Canada would lead on an action plan to maintain and enhance international attention on the Venezuela migrant and refugee crisis, help ensure existing donor pledges are honoured, and assess opportunities for future pledges, culminating in Canada hosting a conference in the second quarter of 2021.

As a result of the actions of the regime, the upcoming parliamentarian elections on December 6 will be neither free nor fair, yet will serve for the regime to seek control of the opposition-led National Assembly, the only remaining democratic institution in Venezuela.

Supporting facts and figures

• Unemployment is estimated to be 50%; and the poverty rate is estimated to be above 96 percent (extreme poverty at 79.3 percent). Over 7 million people are in need of assistance inside Venezuela; one in three Venezuelans is food insecure.
• Almost 5.5 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2015, with the largest populations in Colombia (1.7M), Peru (1M), Chile (450,000), and Ecuador (410,000).
• The 2020 Donors’ Conference raised a total of US$2.7 billion, including grants and loans. Canada has delivered on its $27 million pledge made at the Conference.  The majority of Canada’s assistance to the Venezuela crisis has targeted the needs of Venezuelan migrants, refugees and host communities in neighbouring countries.

Middle East

The Middle East Strategy

• Canada is helping make a difference in Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, investing up to $3.5B over 2016-2021.
• Achieving strong results, especially for women and girls aligned with our feminist policies and focus on supporting vulnerable populations.
• Considering next steps to address continuing needs and challenges to help stabilize a troubled region.

Supplementary messages

• Since 2016, with our partners, we helped liberate millions of people from Daesh and provided millions more with gender-responsive, needs-based humanitarian support and development assistance.
• Gender-responsive results achieved with our support include: providing 300,000 women and girls with reproductive health services or preventing gender-based violence, and improving education quality for over 1.9 million school children including Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon.
• We also supported Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon to develop five-year National Action Plans for Women’s Economic Empowerment to promote job opportunities and a greater role for women in the local economy.

Supporting facts and figures

• Canada:
  • is a top humanitarian donor to international efforts to address the crisis in Iraq and Syria, utilizing a flexible, multi-year approach that allows partners to better prepare and respond to the evolving situation;
  • is a top-tier donor to development in Jordan and Lebanon, ranking 5th largest international donor for aid programming as of 2018;
  • supported the delivery of adolescent sexual and reproductive health services to approximately 1,435,000 beneficiaries in Syria, 52,000 in Iraq, 30,000 in Jordan and 6,000 in Lebanon;
  • provided gender-sensitive training to 89 members of the Jordanian security forces, and supported the RCMP in training over 7,4000 Iraqi police officers;
  • co-founded the Mashreq Gender Facility supporting the implementation of national action plans for women’s economic empowerment in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq;
  • helped convene the fourth session of FemParl in Beirut and Cairo, which brought together female leaders in 2019 to promote women’s participation in decision-making roles;
  • is one of the largest voluntary donors to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for investigating chemical weapons attacks in Syria.

Background

The Middle East Strategy was launched in Feb. 2016 (and renewed in 2019) to respond to the threat of Daesh and the impact of refugees in Iraq and Syria.

The Strategy invests up to $3.5 billion over five years to help set the conditions for security and stability, alleviate human suffering, enable civilian-led stabilization programs, and support governance and longer-term efforts to build resilience. [REDACTED].

The overall funding for GAC across the four pillars of the Strategy includes up to $1.4B in humanitarian assistance, $470M in development assistance, $269M in security and stabilization programming, and $91M to support diplomatic engagement.

DND, CSIS, CSE and RCMP are key partners in delivering on Canada’s objectives under the Strategy.

Middle East Strategy Commitment:

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

Lebanon & Canadian Assistance

• Canada remains committed to assisting the Lebanese people and other vulnerable and marginalized communities in the country.
• In response to the Beirut explosions, Canada is providing $30 million in international assistance to meet immediate humanitarian needs and support early recovery efforts.
• This is in addition to over $421 million provided in international assistance for Lebanon since 2016 under the Middle East Strategy.

Supplementary messages

• Canada’s assistance is provided to trusted partners based on credible needs assessments.
• Canada continues to advocate for the strong engagement of women and youth in response, recovery and reform efforts.
• Further assistance to support Lebanon’s economic recovery is contingent on implementation of critical reforms, including on governance, the economy, the banking sector, and electricity.

Update

On August 4, 2020, a massive explosion originating from the Port of Beirut devastated central parts of the city. The catastrophe came on the heels of several multi-faceted crises Lebanon had been facing prior to the blast, including the near-collapse of the economy and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The blast exacerbated the impact of these multiple crises for the most vulnerable populations, resulting in an alarming increase in the number of people and households falling into poverty, and further reducing their access to food, jobs, income, education, health care, and housing.

Supporting facts and figures

• The concern and generosity of Canadians in response to the tragedy has been remarkable; over $8 million was donated to Humanitarian Coalition agencies and matched by the Government of Canada through the Lebanon Matching Fund.
• An additional $12 million in humanitarian assistance has been committed and disbursed: Lebanese Red Cross (medical, shelter, food assistance); World Food Programme (food assistance); UNFPA (health and protection focused on women and girls); UNICEF (health and water and sanitation support for children and their families); UNHCR (assistance for refugees).
• Canadian assistance is already yielding results. Canada’s early support contributed to 11,000 highly vulnerable people receiving food assistance, and the distribution of shelter and hygiene kits.
• The remaining $10 million will support early recovery efforts and be disbursed in 2020-21.

Background

• The Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Beirut in late August 2020 to meet with affected communities and Canadian partners responding to urgent needs. He also met with Lebanon’s President and Minister of Foreign Affairs to press for reforms.
• The empowerment of women and girls remains a central focus of Canada’s international assistance efforts in Lebanon. It includes gender-responsive humanitarian action that directly addresses the needs and aspirations of women and girls, and longer-term support to enhance their role in a more peaceful, just and prosperous Lebanon.

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

Allegations regarding Canadian funding for Union of Agriculture Work Committees

• The Government is concerned by the allegation of a possible connection between a Palestinian civil society organization, the Union of Agriculture Work Committees (UAWC), and a terrorist entity.
• While Canadian-funded projects with experienced international and Canadian partner organizations have included UAWC as a sub-implementer in the past, we do not currently fund the organization, directly or indirectly.
• Canadian officials are closely following the ongoing Dutch investigation into the UAWC, which focuses on two former employees of UAWC that were arrested by Israeli authorities and accused of being involved in a terrorist attack.

Supplementary messages

• For all international assistance funding for Palestinians, Global Affairs Canada exercises enhanced due diligence so that funds are not misused or diverted to terrorist groups.
• This includes ongoing oversight, regular site visits, a systematic screening process, and strong anti-terrorism provisions in funding agreements.
• [Call to suspend/terminate/investigate Canadian funding to the UAWC] The Government of Canada does not have any active projects involving this organization; there are therefore no projects to suspend or terminate [and no plans to use UAWC as a sub-implementer at this time].

Background

• On July 21, 2020, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation tabled a formal answer to a Parliamentary question related to allegations of linkages between the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) - a listed terrorist entity in Canada - and the Union of Agriculture Work Committees (UAWC). The answer indicated that the Netherlands has suspended further payments to UAWC pending a review related to Israel's arrest of two suspects in a terrorist attack in theWest Bank in 2019. The two individuals had been employees of UAWC and had received some compensation, via overhead, attributed to Dutch funding.
• No projects in the current portfolio of Canadian assistance for Palestinians (including support for the UN's response to the COVID-19 crisis) involve UAWC. Past projects that did include activities implemented by UAWC were managed in accordance with Global Affairs Canada's enhanced due diligence process.

OCHA’s COVID-19 Humanitarian Aid in the West Bank and Gaza

• Canada has a strong and long-standing commitment to the goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel.
• Canada is committed to helping vulnerable Palestinians. Canada has a significant package of humanitarian and development assistance in the West Bank and Gaza, as well as for Palestinian refugees in the region. We exercise enhanced due diligence for all our funding.
• In line with Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy, our international assistance is helping Palestinians to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

Supplementary messages

• The UN Global Appeal to counter COVID-19 highlighted, as a priority, the need for support to vulnerable Palestinians. In response, in April 2020, Canada committed $4 million to support the urgent health care needs of at-risk Palestinians, including Palestinian refugees.
• These funds were provided to the World Health Organization ($1.25 million), UNICEF ($1.25 million), and UNRWA ($1.5 million).
• To enable a rapid response, Canadian funds provided to UNRWA, WHO and UNICEF for COVID-19 activities were directly managed by these organizations. Activities were not outsourced to non-governmental organizations or sub-implementers.

Background

Canada recognizes that the COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating the pre-existing needs of poor and vulnerable Palestinians, and that, collectively, we must avoid diverting resources from these needs as we respond to COVID-19. Canada remains committed to providing assistance focused on empowering Palestinian women and girls, economic growth that works for everyone, and inclusive governance.

Canada has a significant package of humanitarian assistance in the West Bank and Gaza, which helps particularly vulnerable Palestinians – such as women and girls, survivors of gender-based violence, and marginalized communities – to access food, health care, water and sanitation services, through experienced UN agencies and civil society organizations.

Canada exercises enhanced due diligence for all international assistance funding for Palestinians. This includes ongoing oversight, regular site visits, a systematic screening process, and strong anti-terrorism provisions in funding agreements.

UNWRA

• Canada is committed to helping vulnerable Palestinians, a group which UNRWA is mandated to serve. Ensuring that UNRWA has sufficient and predictable resources is important for meeting the needs of refugees and regional stability.
• Canada exercises enhanced due diligence for all international assistance funding for Palestinians, including funding for UNRWA.
• We are monitoring UNRWA very closely. Our continued engagement with UNRWA allows us to insist on accountability and to ensure greater transparency and neutrality.

Supplementary messages

• Canadian officials have reviewed the confidential investigation report prepared by the UN Office of Internal Oversight Services regarding allegations of misconduct among former UNRWA senior managers.
• The report, which was partially redacted in line with personal privacy requirements, supports the UN's earlier confirmations that no fraud or misappropriation of operational funds occurred.
• UNRWA's new senior management has committed to significant management reform initiatives aimed at strengthening UNRWA's accountability, transparency, management and governance. Canada will remain closely engaged on these efforts.

Supporting facts and figures

• Canada provided a total of $110M to UNRWA from 2016 through 2019.
• Canada also provided $1.5M to UNRWA in April 2020 to support the Agency's preparedness and response to COVID-19 in the region.
• UNRWA provides education services to more than half a million Palestinian refugee students.
• In 2019, over 8.7 million medical consultations were provided by UNRWA’s health-care professionals, covering approximately 3.5 million individuals.
• UNRWA also delivers critical food or cash assistance to approximately 2 million beneficiaries, with a focus on the very poorest.

Background

UNRWA faces financial constraints and operates in a volatile environment. Since 1948, it has been mandated to provide basic services (including health, education, humanitarian assistance) to Palestinian refugees in five areas: West Bank, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. UNRWA is the only UN organization mandated to provide assistance to over five million Palestinian refugees living in these five areas.

UNRWA is almost entirely funded through voluntary contributions and receives broad international support. For the past several years, UNRWA has faced a significant funding shortfall partly as a result of growing needs and falling contributions. UNRWA's Programme Budget (education, health and social services) and the Emergency Appeal for humanitarian assistance to the West Bank and Gaza are currently facing deficits and cuts to services. Some services have already been scaled back, and without significant additional resources, more may need to be cut, leading to negative humanitarian consequences.

C) Mandate

Agenda 2030: Increase international development assistance until 2030

• In Budgets 2018 and 2019, the Government of Canada committed to strengthening the impact of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy by providing $2.7 billion in new resources for the International Assistance Envelope through 2023-24.
• Building on these increases, in the Speech from the Throne, the Government committed to invest more in international development and to increase Canada’s support to developing countries’ economic recoveries and resilience, including through access to a vaccine.
• To date, $740 million in new international assistance resources have been announced as part of Canada’s $1.1 billion commitment in response to COVID-19 in developing countries.

Supplementary messages

• Guided by the Feminist International Assistance Policy, the Government of Canada’s international assistance investments directly support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Supporting facts and figures

• To date, the Government of Canada has announced $740 million in new international assistance resources to support the response to COVID-19 in developing countries. This includes:
  • $120 million in support of the ‘Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator’, including $20 million for the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (announced June 27);
  • $220 million for the ‘COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Advance Market Commitment’ facility (announced by the PM September 25); and
  • $400 million for recovery and resilience in developing countries (announced by the PM September 29).
• Note: The $740 million total does not include the $379.09 million drawn from the International Assistance Envelope Crisis Pool, as these funds are considered part of the Government’s existing resources for a total of $1.1 billion in response to COVID-19.

Background

• Your mandate letter set a commitment to “[d]eliver Canada’s international development assistance that increases every year towards 2030, reflecting our commitment to realizing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
• The $740 million in new international assistance resources for the COVID-19 pandemic will be accessed through Supplementary Estimates C.
• Global Affairs Canada is conducting due-diligence and finalizing allocations plans so this money can be programmed as soon as it is available to the department.
• Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy supports the main principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: to ensure no one is left behind.
• In line with the 2030 Agenda and the Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada is actively encouraging a coordinated global response to the pandemic, and is focused on reaching the poorest and most vulnerable so that no one is left behind.
• The 2030 Agenda provides a comprehensive framework for responding to, and recovering from, the COVID-19 pandemic; and, for building more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable societies that can help to prevent and better withstand future crises and shocks.
• Through its joint initiative on ‘Financing for Development in the Era of COVID-19 and Beyond’, Canada is working with the international community to develop concrete measures to support developing countries’ efforts to recover from the socio-economic and financial impacts of the pandemic and to build back better.
• Canada supports the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development as the primary financing framework for implementing the 2030 Agenda. The Addis Agenda seeks to mobilize all sources of development financing, including through domestic resource mobilization, leveraging private financial flows, innovative financing mechanisms and partnerships.

FIAP/Accomplishments and targets

• Canada has transformed its international assistance (both what we do, and how we do it) to achieve improved results and impact for the poorest and most vulnerable, and those in fragile states.
• Preliminary statistics show that, in 2019-2020, Canada met its commitment and is on track to meet the 2021-22 target of 95% of bilateral international assistance that advances gender equality.
• Through Canadian-funded initiatives such as Her Voice, Her Choice, 2.8 million women and girls have received access to sexual and reproductive health services in 2018-19.

Supplementary messages

• The Government is meeting the Policy’s objectives through signatures initiatives such as ‘’Women’s Voice and Leadership’’, supporting women’s rights in 30 developing countries.
• Canada announced over $1.1 billion in support of the global response to COVID-19.  As part of this, Canada is participating in the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility to deliver equitable and global access to vaccines.

Supporting facts and figures

• Through the Policy, Canada committed to ensuring that 95% of bilateral international assistance will advance gender equality by 2021-2022.  This goal was met in 2018-19, with 95% of programming targeting or integrating gender equality.
• The Policy also commits to ensuring that 15% of bilateral international assistance specifically targets gender equality. In 2018-19, 5.9% of bilateral assistance specifically targeted gender equality. The amount specifically targeted towards gender equality reached 14.0% in 2019-20.  This increase includes first payment to the Equality Fund and programming towards Women’s Voice and Leadership. Canada continues to make good progress towards this target.
• And the Policy committed Canada to direct 50% of its bilateral international assistance in support of Sub-Saharan Africa by 2021-2022. In 2018-2019, 45% of Canadian bilateral international assistance was directed to sub-Saharan African countries. This represents a 3% reduction compared to the previous fiscal year because of important investments in other priorities such as Myanmar and Venezuela. The amount directed towards Sub-Saharan Africa decreased to 41.7% in 2019-20 mainly due to increased spending towards climate change and humanitarian assistance outside Africa.
• Several signature initiatives have been advanced in support of the Policy and they are on track, achieving results in partner countries.
  • In March 2020, Canada successfully fulfilled the commitment of allocating $3.5 billion over five years for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) and the Her Voice, Her Choice commitment of $650 million over three years for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).
  • By August 2019, Canada had fully allocated its $400 million commitment to improve access to quality education for women and girls in crisis and conflict situations, as part of the Charlevoix G7 Leaders’ commitment of close to $3.8 billion.
  • In 2017, Canada committed $100 million over five years to fund Canadian small and medium organizations to develop innovative programming in partnership with local organizations to support the Feminist International Assistance Policy. All three program windows are operational.
  • In 2015, Canada committed $2.65 billion over five years to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to and mitigate climate change. This contribution is expected to reduce or avoid 176 megatons of greenhouse gas emissions over the lifetime of the supported investments (equivalent to removing about 38 million cars for one year).
  • Canada committed $300 million to work with the Equality Fund to establish “first of its kind” innovative global funding platform, to mobilize unprecedented levels of resources for women’s organizations in developing countries.

Global Education

• Canada is a leader in improving access to quality, inclusive education for the most vulnerable, including women, girls, adolescent girls, refugees and other displaced peoples.
• My Department is on track to meet the education commitments outlined in my mandate letter, specifically: to invest 10% of international development assistance in education, beginning in fiscal year 2021/22; and to lead a campaign on education for refugees and displaced children, which I plan to launch in the coming months.
• Since the COVID19 pandemic, my department has directed an additional $7.5 M to help ensure that children continue to learn despite school closures and we plan to do more.

Supplementary messages

• I am preparing for the launch of a campaign to promote quality education for refugee, other-displaced and host community children and youth.
• Canada’s education spending is expected to reach 9% of bilateral spending this fiscal year, falling slightly short of the 10% target. We expect to meet the 10% target next year and subsequent years.

Update

Since the onset of the COVID19 pandemic, Canada has provided $7.5M in additional funding for education from crisis pool funds and is exploring options to fund further education programming through the recent PM announcement of an additional $400M for Canada’s international COVID-19 response.

Supporting facts and figures

• Canada ranks 8th worldwide in total education spending (OECD, 2016).
• In 2019-2020, Canada invested $454.4 million in international assistance, of which $452.7 was ODA, in education initiatives.
• Canada disbursed $7.5M from the COVID19 Crisis fund to Education Cannot Wait ($5.5M), and Canadian civil society organizations ($2M) to support their COVID response, and help reduce barriers to education caused by school closures. An additional $5M was also announced to scale-up projects from the Charlevoix initiative in sub-Saharan Africa.

Background

Most governments around the world temporarily closed education institutions to help contain the spread of COVID-19. At its peak, school closures impacted over 90% of the world’s registered learners, from pre-primary to higher education. Nearly 200 million of these children, adolescents and youth are living in countries facing humanitarian crisis, such as in refugee camps where girls are half as likely as boys to enroll in secondary education. Globally, 258 million children, adolescents and youth were already out of school before the pandemic began.

Crises such as COVID-19 can have a devastating impact on girls, and adolescent girls, in particular. We know from the Ebola crisis that girls are at a higher risk of not going back to school when they reopen and that closures led to an increase in child, early and forced marriage, transactional sex to cover basic needs, and teenage pregnancy. For example, according to UNFPA, disruptions to programs on harmful practices could lead to 13 million additional cases of child, early and forced marriage in the next decade. Malala Fund estimates that 10 million secondary school age girls will not return to school because of the pandemic. Other marginalizing factors, such as displacement, create even greater barriers to education. At the secondary level, there are only about seven refugee girls for every ten refugee boys enrolled.

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

Innovative Finance Programs

• Canada has been a thought a leader in the financing for development agenda at the UN and at the OECD. This includes co-chairing the Group of Friends of SDG Financing at the UN since 2016 and the Tri Hita Karana initiative at the OECD, both of which have actively engaged new stakeholders, like the private sector and institutional investors, in development discussions.
• Canada has been establishing new innovative financing tools and partnerships that catalyze private capital investments in support of initiatives for the poorest and most vulnerable.
• We place gender equality and the empowerment of women at the heart of our innovative financing programs because it is the most effective approach to eradicating poverty.

Supplementary messages

• In addition to the range of traditional financial and non-financial tools Global Affairs Canada has to advance its international assistance goals, Canada is keen to seize emerging opportunities for new partnerships and promising approaches.
• The department has been working to use tools from across the innovative finance spectrum, from pay-for-results approaches, to guarantees, equity, and sovereign loans investments, in order to attract new resources and partners to complement Canada’s ODA to eradicate poverty and achieve the SDGs.
• The International Assistance Innovation Program and Sovereign Loans Programs are new and innovative programs that represent a significant departure from traditional grants and contributions funding. Developing this new line of business has taken more time than anticipated.  Global Affairs is undertaking required due diligence on potential initiatives for both programs.
• The Government of Canada is supporting the Equality Fund, a first-of-its-kind global platform that brings together government, philanthropic, private sector and civil society actors to create a predictable, reliable and sustainable source of funding for women’s organizations and movements in developing countries.
• The gender-lens investing approach of Canada’s Development Finance Institution, FinDev Canada, demonstrates our support to innovative development financing that advance women’s economic empowerment and gender equality. 

Supporting facts and figures

• Budget 2018 committed $1.59 B over five years, starting in 2018-2019, and additional funds thereafter, for two programs: the Innovative Assistance Innovation Program (IAIP) and the Sovereign Loans Program (SLP).
• Global Affairs now has new authorities that support development financing, which will allow it to collaborate with the private sector and capitalize on innovation, while responsibly managing risk. This includes the ability to pursue guarantees, sovereign loans, equity and unconditional repayable contributions.
• The Government has contributed $300 million to the Equality Fund initiative, launched in June 2019. In March 2020, the Equality Fund completed its first grant-making cycle. A total of $501,500 was disbursed – $251,500 of which came from the Global Affairs Canada contribution – to 23 grantee partners working in 24 ODA-eligible countries.
• To date, FinDev Canada has entered into 14 deals, worth approximately $226 million.

Background

• Canada supports the Addis Ababa Action Agenda to mobilize all sources of development financing in support of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Building on its experience in financing for development, Canada has been a leader in testing and expanding the scope of blended finance in international sustainable development, piloting innovative approaches that facilitated unconventional partnerships. For example, For example, Canada was the anchor investor with the IFC, the IDB and through the Canadian Climate Fund for Private Sector in Asia, which catalyzed private sector climate investments in developing countries.
• Likewise, contributions by Global Affairs Canada have enabled private investment for the benefit of development through initiatives such as INFRONT, the Canada-Asia Trade and Investment for Growth program, advanced market commitment vaccine, Grand Challenges Canada, Convergence, and the Global Financing Facility.
• In 2018, Canada created three new instruments to facilitate private investment in international development: FinDev Canada, the International Assistance Innovation Program, and the Sovereign Loans Program.
• The pandemic has affected the delivery of the International Assistance Innovation Program (IAIP) and the Sovereign Loans Programs (SLP).
• In this early stage, limited funds (approximately $120,000) have been disbursed by the IAIP and no funds yet disbursed by the SLP. [REDACTED].
• In 2019, the Equality Fund was established to invest capital from government, individuals, philanthropic foundations, the private sector and other donors to generate returns to sustainably finance grants to, and capacity building for, women’s organizations and movements. The Government of Canada has contributed $300M to this initiative.
• [REDACTED]. This follows a review of FinDev Canada’s operations, which took place over the summer.
• FinDev Canada is a gender lens investor. All of its transactions are evaluated based on their potential to drive gender inclusion and increase women’s access to economic opportunities, with a view to steer capital towards transactions with high impact on women’s economic empowerment, and/or support client companies to become more gender inclusive.
• Over the past five years, Canada, with Jamaica, has been leading a discussion at the UN as Chair of the Group of Friends of Financing the SDGs, to support the UN Secretary General. We have seen an important shift in understanding and engagement on this topic. In this context, on May 28, 2020, Canada, Jamaica and the UN Secretary General launched a high-level process on Financing for Development in order to foster a large-scale, coordinated, and comprehensive multilateral response to the COVID-19 emergency. This was followed by a Finance Ministers meeting (Sept. 8) and a second high-level meeting (Sept. 29).

Improving the Management of International Development Assistance for Greater Effectiveness, Transparency and Accountability

• The Department reacted swiftly to the pandemic, responding to the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable, including women, by securing additional funding, strengthening engagement with partners and giving them flexibility to repurpose existing projects.
• The Department will continue efforts of the last 2 years to maximize resources and achieve sustainable results by simplifying processes in consultation with partners.
• In early 2020, the Government of Canada tabled for the first time a consolidated report on all of Canada’s $6.1B of international assistance.

Supplementary messages

• The consolidated report on international assistance reconciled International Assistance Envelope allocations with expenditures, providing Canadians clearer information on Canada’s progress on the Feminist International Assistance Policy.

Update

The Department’s response to the pandemic includes securing additional funding through the crisis pool, providing greater flexibility to partners to repurpose existing projects, developing lighter approval processes for COVID-19-related projects, providing targeted responses to more vulnerable groups such as women, and strengthening engagement with partners.

Regular outreach sessions with Canadian partners took place to explore how best to facilitate programming activities in the field. This collaboration has resulted in a series of flexible measures to help Canadian organizations implement programming during the pandemic. For example, recognizing the financial challenges caused by COVID-19, GAC has reduced the requirement to withhold 5% of the projects’ value for holdback purposes, further supporting our partners during this unprecedented time.

Supporting facts and figures

• The Canada-UK co-chaired Development Ministers’ Contact Group on COVID-19, which is intended to promote collaboration among donors and support more co-ordinated pandemic response efforts, has held 5 meetings to date on the implications of the pandemic, each with a different thematic focus: health systems, food security, education, small island developing states, and gender.
• Canada co-chairs an informal reference group at the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) to update development effectiveness benchmarks. The group’s work re-confirmed members’ commitment to the Busan principles of ownership, focus on results, inclusiveness, transparency and accountability, and their heightened importance in the COVID-19 context.
• Canada leads the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation work on triangular cooperation, recognizing the importance of new development actors and inclusive partnerships in the contemporary development landscape.
• Global Affairs Canada’s website provides access to the department’s open data on international assistance projects via its Project Browser. Continued improvements to its information enabled the department to achieve a score of 80.9% in the 2020 Aid Transparency Index (up from 79.6% in 2018).
• Canada co-chaired the International Aid Transparency Initiative from 2016 to 2018, bringing an increased focus on inclusion (e.g. Francophone Africa) and data use. The Department works with civil society and multilateral partners to foster effectiveness, transparency and accountability for Canada’s funding.
• The $6.1B refers to federal international assistance in 2018-2019. Canada’s total International Assistance in 2018-2019 totalled $6.4B, with $335M provided by provinces and municipalities.

The Gender Equality Focus behind Canada’s International Assistance Investments

• In 2019-20,^{Footnote 4} 97% of Canada’s bilateral assistance either targeted or integrated gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, surpassing the 95% target set in the Feminist International Assistance Policy and making Canada the top ranked donor investing in gender equality and women’s empowerment.
• Canada’s feminist approach adopts an expanded definition of gender equality that takes into account diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) identity factors and calls for the application of a gender based analysis plus (GBA+), a human rights-based approach and intersectional lens to all initiatives.
• Canada has brought a gender lens to all aspects of its international assistance response to the COVID 19 pandemic. In addition, Canada has provided COVID response funding to gender equality specific initiatives including $2M to the UN Trust Fund on Violence Against Women for a COVID-19 Response window and $3M to increase the number and amount of fast, responsive grants available to support women’s rights organizations’ COVID-related work.

Supplementary messages

• Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy puts gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity at the heart of its efforts, including its COVID-19 response. We believe this is the most effective way to eliminate poverty, create lasting peace, and achieve sustainable development.
• Canada’s Beijing+25 statement, delivered by Prime Minister Trudeau, at the 75th UN General Assembly, outlined expectations to strengthen the Feminist Foreign Policy by integrating an intersectional feminist approach to our international efforts, engage with civil society and continue to support women’s organizations at home and abroad.

Update

Canada has made significant progress in implementing the Feminist International Assistance Policy, including through its COVID-19 response, and is on track to achieving its policy targets.

Canada also continues to profile its leadership and advance its gender equality priorities in multilateral fora, including through the OECD-DAC Network on Gender Equality as a bureau member, the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), UN Commission on the Status of Women, and other multilateral platforms and initiatives such as the Generation Equality Forum to mark the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing 4th World Conference on Women.

Supporting facts and figures

• In 2019-20,^{Footnote 5} Global Affairs Canada surpassed the overall target set in the Feminist International Assistance Policy with 97% of its bilateral international development assistance investments either targeting or integrating gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls (target set at 95% by 2021-22), of which 14% specifically targeted these goals (target set at 15% by 2021-22).
• In 2019, Canada announced $30M in dedicated international assistance funding over five years and $10M per year thereafter to advance human rights and improve socio-economic outcomes for LGBTQ2I people in developing countries.
• Seven Women’s Voice and Leadership projects in East and Southern Africa received CAD $3 million funded from the International Assistance Crisis Pool for COVID-19 Response to increase the number and amount of fast, responsive grants available to support WRO’s COVID-related work.
• Canada also provided $2M emergency funding to the UN Trust Fund on Violence Against Women to support women’s rights organizations with a COVID-19 Response window.

Background

The Minister’s 2019 Mandate letter sets out the commitment to maintain the gender equality focus of all of Canada’s international assistance investments to address economic, political and social inequalities that prevent individuals from reaching their full potential.  The Feminist International Assistance Policy sets out the target of ensuring that by 2021-2022, no less than 95% of Global Affairs Canada’s bilateral international development assistance investments will either target (15%) or integrate (80%) gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.

These amounts may vary over time based on programming.

Women’s Rights and Climate Change Adaption

• Canada recognizes that climate action is most effective when women and girls play an active role. Although women and girls are disproportionately affected by climate change, they can be powerful agents of change in finding and implementing resilience and adaptation solutions.
• Through its Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada is committed to ensuring that international climate financing address the particular challenges faced by women and girls.
• Canada supports a broad range of multilateral, bilateral and partnership projects that advance gender equality and climate action.

Supplementary messages

• During its recent consultations on international climate finance, the Government of Canada sought input on how Canada can be more effective in supporting programming at the intersection between women’s rights and climate adaptation.
• We engaged Canadian and international representatives from women’s organizations and experts on women’s rights and climate adaptation.

Update

In the summer of 2020, the Government held public consultations to seek input on its approach to international climate finance post-2020, and is aiming to publish a report on “What We Heard” in the Fall of 2020.

Supporting facts and figures

• Approximately 30% of Canada’s $2.65 billion portfolio targets climate change adaptation initiatives.
• Agriculture and food security programming helps improve women’s livelihoods and resilience to climate change. Since 2016-17, Global Affairs Canada has disbursed over $1.25 billion for agriculture and food security programming.
• Canada plays a leadership role in contributing knowledge and expertise on gender equality as co-chair on the board of the Green Climate Fund.

Background

• Canada supports women’s rights in climate adaptation through its core programme budget and $2.65 billion climate finance commitment. Funding to projects through multilateral, bilateral and partnership channels support activities that promote:
  • Local women-led agricultural businesses, notably creating new opportunities in agricultural value chains and food systems.
  • Women’s leadership and decision-making in the governance of agriculture and food systems, including agricultural cooperatives, associations, markets, institutions and regulatory bodies.
  • Work with men and boys to shift attitudes and behavior that advance gender equality and address harmful social norms, including in relation to roles and responsibilities at home, on their farm and in their communities.

Reducing the Unequal Distribution of Paid and Unpaid Care Work

• Canada is emerging as one of the main voices calling for greater attention to the issue of paid and unpaid care work on the global stage, and is currently exploring programming opportunities in the context of the pandemic and beyond, including with the new allocation of $400M.
• Efforts have focused on mapping existing initiatives, promoting knowledge sharing on what works; deepening the quality of care-related programming; and taking every opportunity to gain more support for this cause globally.
• With our partners, we work at dismantling problematic expectations about gender roles in care work, deepening the understanding of the value care work generates and promoting the idea that it is a main barrier to women’s economic empowerment.

Update

Since the Mandate Letter commitment was issued in December 2019, initial efforts have focused on developing a way forward for its implementation. This strategy is being finalized internally and efforts are now shifting towards its implementation.

Supporting facts and figures

• While a detailed mapping exercise is ongoing, preliminary results show that the department is currently supporting a range of small-scale project interventions that are mainly tackling unpaid care considerations as part of broader project objectives.
• Existing initiatives being funded by the department touch on various aspects of the issue, such as: providing safe childcare or child-friendly workspaces; engaging men and boys in care work and, providing time- and labour- saving technology.
• The extent to which care considerations are included in development programming globally is largely unknown because of a lack of explicit attention to this issue and because existing coding practices do not adequately capture investments in care work.

Background

World economies rely on care work to grow and prosper, yet care work remains unrecognized and undervalued. This work is overwhelmingly done by women and girls which affects their wellbeing, infringes upon their rights, and impact on their ability to participate equally and benefit from the economy. The issue of paid and unpaid care work cuts across action areas, regions, and SDGs and requires a commitment that will tackle the root causes of this inequality. Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy explicitly recognizes the care burden as an issue requiring our attention.

The pandemic has further exposed the invaluable and essential nature of care work to our societies. While women play a critical role in responding to the global COVID-19 pandemic, they are also suffering disproportionate health, economic and social impacts and these repercussions will have long term impacts. In the current context, there is an even greater need for innovative solutions to recognize, reduce and redistribute care work more equitably as we build forward stronger. In our efforts to advance a global economic recovery post-pandemic, we must also create space for the care economy to flourish as a social good that benefits all. Canada will continue to seek opportunities to promote our vision and demonstrate leadership in raising the profile and generating support for this issue.

Canadian Centre for Peace, Order and Good Government

• In December 2019, the Prime Minister gave me the mandate to “Support the Minister of Foreign Affairs to establish the Canadian Centre for Peace, Order and Good Government.”
• The Centre will aim “to expand the availability of Canadian expertise and assistance to those seeking to build peace, advance justice, promote human rights and democracy, and deliver good governance”.
• Options for establishing the Centre are under development, and have included some initial informal consultations with stakeholders.

Supplementary messages

• Consideration is currently being given to how best to pursue this commitment in light of other priorities and pressures that have emerged in the COVID-19 context.
• I would welcome any views you may have on the establishment of the Centre, including thoughts on its proposed mandate, potential areas of focus, and governance.
• I intend to consult more formally with stakeholders as the process for establishing the proposed Centre unfolds.

Supporting facts and figures

• The platform indicated new investments of $50 million for 2021-22, 2022-23, and 2023-24 for establishing the Centre.