NDP Statement on International Development Week 2024

The NDP Critic for International Development, Heather McPherson, released the following statement:

As we mark International Development Week, New Democrats celebrate Canadian organizations' profound impact in building a more equitable and sustainable world. This week reminds us of our shared responsibility to address urgent global issues of poverty, inequality, and climate change.

International Development Week is also a time for us to reflect on the progress we have made and the challenges that still lie ahead.

Over the last decade, the Liberals have fallen behind by not meeting our global commitments; official development assistance is in decline; and our image on the world stage is tarnished. To fix this, the government must increase the Official Development Assistance (ODA), champion human rights, renew a commitment to peacebuilding and peacekeeping, and reinvigorate a principled feminist foreign policy focused on solidarity with the world’s most vulnerable. We also must ensure that organizations who serve as a lifeline to vulnerable communities are not collectively punished for the actions of a few.

In the face of the current challenges confronting the global community – the climate crisis, the ongoing pandemic, economic inequalities, multiple conflicts, and serious human rights violations – this government’s commitment to international development is more vital than ever.

Canada must ensure that human rights and international law are applied equally regardless of context orcountry. We must never pick or choose whose rights are protected based on what is convenient or challenging. All peoples’ rights must be protected.

Together, let us work towards a future where no one is left behind, and where the principles of justice, equality, and humanity guide our path forward.

On behalf of New Democrats, I want to express my profound gratitude to Canadian civil society organizations and individuals across the entire breadth of our country who dedicate themselves tirelessly to forging a world that is safer, stronger, and more just for everyone.