NDP Statement on International Development Week 2025

NDP critic for International Development Heather McPherson (Edmonton Strathcona) made the following statement:

"Every year, Canada celebrates International Development Week and recognizes the important and transformative work of Canada’s international cooperation sector.

Canadian organizations make a massive difference in the lives of many around the world, contributing to global health, food security, education, climate resilience, gender equality, and economic growth.

But this is a year of increasing uncertainty for the sector and for Canada’s role in the world.

This life-saving work is increasingly risky. Last year was the deadliest year for humanitarian workers. We’ve seen attacks on vaccination clinics and increasing attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure such as hospitals and schools. New Democrats condemn these attacks and mourn the loss of so many in the sector who worked to build a better world.

In the United States, Donald Trump’s freeze of foreign aid will put millions of lives at risk. Trump’s attacks on gender programming and reproductive rights will roll back decades of work on gender equality for women and minorities worldwide. And with the United States pulling out of the World Health Organization and the Paris Agreement, harming global health efforts and ignoring health and livelihood risks caused by climate change, the risks to Canadians from global pandemics and diseases will only increase.

In Canada, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives have promised to cut foreign aid and end Canadian support for the UN, including by defunding UNRWA. Conservative cuts could decimate the Canadian international cooperation sector.

Meanwhile, the Liberals have underfunded official development assistance (ODA) and failed to deliver action and resources. And a lack of cohesion between development, trade, and diplomacy has proved this government’s “feminism” to be largely performative.

Canadians expect better from their government.

New Democrats believe support for the international cooperation sector is key to reducing conflict, building peace and creating an environment where democracy and respect for human rights will flourish.

On behalf of New Democrats, I thank every person who is part of Canada’s international cooperation sector for their commitment to peace, health, rights, justice, and equality."