International Development Week on the Hill: Canada’s strategic investment in prosperity, security, and global influence
During International Development Week (IDW), February 1 to 7, I was on Parliament Hill discussing the vital role of international assistance with Parliamentarians. Representing KAIROS, I joined other members of Cooperation Canada, a coalition of civil society working on global humanitarian and development assistance.
Representatives from Oxfam Canada, WUSC-EUMC, Canadian Red Cross and I met with MP Robert Oliphant, Senator Mary Coyle and Senator Peter Harder. Our conversations came at an important moment for global engagement. We are facing a rise of global pressures in a fragmented world. Questions emerged about the direction, transparency and purpose of Canada’s international assistance.
One theme stood out across meetings: the urgent need to better educate policymakers and the public on what international development is and what it is not.
First, international development is not charity; it’s a strategic investment in global stability, shared prosperity and long-term security.
Second, while for decades development actors, decision-makers and the Canadian public have recognized that locally led development is essential for sustainable outcomes, we haven’t always invested in examining our own perspectives and biases that can get in the way of living up to this commitment.
Shifting unhelpful narratives starts with acknowledging the unconscious assumptions we may carry about the ability of people in developing and fragile places to drive their own progress. As NGOs, we must keep educating ourselves on the real purpose of international development and work to dismantle systemic barriers and ingrained habits that can limit the leadership, agency, stability and resilience of people in marginalized situations. We also need to challenge the structures and messaging that make aid appear like charity, rather than partnership.
Third, in our meetings we also discussed the importance of differentiating international development from humanitarian assistance – two distinct but complementary purposes. Humanitarian aid is the urgent response and intervention during and after emergencies, such as conflict and natural disasters, while International Development is primarily concerned with the long-term goal of poverty reduction, equity, sustainability and justice
As Canada reflects on how to position its international assistance strategy within its foreign policy, Cooperation Canada and its members encourage the government to act as a pragmatic global player, advancing human rights while protecting interests and strengthening Canada’s credibility and influence while contributing to a more just and secure world.
In our meetings, we put forward three clear asks to policymakers:
- Position international development as a core pillar of Canada’s foreign policy: a strategic tool that strengthens Canada’s prosperity, security and global influence, while advancing poverty reduction and human rights for a more just world.
- Ensure a significant portion of Canada’s international assistance is dedicated to reducing poverty and inequalities, particularly in low-income and fragile contexts where needs are urgent.
- Uphold international law, including international humanitarian law, international human rights law and principled humanitarian action guided by Canadian values of human dignity, gender equality and respect for international law.
As KAIROS, we add targeting funding for local women’s organizations, particularly women peacebuilders working at the intersection of peace and security, gender equity and climate justice.
KAIROS’ ongoing Women Peacebuilders Climate, Conflict, Gender (WP-CCG) project offers a tangible example of why sustained development funding matters. By supporting women led peacebuilding efforts in conflict affected regions, Canada is investing in long-term stability, gender justice and community resilience: outcomes that cannot be achieved through emergency response alone. Through this initiative, Canada contributes to fostering more sustainable, equitable, resilient and peaceful societies in Colombia, the DRC, South Sudan and the West Bank, where the project is implemented, by enhancing local capacity and strengthening the impact of gender-transformative approaches to the climate-conflict-gender interconnected challenges.
At a time when development aid risks being reframed primarily through trade or strategic interests, it is vital to reaffirm that poverty reduction, human rights and gender equality remain at the heart of Canada’s international cooperation. The conversations we had on the Hill during International Development Week reinforced that engagement, dialogue and continued advocacy are essential to ensuring that Canada’s commitments translate into meaningful global impact.
By Danielle Kamtié, KAIROS’ Global Partnerships Coordinator: Africa and Climate Justice
