On October 3rd, ONE Canada partnered with Afrifursa, the Black Founders Network, and Grand Challenges Canada to an inspiring VIP reception at the University of Toronto's Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus. This special gathering was part of Afrifursa’s Afri Tech Summit and brought together over 115 tech entrepreneurs, visionaries, and changemakers passionate about shaping the future of innovation in Africa.  The energy in the room was palpable as the event kicked off with a dynamic panel discussion, moderated by Elise Legault,...
Guess what? The Canadian Federal Budget has just dropped. So, let's talk about the scoop on Official Development Assistance (ODA) – since it's not half bad! Here's the lowdown: International Assistance gets a bump of around 5% compared to last year's budget. The standout addition? An extra $350 million over 2 years for humanitarian aid – talk about a much-needed boost, especially with all the crises happening in Gaza, Haiti, Sudan, and Ukraine. Now, here's the kicker: this 5% boost...
This week’s G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ meeting take place as warning signs are flashing red. Economic woes are deepening and shocks are overwhelming countries throughout the world.   Those with the least capacity to weather shocks are feeling this most acutely: they are trading off heating for eating or struggling through yet another hunger crisis.   Yet, leadership and a coherent response plan are missing in action.   We have the tools to respond and mitigate the worst of these overlapping crises,...
This weekend the world’s most powerful global leaders will convene in Germany for yet another meeting of the G7, facing a convergence of crises that have only worsened over the last year and are putting hundreds of millions of lives at risk.  And last Friday, ONE Canada was in front of Parliament Hill to tell Prime Minister Trudeau that we want him to go to the G7 Summit with a real plan to tackle these converging crises. Getting out of...
Why Canada should channel its SDRs to developing countries Imagine you and your sister are both going through the same economic crisis, but with very different means. You both lost your jobs, but you already paid off your mortgage and have savings in the bank. Your sister is a single mom with three kids and unpaid student debt. The bank is willing to give you a loan, but not your sister because she is less wealthy and her finances are...
After 36 days of campaigning and 16 million votes, the Government of Canada looks essentially identical to the previous one. Now, it is time to get back to work. The world is still facing a significant crisis: the global pandemic. Despite parliament not changing from when it was dissolved a little over a month ago, we lost five weeks of government action in one critical area: putting an end to the global Covid-19 pandemic. But there is a key moment tomorrow,...
We have more than enough vaccines, others don’t. Africa is facing a COVID-19 crisis, cases are surging and the continent is heading towards a global catastrophe. Over the last month deaths from COVID in Africa have increased 80%. Only roughly 3% of Africans have received the first shot, and the continent is not on track to vaccinate 10% of its population by the end of the year. The WHO’s Bruce Aylward said this should be “a scar on all of...
Let’s put aside the political spin and find out what the world leaders accomplished (or more accurately, failed to accomplish) at the G7. “In the face of a once in a generation pandemic that’s raging across the world, this G7 will collectively be remembered in just one word: underwhelming.” These are the words of ONE’s Acting CEO Tom Hart following yet another Summit that did not live up to the moment. The world is in a global crisis, and yet...
Many Canadians are still waiting to get their own vaccine, but let’s pull back and look at the big picture for now: For every 10 Canadians vaccinated we can vaccinate 1 African Healthcare Worker. This is a small move that lets us continue vaccinating here at home but will make a big difference in ending the pandemic. As the number of COVID-19 cases rise and the risk of prolonged lockdowns continue, Canadians are rightfully worried about getting sick, losing their...
Monday was Federal Budget Day in Canada, and as always was an important day for Canadians who care about ending extreme poverty around the world. The big question: is Canada investing our fair share on the global stage? This year, in the middle of the greatest global crisis in our lifetime, this question mattered more than ever. So how did the Budget respond to these global challenges? In short: the Government did the bare minimum beyond our borders, and is still...