Open letter to PM Carney on Canada's feminist foreign policy

This week, Inter Pares joined more than 250 organizations and individuals from across Canada to call on Prime Minister Carney to uphold Canada’s global leadership on gender equality and human rights.

In light of PM Carney’s statements during a press conference last month at the G20 summit, we join Canadian civil society in expressing serious concern over the direction of Canada’s foreign policy. At a time of escalating global instability and mounting attacks on human rights, it is imperative the Canadian government take urgent and decisive action to safeguard the country’s feminist foreign policy commitments.

Read the full open letter to PM Carney below.

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Dear Prime Minister Carney,

We are writing to express our concern over recent statements and developments in Canadian foreign policy. While the world is changing and the threats Canada is now facing are different than 10 years ago, we urge you to maintain and expand Canada’s commitment to gender equality and human rights in all aspects of our foreign policy.

Here’s why.

• A strong and effective international human rights architecture and multilateral system is in Canada’s interest. We benefit, through a more peaceful and prosperous world, when human rights are respected and the rules based order functions.
• Canada has a long history of championing gender equality, including the women, peace and security agenda, the 10-year commitment to sexual and reproductive health and rights, and 2SLGBTIQ+ rights. To back away from this position of leadership at a time of dramatic global rollbacks sends the wrong message to the world. In this time of threats to the rules based order, support for and leadership in global normative frameworks is imperative.
• Gender equality issues are not just “values” issues. Gender equality has economic and security dimensions that belong in broad policy discussions.  For example, violence against women and girls is an economic issue. In Canada alone, the annual cost of adult sexual assault and intimate partner violence is over $9 billion. As Canada noted at the United Nations Security Council in October: “Far from optional, Women Peace and Security is a fundamental enabler of security. It sharpens our understanding of threats, strengthens our responses, and enhances our ability to deter, detect, and defend.”
• Intersectional policy frameworks make better policy for everyone. We know that in Canada, 30% of women live with a disability, and the number is likely to be much higher globally. Women, especially of intersecting identities, need to have a say in the policies that affect their lives, and Canada’s trade, defense, and aid decisions shape women, girls and gender-diverse people’s lives everywhere.
• The world needs leadership on human rights. The rights of women and 2SLGBTIQ+ people are under attack globally. Anti-rights actors are organizing and looking to roll back gains and make future progress more difficult. Women, girls and gender diverse people are looking to Canada for support. Strong commitments and action - both domestically and internationally - position Canada as a genuine defender of human rights.
• Canada has developed skills, reputation, and expertise in a wide range of issues – including but not limited to gender-based violence, unpaid and paid care, sexual and reproductive health and rights, 2SLGBTIQ rights, support for women human rights defenders and women’s rights organizations, GBA+ analysis, feminist monitoring and evaluation, and women, peace and security – and has a generational opportunity to be the world’s leader in these areas.

Over the last 10 years, Canada has strengthened its attention to feminist analysis and priorities in its foreign policy. Feminist analysis provides important insights on the challenges Canada is facing. Discarding this expertise and focus at this time only makes Canada weaker, not stronger. The evidence is clear and has only grown over the past decade.  As your Secretary of State for International Development recently said at the House of Commons Foreign Affairs committee, “when women and girls do better, then we all do better. It's not just the right thing to do; it's the smart thing to do.”

We want to stress the importance of championing the rights of women, girls and 2SLGBTIQ+ people around the world (including global advocacy, programming, concrete investments) and bringing feminist perspectives to all of Canada’s international policies and programmes. Both are essential.

As you tackle the challenges faced by Canada, we urge you to:

• Commit to human rights and gender equality as a core pillar of Canada’s foreign policy and ensure robust attention to these issues across all foreign policy issues (including trade and defense). Confirm feminism as a fundamental value of Canada’s foreign policy. Continue to build the capacity of Global Affairs Canada (and other relevant departments) staff to apply feminist analysis and incorporate specific gender equality investments across all dimensions of Canada’s foreign policy.
• Ensure that key feminist commitments that are currently part of Canada’s ODA portfolio continue  – including, but not limited to, the 10 year sexual and reproductive health and rights commitment, ongoing commitments to the Women, Peace and Security national action plan, the Women’s Voice and Leadership program, girls' education, gender-based violence, and 2SLGBTIQ funding.
• Strike a civil society panel, composed of Canadian and global feminists, to advise on Canadian foreign policy, and re-appoint an Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security.

Now is the time to double down on standing up for the values Canada has held up for decades. Canada’s leadership is more urgent than ever, as we witness the world falling further into crisis and instability. Evidence shows gender equality contributes to more stable, equitable and prosperous outcomes, which is what ultimately Canadians and the world want.

Sincerely,

Organizations

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada
Above Ground (a project of MakeWay)
AccessBC
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
Afghan Women's Organization Refugee and Immigrant Services
Amnesty International Canada (English Section))
Association féministe d’éducation et d’action sociale (Afeas)
Avocats sans frontières Canada / Lawyers without borders Canada
Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic
BWSS Battered Women’s Support Services
Canadian Association of Professional Employees
Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW)
Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
Canadian Labour Congress
Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability | Réseau canadien sur la reddition de compte des entreprises
Canadian Partnership for Women and Children's Health (CanWaCH)
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women/L'Institut canadien de recherches sur les femmes
Canadian Union of Postal Workers - Syndicat des travailleurs et travailleuses des postes
Canadian Women's Foundation
CARE Canada
Carrefour de solidarité internationale de Sherbrooke
CECI - Centre d'Étude et de Coopération Internationale
Centre de solidarité internationale du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
CFUW (Canadian Federation of University Women)
Coalition pour l'équité salariale du Nouveau-Brunswick
CODE
Codevelopment Canada
Collectif québécois des féminismes en dialogue (CQFD)
Cooperation Canada
Coordination du Québec de la Marche mondiale des femmes (CQMMF)
CRÉDIL
Decolonial Disability Studies Collective (DDSC)
Développement international Desjardins (DID)
Egale Canada
Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada
Engendering Disability-Inclusive Development/Genre, handicap et développement inclusif (EDID-GHDI)
Equality Fund
FCJ Refugee Centre
Fédération des femmes du Québec
Feminist Alliance for International Action
Fondation Paul Gérin-Lajoie
Fos Feminista Canada
FUNDACION OXFAM INTERMON
Génération Cinq
Global Women in STEM
Grandmothers Act to Save the Planet (GASP)
Humanité & Inclusion Canada
Humanité & Inclusion Canada
Immigrant Women Services Ottawa
IMPACT
Inter Pares
Iranian Women's Organization of Ontario
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives | Initiatives œcuméniques canadiennes pour la justice
McLeod Group
Mer et Monde
Mines Action Canada
Mission inclusion
National Association of Women and the Law
National Union of Public and General Employees
Nellie's / Women's Hostels Inc
North York Women's Centre (NYWC)
OCASI-Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants
Oxfam-Canada
Oxfam-Québec
PARDEC
Peace Track Initiative (PTI)
Plan International Canada
Public Service Alliance of Canada
Results Canada
Saskatchewan Federation of Labour
Save the Children Canada
SAVIS of Halton -
South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
South Asian Women's Rights Organization
Stephen Lewis Foundation
Tatamagouche Centre, Nova Scotia
Terre Sans Frontières
The Collective Legacy
The Windsor Women Working With Immigrant Women
Unifor
United Steelworkers (USW)
Village Monde
Women Transforming Cities International Society
Women's Centre for Social Justice - WomenatthecentrE
Women's Health in Women's Hands CHC
Women's Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham (WMRCC)
Women's Shelters Canada
Women's Support Network of York Region
Working Women Community Centre
YWCA Canada
YWCA Hamilton
YWCA Toronto

Individuals

Alexandra Suess
Allison Petrozziello
Andrea Paras
Annabelle Hsu
Annabelle-Lydia Bricault-Boucher
Anne Lavender
Anne-Julie Morasse
Anne-Marie Chagnon
Anne-Sophie Chouinard
Apolline Wilhelem
Ayesha Bukhari
Azadeh Sabour
Bénédicte Santoire
Beth Hunter
Beth Woroniuk
Bethany Armstrong
Brishkay Ahmed
camill côté
Carole Doucet
Caroline Leblanc
Caroline Mailloux
Catherine Laplante
Christine Gibb
Christine Ouellette
Clara Latraverse-Marsolais
Constance Lambert
Coralie Gagnon-Voyer
Daria Mierhut
David Black
Denis Côté
Denise Beaulieu
Denise Conway
Diana Rivington
Diane Bachand
Dominique Masson
Doris Buss
Eduzola Resurrecta Uwaifo
Elisabeth Desgranges
Elizabeth Dankwa Yeboah
Ellen Hagerman
Ellen Tolmie
Elodie Rabenantoandro
Elyssa Hidar
Emmanuelle Lajoie
Estelle Mongbe
Eva Dominguez
Flora Liebich
François Colinet
Frederique Malecki
Gabrielle Harewood
Gaby Breton
Haideh Moghissi
Hiwot Mekauent
Ishrat Ahmed
Jacqueline Dale
Jade St-Georges
Jane Touzel
Janet Creery
Janyck Beaulieu
Jean Maso
Jessie Mayrand Chadwick
Jill Wigle
John Phang
Jonathan Tedeschi
Josephine Tsui
Judith Ramirez
Julie Sage
Julien Dubuc
Julien Renaud
Karen Breeck
Karen Soldatic
Karin Mérinat
Karine Casault
Karine Gervais
Kasandra Boisvert
Kate Reekie
Katherine Robitaille
Katia Quijano
Katie Gomes
Katrina Leclerc
Khamy Ganeshathasan
Kimiya Missaghi
Kristine Cassie
Laura Avalos
Laura Macdonald
Laurent St-Pierre
Laurie-Eve Charbonneau
Lea Mannari
Leila M-T
Libertad Benito Torres
Lilly Nicholls
Lorena Zarate
Loretta Baidoo
Lori Johb
Lota Bertulfo
Louise Marchand
Lucia Cassagnet
Lucile Muller
Lucy Luccisano
Lynda Kosowan
Mai Tran
Maliha Malikpour
Maria Luiza Reginato
Marianne Pertuiset-Ferland
Marie Gravel
Marie Lapointe
Marie-Line Sarrazin
Marie-Thérèse Brunelle
Marijke De Pauw
Mary Scott
Maryruth Belsey Priebe
Maureen Ogeard
McKenna Beatty
Merydth Holte-McKenzie
Monique Cuillerier
Morna Ballantyne
Nahid Azad
Naima Kazi
Natalia Pereira
Niloufar Pourzand
Nina Bianchi
Nneka Allen
Odette McCarthy
Patsy George
Paula Maurutto
Phuong Mai Anh Tran
Phuong Tran
Rebecca Tiessen
Renee Brunelle
Romina Acosta B.
Rose Anguiano Hurst
Saadya Hamdani
Sabrina Ostré
Samantha Chan
Sasha Imbleau
Shahwar Pataudi
Shirin Khayambashi
Solveig Schuster
Sophie L. Van Neste
Stanislas Malecki
Stephen Baranyi
Stephen Brown
Steven Roy Cullen
Sunitha Bisan
Susan Bazilli
Sylvianne Tanguay
Thuy Nguyen
Tina Lines
Tracy Apoll
Trinidad Carreno
Valérie Delage
Valérie Savaria
Valeska Ruiz Peña
Vanessa Reid
Veena Verma
Véronique Lebel Bilodeau
Véronique Plouffe
Xavier de Briey
Yazgülü Sezgin
Yolanda McClean
Yona Nestel
Zoe Latraverse