Priorities
Global Affairs Canada has identified the following 2017-18 priorities for advancing the government’s progressive and inclusive agenda, including increased commitment to openness and transparency, especially in evaluation and reporting. These priorities will be advanced through strategic bilateral and multilateral engagement, including public diplomacy and advocacy in preparation for Canada’s presidency of the G7 in 2018, and in collaboration with a diversity of partners in Canada and abroad.
Contribute to international peace, security and humanitarian assistance, through renewed leadership and constructive international engagement.
- Increasing Canadian engagement and investment in international conflict management and peace operations efforts in fragile and crisis affected spaces, including advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda and the protection and education of children affected by armed conflict.
- Strengthening Canada’s commitment to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and other key bilateral and collective security arrangements, and working with partners, such as the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Global Coalition to Counter Daesh, to confront strategic security challenges.
- Providing needs-based, principled and effective responses to humanitarian crises to protect and assist crisis-affected populations, including those forcibly displaced.
- Advancing Canada’s interests in key international forums such as the United Nations and through our campaign for a UN Security Council seat.
Reinforce Canada’s relations with the United States and other key bilateral partners to advance Canadian interests.
- Collaborating effectively with the United States, including on the economy, trade, security, defence, energy, environment and international institutions.
- Developing a comprehensive whole-of-government engagement strategy with China and strategically engaging in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Working closely with partners in the G7 on strategic policy, trade and security issues.
Strengthen Canada’s contribution to a more just, inclusive and sustainable world.
- Implementing a distinctive new Canadian vision for international assistance that advances the dignity and livelihoods of the poorest and most vulnerable people, promotes the economic empowerment of women and girls, builds on Canada’s strengths, and makes a strong contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
- Pursuing strategic collaboration with Canadian, international and local partners to champion poverty eradication and the values of inclusive and accountable governance, including by promoting human rights, women’s empowerment, peaceful pluralism, inclusion and respect for diversity.
- Contributing to the protection and responsible management of the environment and the global fight against climate change.
- Promoting inclusive, sustainable and green economic growth in developing countries.
Contribute to inclusive Canadian and global prosperity through increased and diversified international trade, and foreign direct investment.
- Maintaining and strengthening a rules-based trading environment and reducing barriers to trade.
- Increasing and diversifying Canadian exporters, exports and export markets through the promotion and use of free trade agreements and their aftercare, as well as targeted support to exporters and potential high growth companies.
- Developing and leading a progressive trade agenda that will consider issues such as labour, the environment, gender equality, transparency and inclusive economic growth.
- Deepening links with traditional trading partners, such as the United States, Europe and Japan, and building stronger relationships with emerging markets in Asia, including China and India, and with developing country markets, to increase and diversify trade as well as to attract foreign investment to Canada.