For two years, Canadian aid organizations have struggled to get help to starving and injured Palestinians, as most borders were shuttered to international help. While the ceasefire is on, food, medicine and supplies must flow unimpeded into the region.
The UN Commission’s genocide finding compels governments to act on their legal and moral obligations. For Canadians, the crisis exposes the tension between the urgent calls for humanitarian access and Ottawa’s cautious diplomatic approach. How world leaders respond will set a precedent for whether international law is enforced when entire populations face death.
The eradication of USAID will have global ripple effects for decades. The agency, which had a budget of more than US$35 billion, was the backbone of much of the international assistance work in developing regions. This signals to other governments that they can also step back from their humanitarian commitments.
Canada’s political climate can feel divisive, but the journey of these two women proves that empathy and open-mindedness can bridge even the widest political gaps. Braver Angels is actively working to create solutions to North America’s growing political polarization, an issue that often divides families, friendships, and workplaces.
The commitment by Global Affairs Canada signals strong international recognition of the crisis in Gaza and a commitment to long-term support. However, blockades are still preventing help from flowing freely into the area, and organizers say the program will shut down in a few months if blockades aren’t lifted.
More than 60,000 civilians have died and hundreds of thousands more have been injured since Oct. 6, 2023 in the Gaza Strip. Israel's plan to invade the city will only worsen the humanitarian crisis by leading to disease, more hunger and trauma for a population already on the verge of starvation. Local charities say Canada's lack of condemnation of these actions cannot be ignored.
