Smart and timely analysis on global challenges, by Future of Good subject matter experts.
No legal accountability measures exist within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to ensure Canada follows through on implementing the SDGs. Civil society’s priorities around human development, gender equality, and climate action could guard against shifting government priorities.
National and regional governments will do much of the heavy lifting, but even the United Nations acknowledges that civil society organizations will be instrumental to achieving the SDGs. Every aspect of Canadian society will need to get involved.
Humanitarian aid and international development organizations are beginning to have important conversations about race, class, and other markers of privilege. But while international development used to be a predominantly white field, the tides are changing, and the historic realities of white development workers are no longer the norm. Racialized development workers deserve support and training that understand their experiences.
American political divides led to the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 by thousands of violent Trump supporters. Misinformation on social media, racism, and a distrust of democracy all played a role. These factors drive political division in Canada, too, and have led to an increase in political polarization activity since 2016.
President Biden is promising to convene a meeting of leaders from North and Central American countries, including Canada, to propose a regional resettlement solution for migrants. This could have major implications for the work of newcomer and refugee organizations in Canada.