April CTA: #ABetterWorld

After a politically turbulent start to this year, the 2025 Canadian federal election kicked off on March 23rd at a critical time for our country and our world. The US President Donald Trump has used his first few months in office to sow chaos, pick fights with allies, and threaten our country with annexation. On top of this, the US administration has dismantled USAID, destroying an agency which provided over 42% of all global health funding, jeopardizing decades of progress toward ending extreme poverty and eradicating our world’s deadliest diseases. And now other countries are following suit by cutting their international assistance budgets.

This election is a crucial opportunity for us to tell candidates in our communities that we don’t want Canada to turn its back to the world. For the first time in over 40 years, a Canadian election is primarily focused on issues beyond our borders. As advocates, we need to seize this moment. Candidates and parties across the country are working hard to earn your support. They want to hear from you, about your priorities and concerns. We must remind them that regular people like us care about building a better world.

Thanks to the leadership of countries like Canada, our world is healthier and more prosperous than it was only 20 years ago. Canada has a long tradition of working alongside global partners to to support and champion the health and wellbeing of the most marginalized. For decades, Canada has contributed to advancing health equity, education, and efforts to fight our world’s deadliest infectious diseases, like tuberculosis.

The ask: We call on Canada's next government to have a strong role in tackling the most pressing global challenges by showing up and supporting the health, wellbeing, and dignity of people around the world. A better world starts with Canada.

This multiparty consensus – which centres the needs of people, and supports human rights, democracy, education, and global health – has been critical in shaping Canada’s role in the world. Importantly, this support has been maintained and grown across successive governments, showing that supporting the health, wellbeing, and dignity of people around the world is a fundamental Canadian value.

international assistance works

We know that international assistance works. It not only saves millions of lives but also opens a world of potential and growth. Canada’s global investments build allies and trade partners around the world by strengthening communities, growing economies, and saving lives. It helps prevent deadly disease outbreaks before they reach our shores, build sustainable markets and communities, and help defuse crises like armed conflicts before they begin.

We have played a key role in countless critical areas. Our global investments have helped to:

• reduce child mortality by half in the past 25 years,
• eradicate polio almost everywhere in the world,
• save the lives of over 7 million children as the largest donor to vitamin A supplementation, and
• lift over 1 billion people out of extreme poverty since 2000.

But this progress is at risk. Only 17% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track for completion by 2030 – and progress on another third of the SDGs is stalling or reversing. The intensifying effects of climate change and escalating conflicts are putting the progress of past decades at risk.

why this election matters

Elections are about more than just voting (though you should absolutely vote if you can!). They are an opportunity to exercise your advocacy muscles to tell candidates, future decision-makers about your priorities, and to remind them that Canadians don’t back away when others are in trouble.

Your voice matters. Your Member of Parliament (MP) represents and works for you. And the candidates who are campaigning to be your next MP want to hear from you and hear your concerns. Right now, you have a unique opportunity to inform candidates about your priorities, and especially that you care about Canada’s role in building a more equitable and better world.

The cruel cuts to USAID by the Trump administration, and the UK and the Netherlands slashing their own international assistance budgets shows us that we can’t take for granted Canada’s commitment to a world without poverty and its willingness to back this commitment with resources. It depends on people like us speaking up to let current and future decisionmakers know that we care, and that a better world starts with Canada.

latest campaign news

#ForOurFuture:

• After months of tireless advocacy by Results volunteers and Fellows, former Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced a major milestone in Canada's commitment to global health: a new pledge of $675 million over the next five years (2026-2030) to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This funding will directly impact the lives of millions of children, women and girls around the world by fostering more equitable access to lifesaving vaccines and preventing deadly diseases. We are proud to see Canada stepping up to reaffirm its leadership and taking a firm stand on the importance of solidarity to protect people everywhere. Thank you to everyone who advocated for months to make this happen!

#FeedOurFuture:

• During International Development Week, former Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced $360.6 million for Nutrition International (NI), a high-impact investment that will help put an end to the malnutrition crisis! This funding supports NI’s bold plan to improve millions of people’s lives. With an average return of $28 for every $1 invested, nutrition interventions offer some of the highest returns in global development. And with good nutrition, we know that children can better access education, and healthcare costs will decrease or both countries and individuals. Thank you to all our volunteers who have been advocating for investments in nutrition! This is a solid down payment on the $750 million we need for the Nutrition For Growth Summit.

story

A health crisis anywhere is a threat to people everywhere.

This is why investments fighting HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria are so vital – not only to fight the world’s deadliest diseases, but also to ensure that health systems everywhere are equipped to detect and contain outbreaks before they spread.

Women are most often the ones doing this vital work – keeping people everywhere safe from infectious disease.

For instance, Nurse Pascaline has supported approximately 9,000 TB patients and their loved ones in DRC’s capital city, Kinshasa over the past 23 years. “They’re our children, they’re our families, and they’re our friends,” she says.

podcast

Tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading infectious disease killer in the world. After last month’s World TB Day, learn more about this terrible disease from acclaimed author, John Green.

ACTIONS

1. check out our election toolkit

This election is a critical time for advocates from across Canada to take action to let candidates and political parties know that you care about Canada’s role in the world and the fight to end global poverty. Check out our election toolkit for more information on how to engage throughout the election period.

2. engage with your candidates

Whether or not you can vote, it’s important for you to find out who all is running to be your local Member of Parliament and build relationships with them. Your local candidates need to hear from you about the issues you care about (like international development!), why it’s important (to end extreme poverty!), and what you would like them to do about it if elected (implement policies and commit to funds that support people living in poverty!). Because a better world starts with Canada.

And consider this: by engaging with your candidates, you are building a relationship with your future Member of Parliament who has the power to influence large funding or policy decisions. You will have paved the way for more impactful conversations and interactions in the future.

How to find the candidates in your area:

1. Go to Election Canada’s website and type in your postal code to get a list of candidates and which party they represent
2. Search for candidates’ names online and on social media. Candidates want people to find them easily, so it should be straight-forward.

Their contact information should be clearly indicated on their website. Once you have that, you’re ready to engage!

There are many ways to engage with candidates to share with them why you care about international development:

• Send them an email
• Call their office
• Visit their office (and drop off our A Better World Starts with Canada handout!)
• Participate in our Day of Action!

Pro tip! Share your personal story or reasons with them

3. attend a forum and ask questions

Throughout the election, community centres, libraries, universities and school will host local all-candidates' debates, where representatives from all parties will debate their priorities and respond to voters’ questions. This is a great opportunity to ask your local candidates about Canadian global leadership and international assistance.

Check out the candidate websites and social media accounts to get news on upcoming forums in your area. Make sure you attend so you can:

• engage with your candidates
• find out where they stand on the issues you care about
• raise your concerns publicly and let others hear that you care

Here are some questions that you could raise at a debate or forum:

• I care about [your top issue (global poverty, health, or education)]. I believe that Canada can do more on this issue. What would your government do about it?
• Where do each of your political parties stand on Canadian international assistance?
• I’m concerned about other countries cutting international assistance funding. How can Canada do more on the international stage to help prevent pandemics, conflict, and suffering?

4. raise awareness

write a letter to the editor

Did you know that a news outlet’s opinion section is often the most frequently read? Importantly, letters in your local paper will be read by your candidates so they can learn what constituents are thinking about different issues. It’s a great (and free!) opportunity to show how people in Canada – and their riding – care about international development.

Check out our resources on getting published!

• writing a letter to the editor
• 10 tips to get your letter to the editor published
• generate an email list of newspapers you can send your LTE to

use your voice on social media

Become as active on social media as possible. Your online reactions and input can help to significantly shift online discourse. When crafting your posts, be sure to tag the candidates in your area and include relevant hashtags like #elxn2025 – this will help ensure that your posts get seen by the people you intended and reach a greater audience. Check out our social media tips for more advice!

Here are some sample posts you can use or adapt:

I’m voting in #elxn2025 and I care about international assistance. Our next government must step up for the world, not just for those living in extreme poverty but also for global security and prosperity – which benefits all Canadians! #cdnpoli [include candidate tags]

Dear [candidate tag]: International assistance not only saves lives around the world but also benefits Canada through jobs, global stability, and prevention of pandemics. Will this be a top priority for you if you are selected as my MP? #elxn2025 #cdnpoli

I want the next Canadian government to step up for the wellbeing and stability of the world. We must not follow the short-sighted actions of countries like the US and others who are backing out global cooperation. This #elxn2025 let’s make sure all candidates know that people in Canada care about global prosperity!

vote (if you can)

All Canadian citizens who are 18 or older on election day can cast a ballot in this election. Not eligible? You can still have an impact with the actions above!

When you take part in an election and express your view, you make democracy work. Voting is how you choose which people represent you in government. And those representatives shape the country and our leadership on the world stage.

Important links for voters:

Key dates

Register to vote

Ways to vote