Last week, the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis marked an important moment for international cooperation, but also a missed opportunity. While Heads of State addressed critical global issues like trade, security, and climate resilience, they overlooked two of the most essential drivers of long-term peace and prosperity: health and education.
Despite urgent calls from civil society and advocates across the country, the Summit produced no new commitments to strengthen health systems, improve nutrition, or invest in education to support children in emergencies while also fostering peace, security and resilience.
We want to shine a spotlight on our tireless volunteer advocates who took action by writing letters to the editor and raising their voice on social media for Canada to step up and lead the G7. Thank you to each and every one of you for fighting for a world free of extreme poverty.
As the G7 President, Canada had a chance to lead by example – but failed to bring forward the bold vision the moment demanded. Health and education, which are issues proven to boost stability and economic growth, barely made it onto the agenda. World leaders debated the mechanics of economic resilience but largely ignored one of the surest ways to secure it: investing in people.
The evidence is overwhelming. Healthy, educated populations are the backbone of strong economies and peaceful societies. They weather shocks, lift communities out of poverty, and build futures. Every dollar invested in fighting malnutrition, for example, yields a $23 return through better health outcomes and increased productivity. Yet too many people still lack access to even basic services. Furthermore, studies show that education can reduce the likelihood of civil war by up to 50%, which helps to create more stable and prosperous communities.
Yet millions of people around the world still lack access to even the most basic health and education services.
These millions of people are not experiencing isolated injustices – they are signs of deeper systemic failures that perpetuate instability, economic stagnation, and inequality. We know that diseases don’t respect borders, and that underprepared and overwhelmed health systems endanger everyone, not just those in crisis zones. And with rising humanitarian crises, climate disasters, and debt burdens, ignoring these foundational investments isn’t just shortsighted, it’s dangerous.
One of the most significant gaps at this year’s Summit was the lack of integration between health and the broader agendas of trade, economic stability, and global security. Any roadmap toward a more just, secure, and prosperous future must place human wellbeing at its core.
In an era where policy focus is increasingly centred on securing national borders, we cannot lose sight of the fact that nature and diseases do not respect borders. Climate change is reshaping global health risks, driving the emergence and spread of infectious diseases. Health must be treated as a foundational element of policymaking, woven into every sector and strategy and not sidelined.
As G7 President, will Canada lead with courage and reform, or risk falling behind by retreating from our past commitments?
Now is our opportunity to build a stronger world and act according to our values. Canada can:
These are not acts of charity, they are acts of strategic leadership. They reflect both fiscal and moral responsibility.
As Canada continues to chair the G7 and with the upcoming G20 in South Africa, a moment of global opportunity is unfolding. These platforms must be used to reshape health and education leadership around shared values that look beyond short-term politics and toward a sustainable, inclusive future.
Access to health care and education isn’t a privilege – it is the foundation of peace, resilience, and justice and must be front and centre in every global discussion.
This year’s Summit may have fallen short. But our work is not done.
At Results Canada, we, along with our grassroots advocates will continue to push for accountability, advocate for transformative investments, and fight for a future where people – not just profits or politics – are at the heart of global decision-making.
Because health means security. And education means peace.
Read how our global and Canadian partners responded to the G7 Leaders’ Summit:
Canadian Partnership for Women and Children's Health (CanWaCH)
Cooperation Canada
