The Issue

On May 2nd, Canada’s federal political landscape changed dramatically. Stephen Harper was re-elected Prime Minister and the Conservative Party obtained a majority in Parliament. The New Democratic Party, for the first time in their history, became the Official Opposition. The Green Party won its first seat in Parliament. The Liberal Party and Bloc Québécois both suffered significant losses. But what does all this mean for children living in poverty in developing countries?

World Vision believes that the government of Canada and all MPs, regardless of their political party, can play an important role in helping children here and overseas to grow up healthy and protected from exploitation and abuse. Through Canada’s aid, international leadership, and even some domestic laws like those on human trafficking, the decisions made by our politicians have a direct impact on the lives of girls, boys, and their families in developing countries.

What World Vision is doing

World Vision works with all political parties and with civil servants, to recommend practical, achievable steps they can take to make a difference in the lives of children. Our recommendations are based on what we see working every day in communities around the globe, and on an understanding of how Canada and Canadians can make a difference through our leadership in the world.

Looking forward, World Vision will be urging the Canadian government to take the following actions for children:

In Health

• to stay committed to the health of vulnerable children; currently, 8 million children under five die each year. Specifically, the government should be accountable to explain not only how much money Canada gives to international health, but also what impact those funds are having on the health of the most vulnerable women and children.

In Food Security

• to urgently commit to renewing critical, additional funding for agriculture. These funds could help meet emerging food needs and continue to strengthen the long-term capacity of small-scale farmers and the communities they support – helping them weather food price crises, today and in future.

In Child Protection

• to increase their efforts to protect children from abuse and exploitation, through developing and implementing a national strategy to combat human trafficking that includes ensuring support for child victims; and
• to make effective aid a central focus of Canada’s work in fragile states such as Haiti, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, by leading and supporting new international efforts to ensure that aid has more impact, and can be sustained into the future, in these countries.

• KEEP INFORMED: Watch the news to know what’s happening in the world and what Canada is doing about it.
• JOIN the World Vision Voices Network to find out how World Vision is working with the Canadian government and to learn about actions you can take to encourage your MP to make a difference for children.
• GIVE to World Vision’s work: help children facing problems including hunger and exploitation.