Canada is part of a global community and therefore holds a responsibility to protect the well-being of people everywhere. Our shared learnings from the recent COVID-19 pandemic show us that an outbreak somewhere can rapidly escalate into a global health crisis with profound human and economic costs. Global health security must be prioritized alongside the broader security agenda; it is not an either/or dilemma. Fighting deadly infectious diseases is in all of our interest. History has taught us that global disease outbreaks are inevitable, but epidemics and pandemics are preventable.
We must protect and accelerate the remarkable gains that we have realized since the Global Fund Partnership was created in 2002. Canada has invested billions, both domestically and internationally, to tackle AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. If we retreat now, those taxpayer dollars—and millions of lives—are at risk. Continuing this fight until it is won is both a moral imperative and a matter of sound fiscal stewardship. We call on Canada to lead by example and pledge CAD$1.37 billion over three years to the Global Fund’s Eighth Replenishment. With Canada’s bold leadership, smart investment, and the full use of the tools that we have at hand, we can take the next decisive step to end AIDS, TB, and malaria and build a healthier, more secure future for all.
Signed,
HIV Legal Network (Canada)
Stephen Lewis Foundation (Canada)
CC: Hon. Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development)
Hon. Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hon. Shafqat Ali, President of the Treasury Board