moved:
That, in the opinion of the House, the government should strengthen the accountability, effectiveness, and mutual benefits of Canada’s international development assistance by:
(a) implementing new policies to ensure that Canadian international assistance programming integrates opportunities for reciprocal economic benefit, including through the participation of Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises, innovators, and workers;
(b) establishing a dedicated Economic Partnerships Window to support projects that align poverty reduction abroad with economic security at home, and that utilize Canadian economic strengths such as clean energy, agriculture, digital technology, and education; and
(c) requiring the Minister of International Development to report to Parliament annually on the extent of Canadian participation in international assistance projects, the measurable benefits for partner countries, and the economic opportunities created for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Motion No. 14, a motion that embodies a simple but powerful idea, that Canada's generosity abroad should also help build opportunities at home.
For decades, Canadians have led with compassion, building schools, strengthening food systems, empowering women and literally saving lives across the world. We have done so not for recognition but because it is who we are. As the world changes, our development approach must change with it. We must continue to be generous but we must also be strategic, innovative and accountable.
The global development landscape has evolved dramatically. Today, many donor countries are pulling back, according to the OECD's 2024 report. International development assistance dollars have declined for the first time in years. Several major countries facing domestic pressures have cut back their international development dollars to the tune of billions.
Canada must not follow that path. We must do what we do best but do it even better. We must stay engaged, stay innovative and make our international assistance work for both our partners and our people.
The global economy is shifting. Emerging markets are no longer just recipients of aid; they are engines of growth. They are innovators. They are our trading partners. Nine out of the top 20 fastest-growing economies this year are in Africa. Countries like Rwanda, Niger, Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire are experiencing growth rates of between 6% to 11% per year. ln Asia, the ASEAN region is now the fastest-growing economic bloc in the world, even surpassing the G7 on a per capita basis. In these regions, Canada has a depth of credibility. We are seen as long-term partners who have been there through thick and thin.
The first pillar of Motion No. 14 calls on us to embed reciprocal economic benefit within Canada's international assistance program. This is not about turning aid into trade. lt is about aligning our compassion with our capabilities. When a Canadian clean energy start-up helps deploy solar microgrids in a Caribbean country, it not only lowers emissions abroad but it helps create skilled jobs right here in Canada.
When a Canadian agri-tech firm supports farmers in producing more and higher yields in East Africa, we not only get to tackle hunger over there but we also help Canada's agricultural innovation sector. When our colleges deliver digital skills training, we not only empower youth in the developing world, we also continue to enhance Canada's reputation as a leader in education. This pillar ensures that Canadian innovation becomes part of the world's solution to global challenges while ensuring that Canadians share in the opportunity that innovation creates.
The second pillar proposes the creation of a dedicated economic partnerships window. This window would bridge Canada's development priorities and our domestic economic strengths. lt would support projects that advance poverty reduction and sustainable development abroad. It would strengthen Canadian sectors such as clean energy, agriculture, digital technology and education. It would mobilize small and medium-sized enterprises to become global problem-solvers. We already have glimpses of what this model looks like through FinDev Canada.
In 2022, FinDev invested $8 million U.S. in the Central American small enterprise investment fund, which supports high-growth SMEs in the agri-food, manufacturing, education and information technology sectors in Central America and the Caribbean. The fund focuses on job creation, women's economic empowerment and local value chains.
In 2025, FinDev invested $15 million U.S. in EcoEnterprises Partners, a women-led impact fund backing 20 SMEs in Latin America working in agritech, renewable energy, sustainable forestry and biodiversity conservation. This is exactly the kind of clean-growth collaboration this motion envisions. In Colombia, FinDev partnered with IDB Invest and the U.S. DFC on a $319-million U.S. facility with Banco Davivienda, expanding financing for small and women-led businesses and for green projects.
These examples prove that Canadian finance, innovation and know-how can generate shared prosperity. A dedicated economic partnerships window would scale up this model by opening more pathways for Canadian SMEs and workers to plug into these global value chains.
The third pillar of Motion No. 14 would strengthen accountability. lt would require the minister of international development to report annually to Parliament on the extent of Canadian participation in international development projects. It would also require the minister to table measurable benefits for partner countries, as well as economic opportunities created for Canadians right here at home. This transparency would ensure that every dollar of development assistance delivers a real impact, measurable progress and tangible benefits, both abroad and at home. lt would turn good intentions into accountable outcomes.
This motion is not about changing who we are; it is about strengthening who we always have been. Canadians are compassionate, but we are also innovative, entrepreneurial and globally minded.
Motion No. 14 reflects a modern, confident Canada, one that sees international development not as a cost, but as an investment in shared prosperity. lt tells the world that partnership is the future of aid and that Canada's economic security and global solidarity go hand in hand. By aligning our values with our strengths, we can make every act of assistance an act of opportunity in the world for Canadians.
I want to conclude by saying that I have seen first-hand the impact that Canadian international development and assistance programs have had on people's lives. From allowing people to access education and clean water to encouraging entrepreneurship and hope, Canada has always been a global leader in this field. What this motion seeks to do is build on that proud tradition and propel it into the future. lt would ensure our aid remains generous, effective and accountable, but also smart, strategic and innovative
When we help others, we rise with them, so let us pass Motion No. 14 and make Canada's international development policy a model of shared progress for a changing world.