By Dean Dettloff, Research and Advocacy Officer
We also urge men to explore concrete and practicable ways of organizing and coordinating their efforts, so that available resources might be shared with others; in this way genuine bonds between nations might be forged. This duty concerns first and foremost the wealthier nations. Their obligations stem from the human and supernatural brotherhood of man, and present a three-fold obligation: 1) mutual solidarity—the aid that the richer nations must give to developing nations; 2) social justice—the rectification of trade relations between strong and weak nations; 3) universal charity—the effort to build a more humane world community, where all can give and receive, and where the progress of some is not bought at the expense of others. The matter is urgent, for on it depends the future of world civilization.
— Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progresso, §43-44
Canada is quietly cutting funds for international aid and development, even as needs around the world are increasing. In Canada’s Budget 2025, the Government proposes to cut $2.7 billion from its International Assistance Envelope over 4 years, despite a 2025 campaign promise by Prime Minister Mark Carney stating “my government will not cut foreign aid.” Thousands of employees of Global Affairs Canada have already received notice that their jobs could be at risk as the Government aims to cut hundreds of positions. As a Catholic movement for international solidarity, now is the time to mobilize and tell the Government that we need more, not less, investment in international cooperation.
Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada is calling on members to tell Canada that they want to see an increase in Canadian funding for aid and development. We have prepared new tools for members to use to request a meeting with their Members of Parliament (MPs) to discuss these issues. For those who cannot find the time to request and organize a meeting, we have also prepared a simple template letter that you can copy and paste or adapt in your own voice. Each tool is explained briefly below. Reach out to your local animator with any questions!
MP Engagement Guide
Navigating how to meet with an MP can be difficult. What should you say when you reach out? What happens if your MP agrees to meet? What if you never hear back? Our MP Engagement Guide will help you along each step of the process. It provides examples of email responses, how to create an agenda for your meeting, and what to do if you don’t receive a reply. Whether or not you finally meet with your MP, we want to hear about your journey. Feedback from members will help us track how the government is responding (or not) to our messaging.
Form Letter
Even if you can’t meet with your MP, you can still let them know that this issue is important to you. The easiest thing you can do is copy and paste the text in our form letter and send it to your MP. If you have a little more time, you can rephrase the key points in your own words. Messages in your own words always carry more weight with MPs, and they show that real people are concerned.
Briefing Note
The details around international aid can seem complex. We’ve prepared a briefing note that you can use to familiarize yourself with the key issues at stake. You can use the briefing note to write your own email, or to attach to an email that you send to your MP. If you get a meeting with your MP, you can also bring a copy of the briefing note and leave it with them to read and review.