A More Secure Canada Through International Cooperation

Cooperation Canada’s Response to “The Plan for a Stronger Canada: National Security for Canadians”

The newly released Plan for a Stronger Canada emphasizes strengthening Canada’s sovereignty, resilience and international partnerships in an increasingly uncertain world. It represents an important step toward bringing together the full range of Canada’s capabilities and tools of statecraft.

International cooperation already contributes to many of the strategy’s priorities, drawing on Canada’s longstanding leadership, experience and global partnerships.

As the government moves to implement this strategy, it must recognize the essential contribution of international development cooperation to addressing challenges that defence, diplomacy and economic policy alone cannot resolve.

International security requires prevention. The strategy emphasizes defence preparedness, including for war and other worst-case scenarios. Preparing for these threats must go hand in hand with efforts to prevent them. A comprehensive approach to security must therefore prioritize conflict prevention, peacebuilding and respect for international law, while also addressing climate change, global health threats and other drivers of instability.

Prevention is far less costly. International Monetary Fund research shows that every dollar invested in conflict prevention can avert up to $103 in economic costs. Global health cooperation also strengthens national security, with World Bank supported research estimating health and economic returns of $14 for every dollar invested in pandemic prevention and response.

Canada’s international expertise can strengthen domestic preparedness. Canadian civil society brings extensive expertise in humanitarian response and community resilience, offering valuable lessons for strengthening civilian emergency preparedness at home. World Food Programme research shows that humanitarian preparedness can save an average of $3.40 in response costs for every dollar invested.

Upholding international law, human rights and multilateralism is fundamental to Canada’s national security. As the strategy recognizes, the rules-based international order is under threat. Defending international law, protecting civilians and strengthening multilateral institutions are essential to lasting stability and fostering new avenues for multilateral cooperation. Canada’s national interests must therefore extend beyond immediate economic returns to encompass long-term stability and support for our partners to shape their own futures.

Development cooperation is an asset for trade diversification and economic security.It strengthens the institutions, productive capacity and trade readiness that underpin lasting partnerships in new and emerging markets. A Carleton University study identifies a preliminary and potentially significant association between Aid for Trade and Canadian exports.

Diversified global partnerships are critical to Canada’s strategic autonomy. Development cooperation helps deepen relationships and build coalitions with middle and regional powers, including to advance shared economic sovereignty through a fairer international financial architecture. The strategy’s commitment to better align Canada’s Indo-Pacific and Africa strategies offers an important opportunity to strengthen coherence across development, diplomacy, trade and security.

Stronger global partnerships also require supporting the sovereignty of our partners. Canadian civil society is deeply engaged in leveraging international assistance to build strong partnerships. Reorienting international assistance around Canadian interests and values must not displace its poverty-reduction purpose. Our international assistance must be grounded in the needs and priorities identified by the countries and communities we partner with. Mutual prosperity and security emerge as outcomes of effective cooperation. This is where Canada’s scarce international assistance dollars deliver their greatest value, while other better-resourced mechanisms pursue our more immediate commercial objectives.

As the government prepares to table Budget 2026, this is an opportunity to make strategic use of Canada’s full range of development financing tools. This means protecting core Official Development Assistance for humanitarian action and development needs that other sources of finance cannot address. It means mobilizing development finance and private-sector partnerships to deliver meaningful development outcomes. Together, these investments can strengthen resilience and advance Canada’s long-term interests and values.

International development cooperation must be recognized as a core pillar of Canada’s foreign policy, and civil society must have a seat at the table. The strategy calls for engagement with industry, labour and academia in implementation. Canada’s international cooperation sector, with its extensive Canadian expertise and far-reaching global networks, must also be involved in shaping and implementing the forthcoming foreign-policy and international cooperation plans.

Cooperation Canada looks forward to leveraging our collective expertise and working with government and other sector to achieve and build on the objectives of this strategy.

Notes to Editors

• Cooperation Canada is the national voice for Canadian international development and humanitarian organizations. Representing over 100 organizations, we convene, coordinate and advocate for effective, inclusive and accountable international cooperation that contributes to a fairer, safer and more sustainable world.

Media Contact

Gabriel Karasz-Perriau, Senior Communications Manager
gkaraszperriau@cooperation.ca
(514) 945-0309