Statement from MP Heather McPherson

Regarding Canada's Failure to Act on the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals

Heather McPherson, made the following statement:

“The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a universal call to action, joined by Canada and 192 other countries, to end poverty, protect the planet, and improve prosperity, peace, and partnership, with a focus on helping the most vulnerable first and leaving no one behind.

“Canadians want to see Canada play its role on the world stage, but Liberal failures have kept this from happening.

“The 2021 audit found that Employment and Social Development Canada had not established an implementation plan to clearly define how federal departments and agencies would work together to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Under the Liberal government, Canada is moving further away from delivering on the commitments it made in 2015.

“With less than 10 years left to achieve the SDGs, Canada will never make it based on the slow progress to date. Canada hasn’t even developed the necessary frameworks, data collection, and reporting mechanisms six years in. COVID-19 should be seen as an incentive to work on global solutions more urgently but that is not what we are seeing from this government.

“Now more than ever, the global community is counting on bold leadership on the 2030 Agenda and Canada must act with urgency. The Liberals owe it to Canadians and the world to keep the commitment they made in 2015.

“The NDP will continue to push for progress on Canada’s commitments to the global agenda.”