April 6, 2022
Ottawa, Ontario
Building a future that is fair, equal, and peaceful, with clean air and clean water for everyone, is at the heart of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All UN member States adopted the 17 SDGs as part of a shared blueprint that focuses on ending poverty, improving health and education, reducing inequality, spurring economic growth – all while tackling climate change and protecting the environment.
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that, at the invitation of the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, he and the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, will be co-chairing the Sustainable Development Goals Advocates group.
SDG Advocates work to raise global awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals and the need for accelerated action by using their respective platforms. Advocates include academics, politicians, artists, musicians and more, from around the world.
As co-chair, the Prime Minister will continue to advocate for the important global issues that he champions on the world stage, including fighting climate change, protecting nature, and empowering women and girls all over the world. The Prime Minister will bring attention to these critical challenges alongside SDG Advocates and partners.
This is an opportunity for Canada to reinforce its commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at home and abroad, and to achieve an inclusive and resilient recovery from the pandemic, one that will create a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable future that leaves no one behind.
In February 2021, the Government of Canada released the Moving Forward Together: Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy, which aims to create and foster a whole-of-society approach to accelerate progress on the SDGs, in Canada and abroad. The strategy respects the inherent rights of Indigenous Peoples, and mobilizes academia, the private sector, civil society and international partners, to build a better future for everyone.
Women and girls, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups have borne the brunt of the pandemic, and of growing inequality across the world. That’s why Canada will continue to take a gender-responsive approach to its international implementation of the 2030 Agenda through its Feminist Foreign Policy, including the Feminist International Assistance Policy.
The pandemic has taught us we need to make better decisions regarding the planet’s resources and its biodiversity. Working together, we can reinforce the three pillars of sustainable development – social, economic, and environmental – to protect the planet for future generations.
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“The Sustainable Development Goals are a path forward for Canada and the world that leaves no one behind. As co-chair of the SDG Advocates group, I look forward to rallying countries, governments, the private sector, and others, to come together to accelerate our progress and continue to raise our voices – and our ambition – on the way to 2030.”
Quick Facts
- Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy seeks to advance progress on the SDGs through widespread, collaborative engagement and action. The intended result is all partners contributing in their unique ways and with others toward achieving the SDGs.
- The 2030 Agenda provides a comprehensive framework to build a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.
- The 2030 Agenda highlights the importance of ensuring the benefits of sustainable development reach everyone. It highlights the centrality of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls in realizing the SDGs. It is relevant across all regions of Canada and in communities of all kinds. It matters to remote communities in the North, across rural and coastal Canada, and in towns and cities of all sizes.
- Canada is helping to realize the SDGs around the world with attention to progress on eradicating poverty and inequality, promoting and protecting human rights, enabling access to health care and services, education, energy, inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent jobs, action to address climate change and leveraging fair and inclusive trade to raise incomes and broaden its benefits for under-represented groups, such as women and Indigenous Peoples.
- Canada believes that promoting rights-based, open, and inclusive societies is an effective way to build a safer and more prosperous world. All people should have the opportunity to fully benefit from equal participation in economic, political, social and cultural life.
Statement by the Prime Minister on the fourth anniversary of the tragic bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the fourth anniversary of the tragic bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos:
“Four years ago today, a tragic highway crash involving the Humboldt Broncos hockey team in Saskatchewan ended the lives of 16 team members and staff and injured 13 more.
“As we always do in the face of tragedy, Canadians came together in solidarity in the days and weeks that followed. Across the country, we leaned hockey sticks against our front doors, wore the iconic white, yellow, and green Bronco jerseys in memory of the lives lost and in honour of the survivors, and we rallied around their families by contributing to one of the most successful online fundraising campaigns in history.
“In the years since the crash and in the face of the immense grief and tragedy that followed, the Humboldt community has shown the world what it truly means to be Canadian. Their perseverance to not only remember the lives lost, but also to make the world of sport a better place for future generations, is inspiring.
“We cannot go back in time and change what happened that day, but we owe it to the victims, the survivors, and their families to try to prevent tragedy from striking again. Since the crash occurred, seat belts are now required on all new motor coaches in Canada. A national standard for entry-level training for truck drivers has been established, so that they have the skills they need to operate safely on our roads. We have also mandated electronic logging devices to help better track drivers’ hours on the road in an effort to help reduce the risk of fatigue-related incidents.
“Today, as we remember the lives lost, we are left with pain, sadness, and grief. But there is also hope for the survivors, some of whom have now graduated from high school, are in university, coaching hockey, or training for a chance to compete at higher levels, including the 2026 Winter Paralympics.
“To the Humboldt community: we will always be here for you. We will not forget your loved ones, or the strength, resilience, and compassion you have shown as a community. You are forever Humboldt strong.”
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