David Morneault

The meeting involved discussions led by an LGBTQ and anti-violence advocate regarding the ongoing work of the Gender Equality Advisory Council for Canada's G7 presidency. Key topics included the generational effort required to advance gender equality, addressing persistent issues such as sexism and misogyny, and removing barriers to accessing essential information and services for young women and marginalized people. The session was noted for bringing together activists and advocates from grassroots and international levels to discuss actionable issues.

The discussion centered on a resolution, introduced by the United States and supported by Canada, to revoke the membership of the Islamic Republic of Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women. The justification for this resolution stems from the death of Mahsa Amini, the assassination of hundreds of people, and acts of brutality against women and children by Iran since September 2022. Key concerns cited include violence, discrimination in policy and practice, the imposition of the hijab leading to the killing of peaceful protesters, and a general disregard for human rights. Speakers argued that Iran's actions are incompatible with the commission's goals emphasizing the dignity of women, and that allowing Iran to remain would seriously discredit the commission. Russia's representative acknowledged the election process but questioned whether there were established standards or consequences within the United Nations framework that could force the removal of a member state.

The Conference of the Parties adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to catalyze action by governments and authorities to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. The framework seeks to implement broad-based action to transform society's relationship with biodiversity by 2030, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It addresses the need for a balanced implementation of the Convention's objectives and emphasizes the roles and rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. The framework includes goals for 2050 related to ecosystem integrity, sustainable use of biodiversity, fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources, and securing adequate means of implementation. It also outlines action-oriented global targets for 2030, focusing on reducing threats to biodiversity, meeting people's needs through sustainable use and benefit-sharing, and implementing tools and solutions for mainstreaming biodiversity.

The Departmental Plan for Global Affairs Canada for 2025-26 outlines the department's priorities, plans, and associated costs for the upcoming three fiscal years. Key priorities include promoting Canada's economy, protecting Canada's security and prosperity, and contributing to international efforts to address global challenges. The plan details core responsibilities such as international advocacy and diplomacy, trade and investment, development, peace and security programming, help for Canadians abroad, and support for Canada's presence abroad. It also includes planned spending, human resources, and performance indicators to measure progress toward achieving its goals.