Toronto Star: Canada must step up in global fight against killer diseases
Jane Philpott, independent MP for Markham-Stouffville and Canada’s minister of health from 2015 to 2017

“In a few weeks, the three-year funding cycle ends for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. … Working with other countries to save the lives of vulnerable people is smart foreign policy, whether it’s motivated by compassion, public health, or global security. A good measure of how well a country understands this vision is its contribution to the Global Fund. … Canada has not [pledged increased contributions to the Global Fund] yet. But we must. … [W]ith the deadline upon us, we could see the first time that Canada will flatline or even reduce its contributions. This would be a big mistake. If a country like Canada won’t invest more in saving lives from deadly diseases, it’s hard to imagine how humanity will be able to tackle more complex global challenges like climate change, armed conflict, and refugee crises. The Global Fund is also one of the single most cost-effective ways for Canada to make a positive global impact. … A reduced or flatlined pledge would signal a retreat from global leadership. We want fiscal prudence from our government. But cutting spending on the fund that will save thousands of lives among the world’s most vulnerable people is not the Canadian way” (8/7).