Prime Minister concludes productive G7 Leaders’ meeting
Press Release
February 19, 2021
The global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the health and economic wellbeing of people both here in Canada, and around the world. To continue to keep our people safe and supported, and build back better in a way that creates jobs and economic growth, including through ambitious climate action, Canada will continue to work with our international partners to tackle the greatest challenges of our time.
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today participated in a virtual meeting of the G7 Leaders and announced new funding to help beat the virus globally.
Since February 2020, Canada has committed more than $2 billion towards the global COVID-19 response. Today, Canada will provide an additional $75 million to top-up our support to the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator that develops and provides tests, treatments, and vaccines around the world – because to defeat the virus at home, we have to defeat it everywhere.
The Prime Minister also welcomed new contributions from G7 Leaders to these global vaccination efforts, and reiterated Canada’s shared commitment to cooperating on the COVID-19 response, and laying the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic recovery.
Working together with G7 partners will be vital to creating jobs and economic growth as we recover from the global pandemic. That includes building fairer trading systems, fighting climate change, and seizing the economic opportunities for clean growth. Today, the Prime Minister highlighted Canada’s continued leadership and commitment to build a cleaner and more competitive world.
We must also create opportunity for those who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including women, racialized groups, and Indigenous peoples. The Prime Minister welcomed the United Kingdom’s decision to convene a G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council – a key legacy of the 2018 G7 Summit in Charlevoix – to ensure gender equality is central to the work of the G7 this year.
Our work to build back better must also include a continued commitment to strengthen democracy and democratic institutions around the world. The Prime Minister, today, also stressed the global need to respect human rights and defend the rule of law, in order to prevent persecution and mistreatment around the world.
Only together can we tackle the current challenges we face. While we continue to do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to keep Canadians safe and supported during this crisis, we will also continue to work with our G7 counterparts to defeat the virus everywhere and build a more resilient future for everyone.
Quote
“Together, we can tackle the most pressing global challenges, and build a safer and more resilient future for everyone. Today’s G7 meeting was an opportunity to address the health and economic impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic and discuss other important issues, including the climate crisis. Canada looks forward to continuing these discussions and supporting the UK’s ambitious agenda throughout their 2021 G7 Presidency.”
The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
Quick Facts
- Including today’s announcement of $75 million, Canada has committed $940 million to the Access to COVID Tools (ACT) Accelerator, the global platform created to secure equitable and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments.
- The COVAX Facility is a global procurement mechanism to support the development and delivery of safe, equitable and accessible COVID-19 vaccines. The Facility has two windows: a self-financing window for higher income economies and an Advance Market Commitment (AMC) window to support 92 low- and middle-income economies.
- The Government of Canada is a key supporter of the COVAX Facility, having committed up to $220 million for the domestic procurement of vaccine doses through the Facility’s mechanism for self-financing participants and $325 million to the Facility’s AMC for vaccine procurement, distribution and delivery. This support includes a targeted investment for the development of a mechanism to enable countries to share vaccine doses.
- Canada was among the first G7 donors to announce a major contribution to the COVAX AMC.
- Canada has mobilized more than $2 billion in international assistance in response to COVID-19. This includes:
- $940 million for the ACT-Accelerator, a critical international partnership to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines which the Prime Minister has championed alongside other world leaders since May 2020;
- Over $740 million in humanitarian and development assistance to respond to the immediate needs created by COVID-19.
- Canada worked with organizations to adapt their existing funding arrangements with Global Affairs Canada to ensure their activities could address the immediate needs created by the pandemic in developing countries for a total of $488 million.
- The G7 is an informal grouping of seven of the world’s advanced economies consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The European Union was first invited to attend the G7 in 1977.
- With the exception of 2020, the Leaders of the G7 have come together each year since the 1970s to discuss issues of domestic and global concern.
- G7 leaders have not met in person since the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Biarritz during France’s 2019 G7 Presidency.
- The United Kingdom holds the Presidency of the G7 in 2021.
- The 2021 G7 Summit is scheduled to take place in Carbis Bay, Cornwall on June 11 to 13. The UK has invited Australia, India, and South Korea as guest countries.
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