After the Budget: Leading with Courage in Uncertain Times
Laika Intungane | November 18, 2025
In October, I had the opportunity to attend the Cooperation Canada Leaders’ Forum 2025 in Ottawa as part of the Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC) and as an Inter-Council Network Youth Delegate.
It was a space where emerging and established leaders came together to face difficult truths about the future of our sector and to reimagine what meaningful global cooperation can look like in an era of shrinking resources and growing global needs. Throughout the forum, we had some really honest conversations about the realities the sector is facing. We addressed the shrinking civic space amid growing global needs and limited resources. But even with all the challenges, there was a real sense of hope. We talked about leading with courage, staying grounded in justice and compassion and keeping collaboration at the centre of everything.
The conversation feels even more urgent following the release of the Budget earlier this month. The budget introduces cuts of roughly C$2.7 billion over four years to Canada’s international assistance envelope, a move that will affect global health and other development programs.
For those of us working in and alongside the international cooperation community, these cuts risk undoing years of important work on gender equality, sustainable development and poverty reduction. They also threaten to weaken Canada’s global leadership and credibility at a moment when solidarity, equity and partnership are needed most.
At the Leaders’ Forum, we had honest and hopeful discussions about how to respond to these realities. The message was clear: we can’t let scarcity define our imagination. Even when resources are constrained, we can choose to lead differently , with courage, compassion and collaboration.
We Must Continue to:
- Protect civic and advocacy spaces ,ensuring that global justice voices remain heard and valued
- Strengthen public engagement to remind Canadians that global cooperation is not charity but shared responsibility
- Invest in community led and youth led initiatives that are driving innovative, intersectional solutions to complex global challenges
What We Can Do Now:
- Stay informed and vocal: Read, share and discuss policy analyses
- Engage your MP: Write to your local representative about why sustained international assistance matters, for Canada and the world
- Support grassroots action: Donate, volunteer or amplify the work of organizations that continue to advance equity and inclusion despite funding constraints
- Lift up emerging voices: Youth leaders across Canada are reimagining what collaboration looks like, their leadership deserves space and support
Even when budgets tighten, our shared commitment to justice and compassion must not, the future of international cooperation depends on how boldly we stand together to keep global solidarity alive.
Laika Intungane OCIC Youth Policy-Makers Hub Member & ICN Delegate
Laika is a bilingual community health nurse passionate about advancing global health equity. Through her role with the OCIC, she contributes a frontline health perspective to conversations on gender justice, climate resilience and inclusive policy. Drawing from her experience in primary care and priority populations, she advocates for equity driven and community led approaches that bridge local and global action.
