Canada

Canada

Canada is the second-largest country in the world. It borders the United States to the south, and the US state of Alaska to the north-west. It is also next to the Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. Canada’s hugely varied geography includes mountain ranges, highland plateaus with thousands of lakes and rivers, lowlands, plains and prairies. The Arctic region of the country has hundreds of islands.

Secretariat support for Canada 

Youth 

The Secretariat helped universities and colleges in Canada to build youth worker skills. This included help for youth work qualifications and a youth work degree. 

Youth work

Sport

The Secretariat helped Canada to set up a tool to report on the role of sport in achieving development goals. These include goals on gender equality, health and education. 

Sport for development and peace work

Sustainable development 

The Secretariat helped Canada protect its oceans. In 2019, Canada announced a ban on industrial activities in its protected marine areas. It has included the Commonwealth’s Blue Charter Action Group activities in its budget and planning. 

Natural resources work

Trade 

In March 2018, in Durban, South Africa, Canada worked with the Secretariat to make better connections with trading partners. They investigated reducing physical barriers to trade – for example, by improving infrastructure.

Trade work

Human rights 

In November 2018, the Commonwealth and partners helped Canada’s civil society organisations learn about how to hold governments accountable on human rights. 

Human Rights work

Blue Charter

Canada champions the Blue Charter Action Group on Ocean Observation.

The Action Group held its first meeting in May 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario. Members outlined priorities and an action plan, and agreed to hold annual meetings to review progress on the various initiatives planned.

In September 2019, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Jonathan Wilkinson, announced a tranche of $2.7 million to advance ocean observation through innovation and development, and to promote the sharing of data, knowledge and best practices amongst Commonwealth countries.

Canada is also a member of the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance, Ocean and Climate Change and Sustainable Blue Economy Action Groups.

Blue Charter

Connectivity Agenda

Canada is a member of the Regulatory Connectivity cluster of the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda. The Connectivity Agenda is a platform for countries to exchange best practices and experiences to trade and investment and undertake domestic reform.

Connectivity Agenda 

Canada in the Commonwealth 

Canadian Arnold Smith was the Commonwealth’s first Secretary-General, from 1965 to 1975. 

Three Canadians have won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize: Mordecai Richler, in 1990; Rohinton Mistry, in 1992 and 1996; and Lawrence Hill, in 2008. Eliza Robertson won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize. 

The Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management has its HQ in Ottawa. The Commonwealth of Learning is based in Vancouver. The Commonwealth Journalists Association is based in Toronto. 

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Learn more about the Secretariat's work

Total population

Key Facts

Population
38.01 million (2022)
Area
10 million square kilometres
Capital city
Ottawa
Joined the Commonwealth
1931, under the Statute of Westminster