Oh Canada, Where Art Thou? Canada's Role in International Democracy Assistance.
The saying goes that countries will often export their strengths. But when it comes to foreign assistance for democracy support, Canada does remarkably little compared to its neighbour to the South and partners in Europe. Inclusive democracy is foundational pillar to Canadian society, and in an era when many countries are teetering towards populism and anti-democratic processes, where is Canada's voice and support in the conversation? To offer her expertise and insight into the place of Canada in the world of democracy support, GDP is happy to have Monika Le Roy join this episode. Monika Le Roy is an Advisor to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) on political affairs, democracy and human rights, leading programs to address rising authoritarianism, atrocity prevention, and threats to international peace and security in the region. She directs OAS efforts to document crimes against humanity in Venezuela and is the first OAS focal point on the Responsibility to Protect. A senior public policy and development expert, Monika has served as Senior Policy Advisor to two Canadian Foreign Ministers and has deep experience in global politics, government and the not-for-profit sector. She has worked in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and the MENA regions. Monika’s career has focused on supporting peaceful democratic transitions, strengthening democratic governance and women’s empowerment, and has led global advocacy campaigns to end child, early and forced marriage and the fight to end sexual violence in conflict. She holds an HBA from Carleton University and an LLM in International Law with International Relations from the University of Kent. Follow Dr. Bob on Twitter: @ProfessorHuish