Anand Defends Canada's Foreign Policy: Values & Economy

0:00It's April 23rd, welcome in. This is Canada News Today, where local news meets AI. Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is pushing back hard against critics, who say the government puts trade deals ahead of foreign aid and human rights. Under Prime Minister Mark Carney, they've trimmed foreign aid budgets, inked economic packs with some autocratic regimes, and stayed quiet on U.S., moves against global institutions. At the Ottawa Civic Space Summit this week, Anand called out the idea that promoting Canadian values clashes with economic or defense goals. She argued that democracy building works best when folks at home feel secure, and the economy is solid, and foreign policy can chase several wins at once. Anand also warned against leaning too much on social media for diplomacy, urging a smarter balanced approach as these debates heat up.