Address by Minister Joly to employees and Heads of Missions of Global Affairs Canada

June 7, 2023 – Ottawa, Canada

Check against delivery. This speech has been translated in accordance with the Government of Canada’s official languages policy and edited for posting and distribution in accordance with its communications policy.

Thank you, David Morrison, and thank you.

I am often asked about what it is like to be Foreign Minister during this time.

In answering, I reflect on the great honour of being able to represent the best country in the world, and the privilege in having a front row seat to the incredible work that you do in every corner of it.

I'm also thinking about the speed and scale of the changes that have taken place over the last 18 months of my mandate.

We are at a pivotal point in history.

I know that everyone in this room understands that and feels the weight of it.

Our world is marked by geopolitical turbulence, unpredictability and uncertainty.

The rules-based system that has kept us safe is cracking, placing the institutions that are built upon it under systemic strain.

President Putin's invasion of Ukraine is clear evidence of this.

But we all know here that this geopolitical movement began long before February 24—just ask Kirsten Hillman in Washington—and that it has repercussions far beyond the borders of Ukraine, and even Europe.

Around the world, we see:

• growing boldness by authoritarians
• weaponization of information
• democracies under threat
• countries big and small grappling with climate change
• crises in places like Haiti, Afghanistan, Sudan, Venezuela and Myanmar, and;
• a global refugee crisis.

This is a stark picture, but all of us in this room know that that is only one side of the story.

In the face of these challenges, there is light, and it can be found in the faces of: Ukrainians who refuse to give up on fighting for their freedom, and ours as well; women and girls in Iran, taking to the street to fight for their rights; and human rights defenders, journalists and activists who shine a light in the dark corners of the world and expose the need for change.

Ahead of us is a once-in-a-generation challenge, and how we respond will define the coming decades. 

Ensuring that we have a modernized diplomacy, fit for purpose in the 21^st century is critical.

Doing just that has been a top priority for our government, and for me personally.

A year ago, I told you that we were going to undertake a major transformation here at Global Affairs Canada.

I said we were going to look in the mirror, be humble and ask the real questions.

We've had good discussions with people here internally, organizing over 80 consultations with staff, missions and stakeholders. 

We've also worked with the External Advisory Board, who have had discussions with some of you as well as former Heads of Mission. 

But we've also been looking at what's happening elsewhere in the world, consulting with other countries who are also modernizing their foreign ministries.

Today, I would like to provide you with an update on what we’ve heard through this process, and the direction in which we are headed.

I would like to thank you for sending in your ideas and submissions. For sharing your reflections and advice.

I must say that I was struck by the degree of convergence in what people were saying.

What we heard is that Canada needs a Global Affairs department that is strategic and influential, agile and responsive. One that can effectively articulate, coordinate and deliver a full global agenda. And one that is open and connected to the people we serve – all Canadians – and to the world.

The pace of change we've been talking about demands a modern, 21st-century department, capable of anticipating, analyzing, understanding and managing emerging foreign policy issues.

Able to draw on the breadth and depth of expertise and international experience available in Canada and abroad.

We also heard that our department must be in a position to lead international policy across the whole of government, so that it is coherent and consistent with Cabinet priorities. 

Other departments and agencies will increasingly turn to us because the majority of domestic policy issues now have an international dimension.

Most critically, and I can’t stress this enough, we have heard that we need to invest in our workforce.

Our people are our eyes and ears on the ground. But more than that, you are the heart and soul of our diplomacy.

You, and your families, have dedicated your lives in service of our great country.

And in return, we need to ensure you have the tools and resources to succeed.

We need to build a workforce that is skilled, that is bilingual, healthy and dedicated to excellence. One that sees their work valued and their own path for growth cultivated. And one where every employee feels welcome to bring all of themselves to work.

We know how much our foreign policy and foreign service benefits from a diversity of thoughts, lived experiences and backgrounds.

We know that we are strong not in spite, but because of our differences. 

I see four main tracks of action. We need to invest in first and foremost in our people, second in our policy expertise, third our presence, and finally, our processes.

1. Investing in our people is crucial. Ensuring they feel supported, heard and valued is needed to improve our workplace culture.

• we know there is a need to revamp recruitment and training;
• to increase diversity;
• to strengthen official language competencies - francophones must be able to speak their mother tongue at the department - and foreign language knowledge;
• and to provide greater support to our staff and families abroad, including in times of crisis.

When we consider our staff, and you have heard me say many times the importance of our locally engaged staff. They are at the core of our missions abroad and we need to better support them. This will be kept top of mind as we develop the path forward.

2. We will increase our policy expertise in key areas such as climate change, energy and critical minerals, cyber, AI and digital policy. We will build a stronger capacity to anticipate and manage Canada’s response to prolonged crises. 

3. We will strengthen our presence abroad – in key multilateral missions, starting with the UN, the G20 and other strategically important countries.

4. Finally, we must ensure GAC has the tools, the processes and the culture of prioritization needed to work efficiently, and to be protected from cyber threats.

Today, we talked a lot about our vision for our department. And I'm glad we were able to set this first milestone together.

Now we need to chart a course to make it a reality.

We have an ambitious plan before us and putting it into action will require a lot of hard work. 

That's why Antoine Chevrier is in charge of the implementation plan. 

I know he and his team are already hard at work. You can expect to see our plan by September 1^st this year.

The team, led by Antoine, will be working throughout the summer on our implementation action plan. You can expect to see it by September 1^st.  

Of course, we are not waiting until then to get started. The work to modernize and adapt is already well underway.

This can be seen in our Indo-Pacific strategy, and in our increased diplomatic footprint.

Since I became Minister, we have announced new embassies in Estonia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Armenia, Fiji and Rwanda.

We have also appointed a new ambassador to the African Union and re-appointed an ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Altogether, this is six new embassies and eight new ambassadors.

We’ve already increased our consular capacity and boosted climate finance and we’re working to build a healthier, more diverse workplace.

Certainly, there will be challenges to this transformation, and it will take time.

We are embarking on a journey of transformation, of evolution, together.

But you can rest assured that we are tackling this with the level of seriousness, and ambition, that it deserves.

You can count on me to be your champion, particularly at the cabinet table.

Each of you in this room understands the drivers of change that we are facing.

You understand that diplomacy is part of our security architecture.

And that the world’s security is fundamental to not only our interests, but increasingly, to our prosperity.

And now is the time to invest and adapt.

We will only succeed, with this change agenda, if there is a sense of collective ownership. Your leadership will be crucial.

And we need you. You're on Canada's front lines abroad. You can be the leaders of this change and help lead the transformation.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you and working together on this exciting agenda.

Thank you very much for your attention, and I'll be happy to answer any questions you may have.