Diplomatic dynamo Canadian High Commissioner Laurie Peters

 Excerpt from Jamaica Observer column published 2 November 2020

by Jean Lowrie-Chin

Outgoing Canadian High Commissioner (HC) Laurie Peters began her tour of duty in Jamaica in September 2017, and has played a significant role in the promotion of commercial, scientific, educational and cultural exchanges between the countries, undoubtedly bolstering Canadian presence locally and regionally. An outstanding aspect of her work in advocacy and international diplomacy was her advancement Canada’s feminist foreign policy by championing commitments for gender equality, peace, and security.

HC Peters directed Canada’s continued support of Jamaica's response to COVID-19 through its health, economic growth and education activities. Since the outbreak, Canada has provided over $75 million (CAD 500,00) in support of the health and development sectors.  Most recently, Canada made available an additional $482 million (CAD$4.7 million) for Jamaica towards the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRF) premiums. She spearheaded a new $20M Canada-Caribbean Resilience Facility at the World Bank to provide Jamaica with timely technical assistance and emergency funding in the aftermath of a disaster.

Other highlights of her tour was swift hurricane response in the region, immigration activities including the Seasonal Agricultural Worker’s Program (SAWP), programmes promoting peace, security and justice, skills training to access the ‘green’ economy, and Canada’s long-standing defence partnership with Jamaica. In the area of multilateral cooperation, she supported the roundtable held by PM Trudeau with four small island developing states (SIDS) leaders including PM Holness during the 2019 G7 Summit.

HC Peters gave special focus to programmes in education, and in April last year, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between UWI and Brock University to establish the Canada Caribbean Institute which will “harness academic expertise to help address important regional topics and foster intercultural understanding.”

In spite of her demanding schedule, HC Peters was ever gracious and approachable. We thank her for her meaningful support and advocacy, and wish her continued success in the service of her great country.

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FROM THE CANADIAN HIGH COMMISSION IN JAMAICA

KEY MILESTONES  of HIGH COMMISSIONER PETERS' TOUR OF DUTY 2017-2020

 

Canada has enjoyed a close and wide-ranging relationship with Jamaica based on our strong history of people-to-people ties, security and defence cooperation, trade and investment, and development. This year, Canada and Jamaica celebrate 58 years of diplomatic relations.

High Commissioner Laurie Peters commenced her tour of duty in Jamaica in September 2017. During that time High Commissioner Peters has been instrumental in strengthening the relationship between Canada and Jamaica. She has played a significant role in the promotion of commercial, scientific, educational and cultural exchanges between the countries and has undoubtedly bolstered Canadian presence in both the local and regional landscape.

These are highlights of key milestones and achievements her tenure.

International advocacy and diplomacy

·  Canada and Jamaica see the international landscape through very similar lenses and have a strong history of cooperation and support for each other’s candidature in elections at UN bodies

 

·  Helping to advance Canada’s feminist foreign policy by championing our women, peace, and security priority commitments

 

 

• Development, Peace and Security Programming

• Help for Canadians Abroad

• Support for Canada’s Presence Abroad

 

Environment, Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction

Canada-Caribbean Resilience Facility (CCRF)

Our new $20M Canada-Caribbean Resilience Facility at the World Bank will provide Jamaica with timely technical assistance and emergency funding in the aftermath of a disaster.

 

Canada is continuing to support Jamaica's response to COVID-19 through its health, economic growth and education activities. Since the outbreak, Canada has provided over $75 million (CAD 500,00) in support of the health and development sectors.  Most recently, Canada made available an additional a little over $482 million (CAD$4.7 million) for Jamaica towards the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRF) premiums. A further injection of funds to create fiscal space to allow Jamaica to address the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

 

Operational Support Hub (OSH)

·       OSH established in Jamaica in 2016 to support Regional Disaster Mitigation and climate resilience efforts.

·       This “camp in a box” Hub will support Latin American and Caribbean countries in the wake of natural disasters, such as hurricanes or earthquakes.

·       It can accommodate approximately 200 people and has eating and common areas.

 Hurricane Response

·       Since the devastating hurricanes of 2017, Canada has delivered on its commitment to Caribbean, through support to reconstruction, economic and climate resilience; promotion of Caribbean interests in multilateral fora; and engagement of the Canadian private sector.

·       Canada provided humanitarian assistance to Hurricane Irma’s affected countries, including providing transport to emergency responders from Jamaica.

·       Canada has supported the transportation of a contingent of 120 Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) soldiers to provide recovery and humanitarian support to The Bahamas, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian.

Multilateral cooperation

 Group of Seven (G7)

·       During the G7 Leaders’ Summit last year, PM Trudeau held a roundtable with four SIDS leaders (including PM Holness) and the heads of International Financial Institutions including the IMF, World Bank, and OECD.

·       Canada and Jamaica have chaired the Global Discussions on COVID-19 Financing and Cooperation

·       Canada's minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Ahmed Hussen visited  Jamaica in 2019 for a three-day working visit to, among other things, shore up cooperation between his country and tertiary education institutions

Gender Equality

Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls are central objectives of Canadian foreign policy. Canada focuses on dismantling persistent inequalities between women, men, girls and boys, and accounts for how other forms of discrimination may overlap or intersect.

Women’s Voice & Leadership- Caribbean project

·       This regional project commenced implementation in 2020. It is part of the larger $150 million global Women’s Voice and Leadership Program. 27 women’s rights organizations from across the Caribbean, 4 in Jamaica will receive finding and technical support to build out their advocacy and social intervention programs. 

 

·       Canada has hosted (with the European Delegation) at National Gallery of Jamaica the inaugural International Women’s Breakfast Forum on “The Art of Empowerment” which engaged over 50 women parliamentarians, diplomats and other leaders in discussion on the ways to empower more women to take on leadership roles in their respective spheres, including in non-traditional areas. 

The Faces for Equality which recognises champions in the field of human rights, women’s empowerment and gender equality.

·       SheLeadsIT, co-founded by Bridget Lewis and Nicole Pitter Patterson, which convenes the annual Girls in ICT Day Caribbean Hackathon which provides an opportunity for girls and young women to innovate for change through website and mobile app development, podcasting, animation and gaming.

·       The Peace Management Initiative, implements a Violence Interruption Programme which works through the CSJP in 20 vulnerable and volatile communities in Kingston and St. Andrew, St. Catherine and Clarendon to identify potential acts of violence and mediate conflicts.

·       Young Women and Men of Purpose, founded by Lanisia Rhoden, has been empowering young women in Central Jamaica to Realise, Embrace and Achieve their Purpose (R.E.A.P.) through entrepreneurship training and support.) 

Supporting Civil Society

The Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI)/Canada Fund

·       CFLI has been supporting small-scale, high-impact projects, in Jamaica. The program is directed at projects conceived and designed predominantly by local partners. Areas of focus include gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls; peace and security with a focus on conflict prevention and building peace; and environment and climate action focusing on adaptation and mitigation, as well as on water management.

·       Notable projects include:

o   Support to continuing education for young students during COVID-19 in inner city communities

o   Guns over Gloves Project aimed at using sports for peace building and conflict management.

o   Canada has provided $100,000 CAD to support to the field hospital 

Immigration 

Seasonal Agricultural Workers’ Program (SAWP) and other workers

·       Jamaica was the first country to sign a bilateral Seasonal Agricultural Workers’ Program (SAWP) agreement with Canada over 50 years ago. Now in its, 54^th season, the program remains highly successful with mutual benefits for both Jamaica and Canada.

·       Over 9,000 Jamaican workers currently go to Canada annually under the program.

·       Every year, approximately 80% of the Jamaican workers who apply for work permits under the program are returning workers (i.e. previous program participants).

·       Canada continues to engage with Jamaica on a range of labour related issues including not only work protections, but also growing opportunities for labour mobility. 

Peace, Security and Justice

 Defence Unit

With more than 50 years of significant defence cooperation, Jamaica is a crucial security partner for Canada in the Caribbean.

·       The relocation last fall of our Canadian Defence Attaché for the Caribbean from Havana to Kingston underlines the importance of our defence ties with Jamaica, and our efforts to strengthen security across the Caribbean. 

·       Operational Support Hub for Latin America and the Caribbean (OSH-LAC). In 2012 the MND and Jamaican Minister of National Security signed an MOU permitting the establishment of the OSH-LAC in Jamaica. The OSH-LAC provides an effective and efficient operational support to CAF missions in the region, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations (HADR).

The Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program (ACCBP)

ACCBP works to improve the capacity of beneficiary states, government entities and international organizations to deal with transnational crime. ACCBP focuses on: illicit drugs; corruption; human trafficking and migrant smuggling; money laundering and proceeds of crime; security sector reform, and; crime prevention (including prevention of cyber-crime). Examples of projects that have included Jamaica in 2018 include:  Anti-corruption, cyber-crime, money laundering, and fighting crime in tourist locations. In total, last year ACCBP spent over $800k on projects in Jamaica. 

Citizens Security and Justice Program (CSJP)

·       Implemented by Jamaica’s Ministry of National Security, with the assistance of the IDB), and through funding from Canada and the UK, the project is to enhance citizen security and justice within targeted communities throughout Jamaica by improving the behaviours for non-violent conflict resolution; increase labour market attachment among youth and increase access to effective community and alternate justice services.

The Justice Undertakings for Social Transformation (JUST)

·       We are pleased by the results of the decade-long JUST partnership between the Jamaican Ministry of Justice, and Canada. It is a model for strengthening justice systems.

·       Canada’s $20M (2009-2020) JUST Program in partnership with the UNDP and the Jamaican Ministry of Justice, aims to: 1) improve the capacity of core justice sector institutions to manage and implement their core business; 2) strengthen the technical and result-based management capacity of the Ministry of Justice of Jamaica, including the establishment of a Justice Reform Implementation Unit (JRIU); 3) improve the capacity of women, men, girls and boys to access justice information, advice and legal services, and to increase participation in the justice reform process.

·       Through the program, Canada supports Jamaican court services in the rolling-out of the Case Information Statistical System (CISS) in family, tax and traffic courts.

·       Supports MOJ’s Restorative Justice, Child Diversion programmes

·       Providing 2 new retrofitted Justice services Buses to increase access to justice for rural and underserved communities

 

Trade and Investment

Serving as interlocutors in major business and trade agreements relating clean energy, entertainment, education and investments.

Education

Academic relations

·       Academic exchange is a critical part of Canada’s relationship with the Caribbean.

·       Several MOUs between colleges and universities in Jamaica and Canada, as well as many active student exchange programmes.

o   Canada-Caribbean Research Institute

o   Utech/MetalWorks Institute

o   Fanshawe Global contract award for EV training in the region 

Study in Canada

·       Over 3000 Jamaican students have been admitted to Canadian institutions. 

UWI – Brock MOU to establish the Canada Caribbean Institute

·       Signed April 2019, the MOU between Brock University and the University of the West Indies (UWI) harnesses academic expertise to help address important regional topics and foster intercultural understanding. It commits the two institutions to establish the Canada-Caribbean Institute that provides a focal point for multi-disciplinary research and teaching.

Commercial

Skills to Access the Green Economy (SAGE)

·       OUR SAGE and Climate Change Action for Gender-Sensitive Resilience projects will provide technical and vocational training in sectors associated with climate change, and help Jamaica develop sector-level National Adaptation and Mitigation Plans, in particular in areas of greater impact for women and girls.

Information Communication Technology (ICT)

·       True North- In 2018 we were pleased to have had a three-member delegation from the Jamaica Computer Society (JCS) attend True North Conference in Waterloo. The JCS also launched a Toronto chapter. Theme “Tech for Good”.

·       Cybersecurity –  Over the past 2 years partnered with the Mona ICT Policy Centre, University of the West Indies for Annual National Cybersecurity Conference

·       Collision - North America’s fastest growing technology festival. It attracts 25,000+ participants. A 17 member delegation from Jamaica represented 13 participating Jamaican organisations. Pipeline plans for Collision June 22- 25, 2020.

·       Ryerson DMZ - The High Commission  supported the DMZ in recruiting Jamaican companies for the DMZYYZ Intensive Program for International Entrepreneurs  One (1) company from Jamaica was selected - It's Pixel Perfect just completed the May 2019 cohort. Another potential participant from Jamaica was also selected by the DMZ to participate in September 2019.  Over the past 9 years, DMZ has developed award-winning programming which has helped tech founders raise millions of dollars and close billions worth of sales. Toronto's ecosystem has been recognized globally as a leader in innovation.