Dear editor:

No doctor should ever have to decide which malnourished child gets to eat. Yet, this was the heartbreaking reality for American doctor Jennifer Furin, who worked in a small hospital in rural Burundi, struggling to save children with rapidly dwindling supplies of therapeutic food.

With the United States freezing activities under the United States Agency for International Development, urgent humanitarian assistance is needed now more than ever.

As a global leader, Canada has the diplomatic influence to rally other nations and institutions in the fight against global poverty.

Despite the setbacks caused by USAID, Canada has the opportunity to make a tangible difference by increasing the International Assistance Envelope in 2025.

Canada can help build a more stable, equitable, and prosperous world by addressing critical gaps in nutrition, immunization, and education.

While these crises may seem overwhelming, Canada has the power to act — ensuring doctors like Jennifer never face such impossible choices because #TogetherWeLead.