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It was the previous Liberal government that had championed irrational bans on trade and travel like these Ebola visa restrictions after Toronto had unfairly been slapped with a travel advisory during the SARS crisis. On his first day in power, Trudeau can bring Canada back into compliance with its international legal obligations and boost an important global health treaty that its predecessors prominently ignored. Besides, as Ebola case numbers in West Africa have remained for weeks at single digits and dwindle towards zero, even the original misguided rationale for this policy has all but disappeared.

Fifth, the incoming government can formally de-link international development assistance from Canada’s economic interests. In theory, Canada was once committed to a foreign-aid strategy that emphasized initiatives that have the greatest social impact. However, in 2012, Canada adopted a new policy of giving aid based on how much of it gets kicked-back to Canadian companies. This is trade, not aid. As a result, Canada has been ridiculed internationally, taken flack for snubbing its international commitments and lost influence in global fora. Ending this colonial anachronism would help Trudeau and his government bring Canada back to the table as an influential middle power.

Implementing the full range of changes promised during the election campaign will take a long time, probably many years. Quick-wins will be important for Trudeau to show Canadians that his Liberal government can bring about the breadth and depth of change for which he was given a majority. Fortunately for him, he has many options. These five quick-wins are primed and ready to go. Implementing them in the few minutes of cabinet table time that they require could make for one very productive — even historic — first day in office. It would certainly signal that real change is coming.

National Post

Steven J. Hoffman is a member of University of Ottawa’s Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics, an associate professor of law and director of the Global Strategy Lab at the University of Ottawa and an adjunct associate professor of global health and population at Harvard University. Patrick Fafard is a member of University of Ottawa’s Centre for Health Law, Policy and Ethics and an associate professor of public and international affairs.