Yesterday was the International Day of the Seafarer and this year the occasion takes on special meaning and a sense of urgency. All over the world, seafarers have continued to work, facilitating the movement of essential goods and people, keeping world economies on life support. But it has come at a significant cost. The welfare of seafarers globally is at risk as a majority of countries will not support normal crew changes and the movement of seafarers during the pandemic. While Canada did not shy away from its international commitments, including supporting crew changes, this is a global challenge that requires a global solution and Canada can and should be more vocal on the world stage to help resolve this dire situation. This is an issue close to our hearts, and yesterday we released a video highlighting the importance of seafarers. The video can be found here: https://theprovince.com/opinion/robert-lewis-manning-on-international-day-of-the-seafarer-lets-not-forget-the-unsung-heroes/wcm/e01d4e1d-beb1-48cb-8505-6a8e84bde38f
