By Elizabeth Cannon, Calgary Herald, 23 July 2026
We live in turbulent times, troubled by economic uncertainty and threatened by currents of technological change. In moments of vulnerability, the global impulse is to pull inward, but shared challenges demand co-operation.
The world needs more Canada, but what does this look like? The Ismaili Imamat’s partnership with Alberta, formalized in 2012, is little known to most Canadians but is a vibrant example of how the best of Canada can be brought to bear on the world stage.
I have had the privilege of working alongside the Ismaili community in several capacities. Through the leadership of His Highness the Aga Khan (visiting Alberta and B.C. this week [23-26 July]), and his late father, Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, a common thread weaves throughout the community and its institutions.
The Aga Khan holds the office of Imamat, a hereditary office represented by the succession of Imams, who are direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. The Ismaili Imamat’s mandate is to guide the interpretation and practise of the faith and improve the quality of life of its followers and the communities in which they live.
These are not separate endeavours but the result of an enlightened perspective in which faith and world interact with vigour and purpose. It is a contemporary interpretation of Islam, characterized by an ethical orientation, a sense of stewardship, and responsibility to both humanity and nature.
These sensibilities inform the Ismaili Imamat’s partnership in Canada, the effect of which is most discernible in tertiary education. Canada’s universities have always done more than just educate — they orient us, steering the best of our minds toward the betterment of humanity.
The institutions of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) are a vital global bridge through which this is accomplished. As a member of the Aga Khan University’s (AKU) board of trustees, I am still amazed by the scale of AKU’s global reach — six campuses across three continents, more than 4,000 students, and 17,000 faculty and staff. Now in its fifth decade, the university is active in East Africa, Pakistan and the United Kingdom.
The University of Calgary’s partnership with AKU is one example of how Canadian expertise is leveraged across borders, through collaboration with the University of Calgary’s faculty of nursing’s work in child and maternal health, the Cumming School of Medicine’s research in cardiac sciences, and with the Werklund School in education and social development. This exchange brings Canadian expertise to the world and equips faculty and students with globally relevant knowledge.
It is a partnership built on a shared commitment to pluralism, evidenced by the University of Calgary’s Pluralism Initiative, which stems from collaboration between the Aga Khan University and the Global Centre for Pluralism. The certificate in pluralism and global citizenship, and the establishment of a Canada Research Chair in pluralism, enable students, faculty and aspiring professionals to better respond to the forces of polarization, disconnection and mistrust at the individual and institutional level.
At the federal level, this partnership has found renewed expression in a joint declaration made between Prime Minister Mark Carney and His Highness the Aga Khan. It is underpinned by mutual interest, shared values and an alignment of opportunity.
The Ismaili Imamat will advance efforts in education and skills development, preparing a workforce of the future that utilizes Canadian innovation in climate action and health. Canada will draw on the Ismaili community’s experience in developing a unique multi-generational housing model to invest in projects. The AKDN’s experience in infrastructure, energy and agriculture, informed by its long-standing presence in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, will contribute to Canada’s economic investment and diversification efforts abroad. It is a partnership which, in its dynamism and scope, is without precedent.
The world does need more Canada, and partnerships like this bring Canada to the world.
Elizabeth Cannon is president emerita, University of Calgary, and a trustee of the Aga Khan University.
Source: Calgary Herald
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