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Q&A: Kelsey Gallagher in Armenia
BY Wendy Stocker Meeting other practitioners working in the field of human rights monitoring is always a great opportunity. Arms control wasn’t a topic largely explored, except for the panel I presented on. Therefore, the conference provided the opportunity to meet others that are working in generally the... [Read More]

2022 NPT Review Conference fails to deliver
BY Cesar Jaramillo The official record will show that Russia tanked the long-delayed and much-anticipated 10th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), that it was the sole NPT state party to block consensus on the outcome document, and that the disagreement was... [Read More]

Analyzing Canadian arms exports for 2021
BY Kelsey Gallagher On May 31, the Canadian government tabled the 2021 Exports of Military Goods report, providing details on reported Canadian arms exports and brokering of military goods for that year. The total value of these exports was the second highest in history: $2.73-billion. As has been... [Read More]

After the ISS: Why cooperation in space remains essential
BY Jessica West Just as China’s first permanent space station Tiangong (“heavenly palace”) nears competition, the International Space Station (ISS) is, apparently, nearing its end. With war in Ukraine as a backdrop, Russia has stated its intentions to withdraw from the partnership that built and has maintained the... [Read More]

Canadian military aid to Ukraine in 2022
BY Kelsey Gallagher In response to Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine, Canada has announced successive shipments of military goods to the Ukrainian government. As of mid-May 2022, the value of all committed transfers was in excess of $150-million, with military aid worth a further $500-million proposed in Canada’s... [Read More]

The Open-Ended Working Group on Space Threats: Recap of the first meeting, May 2022
BY Jessica West and Mehnaz Hossain The entire terrestrial-space infrastructure is threatened by new technology and a deteriorating international security environment, in which more and more states see space as an appealing target for disruption and even violence. This threat to our way of life could be on the scale of... [Read More]

Death by a Thousand Red Lines: The Colossal Failure of the 10th NPT Review Conference
BY Cesar Jaramillo The profound rifts that divided NPT states parties from the beginning and prevented even modest progress ran much deeper than the predictably contentious Ukrainian conflict. Well before the Russian delegation took the floor during the last session to indicate that it would not endorse the... [Read More]

Project Ploughshares is a Canadian peace research institute with a focus on disarmament efforts and international security, specifically related to the arms trade, emerging military and security technologies, nuclear weapons, and outer space.

Latest Analysis & Commentary

Q&A: Kelsey Gallagher in Armenia

September 20, 2022

Meeting other practitioners working in the field of human rights monitoring is always a great opportunity. Arms control wasn’t a topic largely explored, except for the panel I presented on. Therefore, the conference provided the opportunity to meet others that are working in generally the same field, but with diverging approaches and interests. This exposure broadened my own perspective. I expect that I will find ways to interact with some of these people on projects of common interest in the future.

2022 NPT Review Conference fails to deliver

September 20, 2022

The official record will show that Russia tanked the long-delayed and much-anticipated 10th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), that it was the sole NPT state party to block consensus on the outcome document, and that the disagreement was ultimately over references in the text relevant to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This is all accurate—but only part of the story.

Analyzing Canadian arms exports for 2021

September 20, 2022

On May 31, the Canadian government tabled the 2021 Exports of Military Goods report, providing details on reported Canadian arms exports and brokering of military goods for that year. The total value of these exports was the second highest in history: $2.73-billion. As has been true in recent years, most exports were light armoured vehicles (LAVs) destined for Saudi Arabia; however, exports to non-Saudi destinations also hit historic highs.

After the ISS: Why cooperation in space remains essential

September 20, 2022

Just as China’s first permanent space station Tiangong (“heavenly palace”) nears competition, the International Space Station (ISS) is, apparently, nearing its end. With war in Ukraine as a backdrop, Russia has stated its intentions to withdraw from the partnership that built and has maintained the ISS as a permanently crewed human habitat in low Earth orbit for more than 20 years.

Tracking us all: A look at the data brokerage industry

September 20, 2022

It is disturbingly easy to buy and sell an individual’s private data. Each time we visit a website, open an app, or use the GPS on our phones, we are subjected to ‘cookies’ that, usually under the guise of improving user service, collect user data and track Internet activity. But cookie ‘crumbs’ can reveal an individual’s demographic data, locations, and habits.

Canada’s arms trade and violence against women

September 20, 2022

In 2017, Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) became official. A message from the Minister of Foreign Affairs states that the policy’s main objective is to “eradicate poverty” globally by addressing inequality, specifically gender inequality. FIAP is organized into action areas, with a core area of “gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls” linked to other action areas, including “peace and security.”

Canadian military aid to Ukraine in 2022

September 12, 2022

In response to Russia’s February invasion of Ukraine, Canada has announced successive shipments of military goods to the Ukrainian government. As of mid-May 2022, the value of all committed transfers was in excess of $150-million, with military aid worth a further $500-million proposed in Canada’s 2022 federal budget.

Recent Publications

The Ploughshares Monitor: Autumn 2022

Volume 43 Issue 3 A quarterly publication of Project Ploughshares Please click on attachment to view document: Spread the Word

The Open-Ended Working Group on Space Threats: Recap of the first meeting, May 2022

The entire terrestrial-space infrastructure is threatened by new technology and a deteriorating international security environment, in which more and more states see space as an appealing target for disruption and...

Death by a Thousand Red Lines: The Colossal Failure of the 10th NPT Review Conference

The profound rifts that divided NPT states parties from the beginning and prevented even modest progress ran much deeper than the predictably contentious Ukrainian conflict. Well before the Russian delegation...

The Ploughshares Monitor: Summer 2022

Volume 43 Issue 2 A quarterly publication of Project Ploughshares Please click on attachment to view document: Spread the Word

Developing norms for enhanced security in outer space: Process and priorities

This document reflects research and analysis conducted by Project Ploughshares Senior Researcher Dr. Jessica West and Gilles Doucet of Spectrum Space Security on how the existing normative framework in outer...

Regulating new tools of warfare: Insights from humanitarian disarmament and arms control efforts

As the tools and methods of warfare continue to evolve, it is critical that arms control, disarmament, and normative regimes also advance. Warfighting applications of today’s emerging technologies, including artificial...

Norms for Outer Space: A Small Step or a Giant Leap for Policymaking?

Space is increasingly critical to modern life on Earth. But there is growing concern that, as it becomes more economically and strategically important, tensions between different space actors are heightening...

The Ploughshares Monitor: Spring 2022

Volume 43 Issue 1 A quarterly publication of Project Ploughshares Please click on attachment to view document: Spread the Word

Recent Research in Action

Delegates at the United Nations Have Begun Forging New Rules for Space

May 11, 2022

“There’s a good display of goodwill and broad engagement. I think there’s points of consensus on what needs to be done. We need to find common understandings of how international laws apply in space,” says Jessica West, a senior researcher at the research institute Project Ploughshares based in Waterloo, Ontario, who’s attending the meeting.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threatens the long-standing global co-operation in space, experts say

March 15, 2022

"Can the International Space Station be suddenly dropped over Europe? No. Is that going to happen? Again, no," said Jessica West, a senior researcher at Project Ploughshares, a Canadian peace research institute at the University of Waterloo.

Experts warn that Canadian weapons shipped to Ukraine could end up in the wrong hands

March 16, 2022

"There is the real threat that the Ukrainian government can potentially not control all of these weapons," said Kelsey Gallagher, a researcher with Project Ploughshares, a Canadian non-government disarmament group. "They could end up anywhere."

Canadian air strike targeting gear appears to be playing supporting role in Ukraine’s fight against Russia

March 3, 2022

“Footage released of air strikes carried out by Ukrainian Bayraktar TB2s include the graphical interface associated with Wescam surveillance and targeting sensors. This is Canadian hardware,” - Kelsey Gallagher

Latest News

Q&A: Kelsey Gallagher in Armenia

September 20, 2022

Meeting other practitioners working in the field of human rights monitoring is always a great opportunity. Arms control wasn’t a topic largely explored, except for the panel I presented on. Therefore, the conference provided the opportunity to meet others that are working in generally the same field, but with diverging approaches and interests. This exposure broadened my own perspective. I expect that I will find ways to interact with some of these people on projects of common interest in the future.

2022 NPT Review Conference fails to deliver

September 20, 2022

The official record will show that Russia tanked the long-delayed and much-anticipated 10th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), that it was the sole NPT state party to block consensus on the outcome document, and that the disagreement was ultimately over references in the text relevant to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This is all accurate—but only part of the story.

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