The release of Global Affair Canada’s (GAC) Report on the Export of Military Goods from Canada—2017 provided the most authoritative and comprehensive account of Canadian military exports on record.
Time for answers: Letter to Trudeau on the Saudi arms deal
The Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, P.C., M.P. Prime Minister of Canada 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2 4 March 2019 Re: Canada’s Export of Light Armoured Vehicles to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Dear Prime Minister Trudeau, The undersigned, representing a cross-section of Canadian civil society organizations focused on arms controls, human rights, international security, humanitarian assistance …
Canada Can’t Keep Denying It Ought To Scrap Saudi Arms Deal
Since the moment it was announced in 2014 by the Harper government, the multibillion-dollar Canadian arms export deal with human-rights pariah Saudi Arabia has been shrouded in controversy. Most recently it has come under renewed scrutiny following allegations that the Saudi regime used violence — and Canadian equipment — to repress civilians in the Eastern Province. Through it all, Ottawa’s handling of …
Ploughshares in the news: January 2016
January 18, 2016 January 4 The Globe and Mail: Ottawa going ahead with Saudi arms deal despite condemning executions (quotes Cesar) By Steven Chase January 5 The Globe and Mail: Critics push Ottawa to explain justification for Saudi arms deal (quotes Ken) By Steven Chase Common Dreams.org (progressive news hub): Canada Condemns Saudi Executions, But Arms Sales Speak Louder Than Words (quotes “Ploughshares”) …
Paper tigers: Canada’s pursuit of military exports has left a trail of secrecy and lax standards
Author Cesar Jaramillo Published in The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 36 Issue 1 Spring 2015 On paper, Canada has “some of the strongest export controls in the world” (FATDC 2014). But recent developments make them seem like little more than paper tigers. The sale of Canadian manufactured light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia is only the most egregious recent example of …
Largest Canadian military contractors win record orders in 2013-14
Author Kenneth Epps Published in The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 35 Issue 4 Winter 2014 Canada’s military industry received record-breaking orders from domestic and foreign customers during fiscal year 2013-14, according to government sources. Prime contracts placed with Canadian-based companies by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) on behalf of the Department of National Defence (DND) and by the Canadian Commercial Corporation …
Canada’s arms exports: New report reflects old habits that fall short of the transparency standards of the Arms Trade Treaty
Author Kenneth Epps Published in The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 35 Issue 2 Summer 2014 In February the Export Controls Bureau of Foreign Affairs, Development and Trade Canada (DFATD) posted without notice its latest report on the export of military goods from Canada. The report reveals details of arms exports to all recipient countries except the United States for the calendar years 2010 and 2011. …
New facts confirm unprecedented size of Canadian arms sale to Saudi Arabia
Project Ploughshares has obtained official data that for the first time reveals the exact value of recently awarded multiyear contracts for Canada to supply Saudi Arabia with military armoured vehicles. Information obtained from the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) under an Access to Information request shows that two contracts totalling $14.8-billion were awarded by the CCC to General Dynamics Land Systems …
Arms export win is human rights loss
Author Kenneth Epps Published in The Ploughshares Monitor Volume 35 Issue 1 Spring 2014 A $10-billion deal announced by Ottawa will supply weapons-equipped vehicles to Saudi armed forces An enormous order of armoured vehicles from Saudi Arabia, announced by Minister for International Trade Ed Fast on February 14, may become the conflicted poster child for Canada’s efforts to boost military exports. …
Redefining industrial benefits: The F-35 program
Lest anyone thinks that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is out of the running for Canada’s replacement fighter aircraft program, Industry Canada has just issued its third report on the prospective benefits Canada’s military aerospace industry can anticipate if Canada places an order. In sum, the report provides an updated total of $9.93 billion (U.S.) for “contracts and identified …