How to let Parliament know you want better oversight of arms exports

ParliamentHélène Laverdière, NDP Foreign Affairs Critic and member of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, tabled a motion on February 4th to establish a sub-committee on Canadian arms export controls. This sub-committee would monitor Canadian arms exports to ensure that Canadian export control policy is being upheld.

This proposal comes against a backdrop of ongoing revelations about Canadian arms exports to one of the world’s most repressive regimes, Saudi Arabia, in blatant contradiction of our arms export control policy.  The latest bombshell is that at least two types of Canadian-made weapons, Light Armoured Vehicles  and sniper rifles, are apparently being used in the brutal conflict underway in Yemen.

Canadian arms trade expert Ken Epps highlights how hard it is to get a handle on the scale of Canadian arms exports, given the weak reporting requirements and the “significant loophole” that omits component parts shipped to the United States from any reporting requirement whatsoever.

Establishing a Parliamentary sub-committee specifically responsible for providing oversight of Canada’s arms export controls could go a long way towards reducing the potential for Canadian-made arms ending up fueling regional conflicts or contributing to the abuse of civilians.

A majority of members of the Committee must vote in favour of this motion in order to have this important committee established.

Please send an email to the Foreign Affairs Committee members urging them to support this motion to establish a sub-committee on Canadian arms export controls.

The contact information for all committee members is provided below:

CHAIR:

Robert Nault (LIB)
Email: Bob.Nault@parl.gc.ca
Phone: 613-996-1161

VICE-CHAIRS:

Dean Allison (CON)
Email: dean.allison@parl.gc.ca
Phone: 613-995-2772

Hélène Laverdière (NDP)
Email: Helene.Laverdiere@parl.gc.ca
Phone: 613-992-6779

MEMBERS:

Marc Miller (LIB)
Email: Marc.Miller@parl.gc.ca
Phone:  613-995-6403

Tony Clement (CON)
Email: tony.clement@parl.gc.ca
Phone: 613-944-7740

Peter Fragiskatos (LIB)
Email: Peter.Fragiskatos@parl.gc.ca
Phone: 613-992-0805

Peter Kent (CON)
Email: peter.kent@parl.gc.ca
Phone: 613-992-0253

Michael Levitt (LIB)
Email: Michael.Levitt@parl.gc.ca
Phone: 613-941-6339

Raj Saini (LIB)
Email: Raj.Saini@parl.gc.ca
Phone: 613-995-8913

Jati Sidhu (LIB)
Email: Jati.Sidhu@parl.gc.ca
Phone: 613-992-1248

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