NDP Foreign Affairs critic Paul Dewar stood up in Question Period on Tuesday and asked the government whether it supports a binding international convention to reduce and eventually eliminate nuclear weapons, given that it has been “missing in action” on a number of disarmament initiatives.
The government’s response?
From Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs David Anderson: “We continue to be engaged with our allies and partners across the world on these issues.”
The Prime Minister did announce a number of small steps related to nuclear issues at the Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague on Tuesday (Trinh Theresa Do, “Canada pledges $28M at Hague summit to combat nuclear terrorism,” CBC News, 25 March 2014).
But, overall, there hasn’t been much to applaud in his government’s indifferent approach to nuclear disarmament issues.
At least he hasn’t appointed a representative of the nuclear weapons industry to Canada’s arms control delegation.
So far.
