By Brent Patterson, BPI, February 12, 2021
On February 10, the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI) tweeted: “Face-to-face meetings won’t resume for a while, but we’ve got the next best thing – no commute required! Introducing Canadian Defence Marketplace [via] virtual B2B/G meetings. May 6 & Nov 4.”
The previous day CADSI had tweeted: “#CANSEC will be back – just not as soon as we hoped. Mark your calendars for June 1-2, 2022. In the meantime, we have your B2B/B2G needs covered for 2021.”
The Canadian Defence Marketplace, which is “proudly created and hosted by CADSI”, “is a new and innovative global platform bringing industry and government leaders together for virtual business-to-business and business-to-government meetings.”
Its website highlights “virtual and unlimited 20-minute B2B & B2G meetings” and “secure and private networking through video conferencing”.
Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Commercial Corporation are among the entities endorsing this virtual platform.
On March 23, 2020, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated: “The fury of the virus illustrates the folly of war. Silence the guns; stop the artillery; end the airstrikes. It is time to put armed conflict on lockdown and focus together on the true fight of our lives.”
That same day, CADSI tweeted: “We are communicating with the Province of Ontario & the Gov’t of Canada regarding the critical role of the defence & security sector with respect to national security during this unprecedented time.”
It also tweeted: “[The Government of Quebec] has confirmed defence manufacturing & maintenance services are considered essential services, may remain in operation.”
As such, while Guterres was calling for a global ceasefire, CADSI was lobbying to ensure that military production would continue during the pandemic.
Last year, more than 7,700 people signed this World Beyond War petition that stated: “CANSEC is a public health threat and the weapons it markets endanger all people and the planet. CANSEC must be cancelled – and Canada should ban all future weapons shows.”
This year, we encourage you to register for the #NOWAR2021 VIRTUAL CONFERENCE: From Weapons Fairs to War Zones that will take place from June 4-6.
