Weapons companies across Canada are making a fortune off of the carnage in Gaza and the occupation of Palestine.
This is a call to action. It's time to stop letting these weapons companies profit off of the massacre of thousands of Palestinians.
Find a location near you, scout and research it, get friends and allies together, and interrupt their business as usual to demand they stop selling arms and military technology to Israel. Check out the dozens of examples of actions that have taken place in the past 4 months, and this toolkit to think through taking action at a weapons company.
It is time for Canada to make its call for a ceasefire real by putting an arms embargo in place now. Until the Canadian government stops the flow of weapons to Israel, then people across the country are forced to take whatever actions we can to stop a genocide.
Note on the map above and list below: The Canada-Israel weapons trade is extremely secretive. This is an incomplete list of weapons companies involved in arming the Israeli military, and includes both manufacturing facilities and offices. It includes companies involved in arming the Israeli military via facilities and divisions in other countries, but where we do not yet have the information to confirm whether their Canadian branches are directly involved. Canadian data on 2022 military exports is available here. It does not name companies involved. Have more to add? Let us know by emailing us at canadastoparmingisrael@riseup.net Are you a public servant, member of the Canadian Armed Forces, private contractor, or anyone else with relevant information about Canada’s support for Israel’s military? Here’s how to share it with us safely and confidentially.
Information on the weapons companies involved in arming the Israeli military listed in the map above:
Canadian company that produces structural components for the F-35 out of its Moncton facility. The Israeli versions of these fighter jets, known as F35I Adirs, are being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
Arconic produces vital goods used in military aircrafts – specifically, Boeing Apache Helicopters and Lockheed Martin F-35 Fighter Jets. Both are supplied to the Israeli military occupation, who routinely put them to use in aerial assaults on Gaza.
Canadian company that produces structural components for the F-35. The Israeli military’s F-35s, known as F35I Adirs, are currently being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
ATP makes software for F-35s. Lockheed Martin’s F35 fighter jets are routinely used in war crimes against Palestinian civilians and were used extensively in the Gaza bombardment of 2014 and 2021. Israel’s Ministry of defense made a $3bn deal in July to purchase another 25 F-35s.
BAE Systems provides weapon systems and components to the Israeli Air Force’s fleet of F-15, F-16, and F-35 fighter jets.
Bell Textron Canada Ltd have a manufacturing and servicing plant for helicopters in Mirabel QC, and a supply centre in Calgary. At least two models of their fighter helicopters are used by Israel’s air force.
Canadian company supplying electro-hydraulic actuation system components to the F-35 program. The Israeli military’s F-35s, known as F35I Adirs, are currently being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
Boeing is the world’s third-largest military company. It manufactures multiple weapon systems sold to the Israeli military that are routinely used in war crimes against Palestinian civilians, including fighter jets, attack helicopters, missiles, bombs, and precision-guided bomb kits. Jeppesen and Aviall are owned by Boeing.
Boeing has previously noted that “Canadian partners provide aerospace parts for all Boeing commercial airplane models and nearly all defence programs, including the AH-64 Apache and F-15 fighter aircraft.” Both are currently being used by Israel to bomb Gaza.
For decades, Caterpillar has been supplying Israel with the D9 armored bulldozer, which the Israeli military routinely uses to demolish Palestinian homes and civilian infrastructure in the occupied West Bank and enforce the Gaza blockade. Now, their bulldozers have been crucial in the ground invasion, accompanying combat troops and paving their way by clearing roads and demolishing buildings, and in current raids of West Bank cities. Israel placed an urgent order for dozens of D9 armored bulldozers, some of which have been converted into remote-controlled or semi-autonomous vehicles so that they can operate without a driver in “complex,” “high-risk areas.” In November, Israel Aerospace Industries, the company that converts the bulldozers, modified more units for the Israeli military for its operations in Gaza.
An avionics company, founded in Canada, who applied for an export license in 2018 for “CMA-9000 flight management system for demonstration” destined for Elbit Systems. Elbit is Israel’s biggest weapons company.
Cobham Aerospace Communications’ parent company, Cobham, is part of the F-35 program. The Israeli military’s F-35s, known as F35I Adirs, are currently being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
Collins Aerospace is a subsidiary of RTX (formerly Raytheon). Collins Aerospace has partnered with Elbit Systems to provide Helmet Mounted Display Systems for the F-35 program. Collins also participates in the production of F-16 and Apache Helicopters. Israel’s fleets of F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, as well as its Apache helicopters, are being used in the assault on Gaza.
Colt produced the M16, the standard-issue assault rifle used by the Israeli military from the 1990s to the early 2010s. In November 2023, Israel ordered about 18,000 M4 and MK18 assault rifles from Colt for civilian “security squads” in dozens of cities and towns, including illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Colt’s Kitchener facility is considered Canada’s only significant machine gun factory.
An aerospace company that supports Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program, providing equipment connected to the handling of armaments and missiles on these fighter jets. The company also provides electronics to Apache helicopters. Curtiss-Wright was listed by Lockheed Martin in 2019 as one of the Canadian companies contributing to the F-35 program. Israel’s fleets of F-35 fighter jets and Apache helicopters are being used in the assault on Gaza.
Builds precision parts for Lockheed Martin’s F35s out of several GTA facilities.
Creates optoelectronics for a range of civilian and military uses and has exported various products to Israel.
Ford Motor Company is a US automaker whose commercial pickup trucks are armored and retrofitted for the Israeli military. The Ford Super Duty F-350 XL pickup truck, for example, serves as the basis of Plasan’s SandCat light armored vehicle. On Dec. 6, a U.S. cargo plane delivered SandCat vehicles to Israel.
FTG is a supplier to the F-35 program.
Canadian company that supplies engine health monitoring for the F-35 program. The Israeli military’s F-35s, known as F35I Adirs, are currently being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
The world’s sixth largest weapon manufacturer, General Dynamics
supplies the Israeli military with a wide variety of weapons, including artillery ammunition and bombs for attack jets currently used in Israel’s assault on Gaza. The company’s technologies are also integrated into Israel’s main weapon systems, including fighter jets and armored combat vehicles.
General Dynamics is the only company in the U.S. that makes the metal bodies of the MK-80 bomb series, the primary weapon type Israel uses to bomb Gaza, and the 155mm caliber artillery shells, which have been used extensively to attack Gaza. More information via AFSC here and here.
A subsidiary of General Dynamics, GDLS provides components and kits for armoured vehicles and other weapons systems to the Israeli military.
One of the world’s largest weapons companies, GE manufactures engines for multiple weapon systems that are routinely used in war crimes against Palestinians, including the Apache helicopters, and Boeing’s F-15 and Lockheed Martin’s F-16 fighter jets.
Provides engines and transmission units for multiple vehicles used by the Israeli military. In June 2022, the Israeli Ministry of Defense Department of Production and Procurement signed a NIS 100 million order from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for several hundred off-road vehicles with gasoline engines produced by General Motors. The vehicles are intended for special units in the Israeli military.
GeoSpectrum is a subsidiary of Elbit. Elbit is Israel’s biggest military and arms company.
Heroux-Devtek owns APPH, which manufactures military technology and landing gear for Elbit’s drones. Elbit’s drones are routinely used to bomb and surveil Palestinians. Heroux-Devtek is also a supplier to the F-35 fighter jet program.
Has provided jet engines and related services to Israel’s Ministry of Defense, including to trainer fighter jet planes. Its Ontario operations supply components for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 aircraft.
Horstman Canada is a combat vehicle company and division of the German Renk Group company that manufactures engines and transmission systems for Israel’s main battle tanks and armored personnel carriers.
Produces armoured vehicles and has supplied the government of Israel with more command and control units than any other supplier in history.
Kraken supplies its KATFISH towed sonar system to Elbit Systems Ltd., Israel’s biggest weapons company.
The world’s ninth largest weapon manufacturer, L3Harris components are integrated into multiple weapon systems used by the Israeli military, including Israel’s air-to-ground bombs as well as its main warplanes, battle tanks, and warships. Specifically, L3Harris’ components are built into Boeing’s JDAM kits, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 warplane, Northrop Grumman’s Sa’ar 5 warships, ThyssenKrupp’s Sa’ar 6 warships, and Israel’s Merkava battle tanks.
Formerly called Avcorp, Latecoere produces structural components for the F35 out of their site in Delta, BC. The Israeli military’s F-35s, known as F35I Adirs, are currently being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
Supplied Israel with screening technologies used at several military checkpoints in occupied Palestinian territory. The company’s SafeView body scanner machines have been installed in the Qalandia, Bethlehem, and Sha’ar Efraim (Irtach) checkpoints in the occupied West Bank. In addition, SafeView and ProVision scanners have been installed in the Erez checkpoint in the Gaza Strip.
Leonardo makes the naval guns installed on the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar warships, which have been used to strike Gaza over the past few months. They also produce targeting systems for the F-35 fighter jet and various components for the Apache attack helicopters that have been deployed in Gaza.
The world’s largest military company. It manufactures multiple weapon systems that are routinely used in war crimes against Palestinian civilians including the F16 and F35 fighter jets, warplanes used extensively in the Gaza bombardment of 2014 and 2021, and being used by the IDF in 2023-2024 as well. Lockheed Martin manufactures AGM-114 Hellfire missiles for Israel’s Apache helicopters. One of the main weapon types used in aerial attacks on Gaza, these missiles have been used extensively in 2023.
Magellan in Winnipeg manufactures “flight critical assemblies” to Lockheed Martin for production of their F-35 fighter jets.
Magellan’s Kitchener facility was awarded a multi-year contract in 2022 from Lockheed Martin for complex machined titanium components for all three variants of the F-35 aircraft.
F35s are routinely used in war crimes against Palestinian civilians and were used extensively in the Gaza bombardment of 2014 and 2021. Israel’s Ministry of defense made a $3bn deal in July to purchase another 25 F-35s.
Produces landing gear components for the F-35 fighter jet. The Israeli military’s F-35s, known as F35I Adirs, are currently being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
Northrop Grumman is the world’s sixth largest weapon manufacturer, and supplies the Israeli Air Force with the Longbow missile delivery system for its Apache attack helicopters and laser weapon delivery systems for its fighter jets. It has also supplied the Israeli Navy with Sa’ar 5 warships, which have participated in the assault on Gaza.
Palantir has provided its AI predictive policing system to Israeli security forces to be used in its surveillance of the Palestinian civilian population in the occupied Palestinian territory. The system is intended to identify individuals who are deemed likely to launch “lone wolf” terrorist attacks and is used to justify their pre-emptive arrest.
The Royal Bank of Canada is a major investor in Palantir, with ownership of 2,380,700 shares as of June 30 2023.
A Canadian company that produces components for the F-35. Canadian components produced for the F-35 program are manufactured in Canada and exported to Fort Worth, Texas, to be integrated into the aircraft on the final assembly line. The Israeli military’s F-35s, known as F35I Adirs, are currently being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
A subsidiary of RTX, formerly Raytheon Technologies, Pratt & Whitney has a long history selling to Israel’s Ministry of Defense.
The Israeli Air Force has operated Pratt & Whitney-powered aircraft for more than 65 years. Pratt & Whitney currently has a 15-year contract with the IMOD to service the entire fleet of IAF F-15s and F-16s – the latter being the IAF’s most important fighter jet.
Additionally, Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine powers the Lockheed Martin F35 fighter jet. The Israeli versions, known as F35I Adirs, are being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
Pratt & Whitney’s Canadian subsidiary manufactures the PT6A turboprop engine that powers IAI’s Heron TP/Eitan drones. These combat drones can be armed with missiles, and Israel uses them in airstrikes, surveillance, intelligence gathering and target acquisition. Israel is using them in its current attack on Gaza.
More information here.
The world’s second-largest military company, RTX (formerly Raytheon) manufactures missiles, bombs, components for fighter jets, and other weapon systems used by the Israeli military against Palestinian civilians. Notably, RTX supplies the Israeli Air Force with guided air-to-surface missiles for its F-16 fighter jets, as well as cluster bombs and bunker busters, which have consistently been used against Gaza’s civilian population and infrastructure.
An armored vehicle manufacturer located in Brampton, Ontario, that applied for export permits to send about thirty armored patrol vehicles to the Israeli government shortly after October 7, 2023. Roshel’s website advertises their partnership with Israeli Aerospace Industries, an Israeli state-owned weapons giant.
Safran Group has an agreement with the Israeli government to provide it with telemetry equipment that will serve in the testing of its anti-missile system, specifically Arrow 3 system, as well as an agreement with Israeli weapons manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to integrate Safran Vectronix AG’s Moskito Ti with Rafael’s Fire Weaver to make battlefield targeting technology.
An Israeli company specializing in high-tech security systems for fences and walls. Its perimeter intrusion detection system are installed in the West Bank and Gaza walls.
A British company that supplies a number of components to the F35 fighter jet program.
Produces structural components for the F-35 fighter jet out of its Lunenberg facility. The Israeli military’s F-35s, known as F35I Adirs, are currently being used by the Israeli Air Force in its deadly bombing campaign of Gaza.
Thales has been involved in Israel’s military supply chain for decades, providing various systems and components for Israel’s air force, navy and ground forces. Thales also provides materials for Israel’s fighter jets, such as the F-15 and the F-35. In addition, Thales supplies Israel with radars, missiles, electronic warfare systems, communication systems and naval equipment. Thales collaborates with Elbit, Israel’s largest weapons company,and they jointly own a subsidiary company UAV Tactical Systems (U-TacS), which makes killer drones.
A German shipbuilding company that boasts about decades of cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Israeli Navy. Recently signed a $3 billion deal to provide new submarines to the IDF.
Top Aces provides “advanced adversary training” to air forces. They recently purchased 29 former Israeli fighter jets (F-16s).
TTM Technologies has exported circuit boards from their Canadian location destined for consignees Elbit Systems & Artem Technologies Ltd, two Israeli companies, according to partially redacted records included in a 2020-2021 study by Canada’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE). According to the records and to a Plougshares analysis of those records, the circuit boards would be used “for Israel’s fleet of F-15 and V-22 aircraft, components for radios, transport vehicles, and other military goods.”
Other companies in Canada that support the Israeli military:
With Google, builds Project Nimbus, a 1.22 billion USD contract to provide cloud technology to the Israeli military and government.
Awz Ventures is a venture capital fund. For years, the company has poured investments—totalling at least $350 million—into high-tech companies that support the Israeli security industry. In 2021, Awz launched a start-up accelerator in Tel Aviv that partners with the Israeli Ministry of Defense’s research and development wing and other Israeli agencies, including intelligence agency Mossad, security agency Shin Bet, and the Israel Defense Force’s (IDF) elite cyber intelligence unit. Stephen Harper is a leading partner at the firm and president of its advisory committee.
More on Awz Ventures’ connections to the Israeli military in this Breach article.
Since 2020 Cisco has been building a Unified Communications System for the Israeli military, centralizing the video, voice and data transfer between units, and improving the military’s response time.
A large Canadian freight forwarding company that does not move goods but plays a role in the logistics of shipping defense related goods to Israel. David Kirsch Forwarders Ltd is named in an Israeli Ministry of Defence document containing “shipping instructions for Canadian origin freight.” Those making both shipments by air and ocean must contact this company ahead of the goods being available for shipment. This includes directions on sending explosives.
With Amazon, Google builds Project Nimbus, a 1.22 billion USD contract to provide cloud technology to the Israeli military and government.
They provide computer hardware to the Israeli army and maintain data centers through their servers for the Israeli police. They provide the Itanium servers to operate the Aviv System, the computerized database of Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority. This forms the backbone of Israel’s racial segregation and apartheid.
Not a weapons company, but notable for their $500 million investment in Elbit, Israel’s largest military and arms company.
Zim is Israel’s largest shipping line & supplies weapons to the Israeli military.
More information on the Canada-Israel arms trade
March 20 2024 update – have we won an arms embargo?
On Monday March 18 a majority of MPs voted in favour of a non-binding motion that included the demand for Canada to stop exporting arms to Israel (a one-way arms embargo).
Over the following two days, Minister Joly and Global Affairs Canada stated that Canada will follow up on the motion by suspending approval of any further permits for military exports to Israel.
This is a huge departure from Canada’s longstanding support of Israel, and it is a really big deal. Movement pressure successfully pushed the Canadian government to commit to suspending these arms exports. Once this policy is in place, we will have forced Canada to take a truly historic step for a G7 country and major ally of Israel. This news is already prompting outrage from the pro-Israel lobby and making waves internationally.
This is a big deal, but it is not yet an arms embargo.
While the Canadian government is promising to stop approving any more arms permits to Israel, they have not committed to actually stopping the transport of arms for those permits that have previously been approved. Any suspension that excludes the record-breaking number of arms approvals for Israel that our government pushed through in Oct-Dec makes a mockery of our collective demand for an arms embargo.
While the Canadian government is promising to stop approving any more arms permits to Israel, they have not committed to actually stopping the transport of arms for those permits that have previously been approved. Any suspension that excludes the record-breaking number of arms approvals for Israel that our government pushed through in Oct-Dec makes a mockery of our collective demand for an arms embargo.
These are the steps the government now needs to take — and that we are going to organize and mobilize to make sure they take — to enact a full, real arms embargo on Israel.
✔️ Commit to stopping approvals of military export permits to Israel
🔲 Publish a policy update suspending all new export permits to Israel on Global Affairs Canada website
🔲 Stop the transfer of arms that were already approved for export to Israel
🔲 Close the loophole by banning weapons going to Israel via the United States
🔲 Make the embargo two-way by stopping the purchase of weapons from Israel.
This progress would never have happened without the powerful and escalating grassroots organizing across the country demanding an arms embargo. But this is not the time to declare victory and move on — quite the opposite.
It is a critical moment to ramp up the pressure in order to make this real and actually stop the flow of all military goods to and from Israel.
Why are we demanding an immediate arms embargo?
Weapons companies across Canada are arming — and making a fortune off of — the carnage in Gaza and the massacre of thousands of Palestinians by selling weapons and military technology to Israel.
For five months, the Israeli military has been indiscriminately bombing civilian neighborhoods and infrastructure in Gaza, and has killed over 30,000 people, almost half of them children. Schools, hospitals, communications systems, water sources, agriculture as well doctors and journalists have been annihilated in targeted attacks, and food and fuel blocked leading to an unimaginable catastrophe being live streamed to our phones. Nearly 2 million people have been displaced, forced to march from one end of the Gaza strip to the next as bombs are dropped in “safe zones”.
Although the Canadian government has finally voted in favor of a ceasefire, Canada continues to support the Israeli military’s attacks on Gaza, notably by transferring weapons to Israel at record levels.
We are calling on Canada to impose an arms embargo on Israel, effective immediately. This means Canada would immediately halt all transfers of weapons to Israel. This includes canceling existing contracts to sell weapons, parts or military services to Israel, revoking existing export licenses, not issuing new contracts or export licenses, and immediately stopping the transfer of previously approved licenses.
It is time for Canada to make its call for a ceasefire real by cutting off the flow of weapons to Israel and putting an arms embargo in place now.
How do Canadian weapons and parts get exported to Israel? How would an embargo work?
The value of Canada’s arms trade with Israel has been accelerating in the last few years, and in 2022 was at the third-highest level on record. In fact, according to the Government of Canada’s 2022 Exports of Military Goods report, while Israel wasn’t Canada’s largest export destination by value of military goods, there were more military export permits last year from Canada to Israel than to any other country. Canada awarded 315 permits for a total of $21.3 million worth of military goods and technology exported to Israel in 2022. Including $3.2 million in bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles, and other explosive devices. Unfortunately the figures released by the Canadian government exclude a large proportion of the military goods Canada provides to Israel by excluding all weapons components that are shipped to the United States, notably including the Canadian-made components that go into the F-35i fighter jets currently being used by the IDF to bomb Gaza.
Documents obtained by The Maple through an access to information request showed that from October to December Canada authorized a record-breaking amount of export permits to Israel – at least 28.5 million dollars, more than in all of 2021 or 2022.
In order to export military goods, Canadian manufacturers must obtain permits under the Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA). Each year, Global Affairs Canada must deliver a report to Parliament to provide information on the export of military goods and technology from Canada in a given calendar year.
We are calling on Canada to impose an arms embargo on Israel, effective immediately. This means Canada immediately halting all transfers of weapons to Israel. This includes canceling existing contracts to sell weapons, parts or military services to Israel, revoking existing export licenses, and not issuing new contracts or export licenses.
An arms embargo can be put into place immediately and there are precedents for this. The Canadian government flipped the switch on export & brokering permits to Russia very quickly following its invasion of Ukraine, in spite of pre-existing contracts and related liabilities. Canada stopped issuing new permits and canceled existing ones. (See here for more information.)
And they did something similar with Turkiye in 2021, canceling existing export permits and putting a policy of presumptive denial against authorizing new ones, due to Turkiye’s illicit supply of Canadian-made military goods to Azerbaijan which was used in Azerbaijan’s attacks on Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Canada also imposed a two-way arms embargo on Israel in the late 1980s as a response to Israeli violence against Palestinians during the first intifada.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has the legal authority under Canada’s Export and Import Permits Act, and responsibility under the Arms Trade Treaty, to deny export permits for arms to Israel on human rights grounds. She can do this today.
Canada also buys weapons from Israel
At the same time as Canada exports weapons to Israel, Canada imported over $130 million in arms from Israel between 2018-2022, making Canada Israel’s 6th largest arms customer. This means that Canada is funding Israel’s arms industry at the same time as Canadian weapons are being used by the Israeli military.
For this reason, in addition to an arms embargo that would immediately stop all military exports from Canada to Israel, we support a two-way arms embargo that would stop all military imports from Israel to Canada as well.
Canada's arms trade with Israel contravenes the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) and the ICJ ruling
Canada has a legal responsibility under the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), and its harmonized domestic legislation (Canada’s Export and Import Permits Act, EIPA), to ensure its arms exports are not used in the commission of serious violations of international law, or serious violence against women and children. The Arms Trade Treaty, of which Canada is a signatory, stresses the importance of respecting international humanitarian law, human rights, and regulating the global arms trade. Article 6.3 prohibits arms transfers by state parties if they know the arms could be used in genocide, crimes against humanity, grave breaches of the Geneva conventions, attacks directed against civilians, or other war crimes. There is ample evidence that arms are currently being used by Israel in precisely these ways.
On January 26 the International Court of Justice found that South Africa made a plausible case that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Indeed, a large majority of the ICJ judges concluded that Palestinians in Gaza face a “real and imminent risk” of genocide. The court also ordered Israel to comply with six provisional measures to protect Palestinians in Gaza from genocidal violence. This ruling has real and urgent implications for Canada, which as a party to the genocide convention, has an obligation to prevent genocide as soon as it is aware that there’s a risk it is being perpetrated. The ICJ’s ruling has made Canada’s obligations crystal clear. An obvious and immediate step that Canada must take to to fulfill its obligation under international law is to impose an arms embargo on Israel and stop permitting the sale or transfer of weapons and components to Israel. It should also halt all sales and transfers of weapons and components made in Canada to U.S. or other international companies for inclusion in weapons systems destined for Israel.
On February 23 UN Experts released an emergency statement entitled “Arms exports to Israel must stop immediately” that highlighted Canada’s complicity and arms trade with Israel. It noted that “state officials involved in arms exports may be individually criminally liable for aiding and abetting any war crimes, crimes against humanity or acts of genocide” and that arms companies contributing to the production and transfer of arms to Israel and businesses investing in those companies also risk complicity in violations of international humanitarian law and international criminal law.
Why did my MP tell me Canada isn't arming Israel or that it's only sending "non-lethal" military goods?
The Canadian government is feeling an enormous amount of pressure right now to answer as to why Canada is continuing to send weapons to Israel. Instead of engaging with the demand for an arms embargo being made by tens of thousands of people across the country, and hundreds of civil society organizations and community groups, they have chosen to make deeply misleading and in some cases categorically false statements concerning the arms trade.
According to a statement released on February 29 by Project Ploughshares, Canada’s leading arms control experts:
Canadian officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, have recently claimed that Canada does not export weapons to Israel, and instead has only exported “non-lethal” equipment to that country. Moreover, the Prime Minister stated before Parliament on February 14, 2024, that no export permits have been issued for Canadian arms transfers to Israel since October 7, 2023.
The Foreign Minister’s statement is misleading. The Prime Minister’s is patently false.
Documents recently released by Global Affairs Canada show that Canadian officials authorized nearly $30-million in military goods to Israel since October 7, 2023. These recent arms export authorizations are in addition to the more than $140-million (constant CAD) in military goods Canada has transferred to Israel over the last decade.
Under Canada’s export control regime, there exists no category for “non-lethal” arms exports. The relevant question is whether Canada has authorized the export of controlled military goods to Israel – and it has.
Given that the Government of Canada recognizes all these proposed exports as military goods, the claim that Canada only exports “non-lethal” equipment to Israel is misleading. Technology does not need be lethal itself to otherwise enable lethal operations.
More info:
- Read this article published by The Maple on government efforts to avoid transparency on Canadian arms exports.
- Here is a document prepared by members of Labour Against the Arms Trade, Labour 4 Palestine and World BEYOND War who live in MP Dzerowicz’ riding to respond to misinformation from her and her office here.
Send an urgent message to demand Canada stop arming Israel's genocidal violence to your Member of Parliament, the Prime Minister, and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, International Trade, and Defense.
Toolkit: How to take action against weapons companies in your community
Updates on actions across the country
Activists blocked the CN rail tracks used for transporting weapons to Israel via ZIM ships on the day a ZIM ship arrived in Kjipuktuk (Halifax) from Haifa.
Yesterday at dawn 200 workers & community members blockaded all 4 entrances to @prattandwhitney's Toronto plant. This company makes the engines that power the Israeli military's war planes & combat drones. For 4 hours not a single car or truck made it in. 📽️ by @worldchangemed pic.twitter.com/mH1xm1Trd3
— World BEYOND War Canada (@WBWCanada) December 13, 2023
This morning union activists & allies blocked entrances to GeoSpectrum in Dartmouth NS & disrupted their genocidal profiteering.
— Labour 4 Palestine (@PalestineLabour) November 9, 2023
GeoSpectrum is a subsidiary of Elbit, a leading supplier of weapons to Israel. They're complicit in genocide.#shutitdown4palestine #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/NOW7Fx98Sz
Protesters shut down two Boeing gates in Winnipeg to demand the company divest from manufacturing weapons used by Israel to commit genocide in Gaza. 🧵#mbpoli #cdnpoli #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/sM2EZxee8G
— Emily Leedham (@Emily_Leedham_) November 10, 2023
BREAKING: Protestors in Winnipeg are picketing Boeing, a company that supplies weapons that Israel uses to massacre Palestinians in Gaza. #ShutitDown #ShutitDown4Palestine #BlocktheBombs #StopArmingIsrael #CeasefireNOW pic.twitter.com/IQyRcX8gKW
— Queers for Palestine – Winnipeg (@q4palestine) November 9, 2023
BREAKING: As Israel bombards Gaza, we’re taking action with workers in Canada @LAATCanada & @PalestineLabour to block entrances to INKAS, a Toronto-based company that supplies military equipment to Israel.#CanadaStopArmingIsrael pic.twitter.com/QnWeSDumKo
— World BEYOND War Canada (@WBWCanada) October 30, 2023
We're featured on @democracynow’s daily show blocking a Toronto company arming Israel alongside the incredible #PalSolidaritySitIn actions at MP offices cross-country. 🔥 A groundswell demanding an end to Canadian complicity: #CanadaStopArmingIsrael #CeasefireNOW #FreePalestine! pic.twitter.com/pw0DEyoy6P
— World BEYOND War Canada (@WBWCanada) October 31, 2023
Demonstrators in Vancouver occupied Scotiabank downtown on November 9th. Scotia Bank holds the largest foreign share of Elbit Systems, Israel's largest arms manufacturer.
Family-led protest of over a hundred people at the offices of Lockheed Martin in Esquimalt/Victoria BC. (Nov 13) Wheat-pasted pictures of martyred children and bloody hand prints were left on the building.
Activists covered the entrance to a Toronto weapons facility with 'blood splatters'. L3Harris makes vital components for many of the weapons systems used by the Israeli military, including the air-to-ground bombs falling on Gaza right now. Click on photo for more.
The lobby of the building where CADSI the voice of the weapons industry in Canada works was occupied today with the message #StopArmingGenocide. Given the companies that arm Israel will be at the CADSI-organized CANSEC arms show May 29-30 the promise was also made to #StopCANSEC. pic.twitter.com/D1OPtc9lYe
— Peace Brigades International - Canada (@PBIcanada) February 14, 2024
Feb 2 2024 - A picket at Kraken Robotics in Newfoundland, a company that supplies Elbit Systems, Israel's largest weapons company.
January 13 2024 - Montrealers rallied at Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly's home, calling for an end to Canada's military and diplomatic support for Israeli genocide.
December 5 - A group of citizens gathered in front of the General Dynamics arms factory in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Quebec to denounce Canada's arms shipments to Israel.
Yesterday we disrupted Israeli shipping company Zim’s operations at their offices in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, and with a rail blockade in London! Here’s a great tv segment from City News that aired every hour. #ShutZimDown #CanadaStopArmingIsrael pic.twitter.com/gRFn5lZefQ
— World BEYOND War Canada (@WBWCanada) December 12, 2023
Tonight we disrupted the Manitoba Aerospace All-Stars Gala, where the Magellan F-35 team was receiving an award of excellence. No awards for genocide! No arms for Israel! pic.twitter.com/NxcboVPClq
— Queers for Palestine – Winnipeg (@q4palestine) November 24, 2023
Now! Vancouver #ShutItDown Action to #StopArmingIsrael
— Harsha Walia (@HarshaWalia) November 9, 2023
WE Have Shut Down ZIM OFFICES
Here in solidarity with #BlockTheBoat actions blockading ZIM shipments across the world. Zim is Israel's largest shipping line & supplies weapons to IOF. ZIM is active in genocide. pic.twitter.com/bF35xghATv
Watch this excellent CBC news coverage of our blockade of INKAS, a Toronto company arming Israel. And thanks to this INKAS executive for letting us know our action worked so well: “this situation is causing our business to lose money, to lose profits”.
Great TV news feature on Monday's action! "People are going to keep showing up, keep interrupting business as usual where the Israeli government operates, the Canadian government operates, at sites where Canadian companies are profiting off arming Israel." #CanadaStopArmingIsrael pic.twitter.com/u15iVk0M42
— World BEYOND War Canada (@WBWCanada) October 31, 2023
At the war memorial in London, Ontario - Ceasefire now! End Canadian arms sale to Israel.
Activists paid a visit to Leidos in Ottawa to let them know that we see them profiting off of the massacre of Palestinians. LEIDOS: #STOPARMINGISRAEL.
Activists installed a banner at a compound office for Lockheed Martin, Dept of National Defence & Victoria Shipyards. Click on photo for more info.
Ready to take action? Let us know so we can support.
We can support with inviting allies to join you, publicizing your plans (if they’re public), getting media attention, providing more info on weapons producers, and disseminating photos. Email canadastoparmingisrael@riseup.net to get in touch. And please send us photos afterwards or tag us on socials (@worldbeyondwarcanada on IG, @wbwcanada on Twitter) so we can compile and amplify actions across the country.
In collaboration with Labour for Palestine, Canadian Foreign Policy Institute, Just Peace Advocates, Labour Against the Arms Trade, and the Canadian BDS Coalition.
Please help disseminate. Shareable graphics available here.
Please direct any media requests to canada@worldbeyondwar.org
