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As Rafah burned, hundreds confronted military and weapons company representatives at the CANSEC Arms Fair, and then the government at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on May 29th 2024.

This year, groups across the city came together to confront all of the companies and individuals who profit most from war and bloodshed at CANSEC at 7AM at the EY Centre, and then to call out the Canadian government’s complicity on Parliament Hill at noon.
We blocked CANSEC, Canada’s biggest military and weapons fair, entrances by taking over the only road access to the convention centre and making the bloodshed caused by the weapons dealers exhibiting inside very visible. Then we came together with additional Ottawa allies to bring the protest to Parliament Hill to call out the government’s complicity in the arms trade.
 
The protests went viral online and we got lots of media coverage, drawing unprecedented attention to this weapons fair and the war profiteering it is designed to support.
 
Eight peace activists were arrested throughout the day, so we rallied for jail support at the police station until all were released. Seven of them now face charges for standing up to the real war criminals at CANSEC who are buying and selling the weapons that have brought misery to millions this year – from Palestine to Sudan, from the Congo to Ukraine, from Afghanistan and West Papua to Ethiopia.
CTV Coverage of the protests at CANSEC as well as on Parliament Hill.
Click here to endorse the demand for an independent, in-depth, and public inquiry into the activities of CADSI - the government funded organizer of the military trade show, and its complicity in the ongoing genocide.

CANSEC is North America’s largest arms show and “defense industry” event.

The presenters and exhibitors list doubles as a Rolodex of the world’s worst corporate criminals. All of the companies and individuals who profit most from war and bloodshed will be there – from Palestine to Sudan, from the Congo to Colombia, from Afghanistan and West Papua to Ethiopia.

The world is run (and ravaged) by people who wake up early. On May 29th we need to wake up earlier than them to beat them to their fair. Join us at the convention bright and early as it begins to ensure everyone showing up knows they are NOT welcome in Ottawa or to continue their deadly business as usual. Then we’ll head to Parliament at noon to hold the government accountable and demand an inquiry into the arms trade.

It’s time to show up in force to oppose CANSEC and the profiteering from war and violence it is designed to support.

The exhibitors and attendees at CANSEC are making a fortune off of the carnage in Gaza

There are several dozen companies exhibiting at CANSEC 2024 that are currently arming the Israeli military’s genocidal violence in Gaza including:

  • Elbit Systems – supplies 85% of the drones and land-based military equipment  used by the Israeli military
  • Boeing – 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.
  • 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.
  • L3Harris Technologies – their 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.
  • Lockheed Martin – by far the largest weapons producer in the world, they brag about arming over 50 countries, including many of the most oppressive governments and dictatorships. They manufacture multiple weapon systems that are used to decimate Gaza right now.
  • Colt Canada – sells guns to the RCMP, including C8 carbine rifles to the C-IRG, the militarized RCMP unit terrorizing Indigenous land defenders in service of oil and logging companies.
  • Raytheon Technologies – 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. Also builds the missiles that will arm Canada’s new Lockheed Martin F-35 warplanes.
  • BAE Systems – provides weapon systems and components to the Israeli Air Force’s fleet of F-15, F-16, and F-35 fighter jets.

From the 2023 CANSEC protest:

More information on attending the protest at 7am:

There will be banners and signs for you to hold at this action. We will meet at the entrance to the EY Centre on Uplands Drive.

CANSEC, and our protest, is taking place at the EY Centre which is located at 4899 Uplands Dr, Ottawa, ON K1V 2N6.
The parking on site is reserved for ticketed conference attendees, so people attending this protest will need to park elsewhere. Here are two parking options:
1) Park at one of the nearby hotels due south of the EY Centre, such as Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Airport, 2400 Alert Rd, Ottawa, ON K1V 1S1, then walk over to the protest (approximately 10 minute walk)
2) Park at South Keys Shopping Centre, at the south side of the parking lot (2210 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J5) then take the 6:30am or 7:00am bus #97 or #99 (direction Airport) from South Keys to the EY Centre (get off at stop Airport / Uplands). It is a 5 minute bus ride, and costs $3.75 in cash.

The #97 or #99 bus (direction Airport) will take you directly to the EY Centre. The bus stop name is Airport / Uplands or Uplands/Alert. It leaves from various spots in Ottawa (including Rideau B, Lees A, Hurdman A, Billings Bridge 1A, South Keys 1C, Greenboro 1A). For example, the #97/99 bus passes through Hurdman station at 6:20am or BIllings Bridge around 6:25am on it’s way to the EY Centre in time for the protest. 

Adult fare is $3.75 cash, or $3.70 with a Presto card. Seniors ride free on Wednesdays. Transfer times during the day are 90 minutes.

To check your route, go to https://www.octranspo.com/en/plan-your-trip/schedules-maps/

Get in touch with the Stop CANSEC coalition

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    Looking for info on a previous year’s protest? In 2022 and 2023 we came together hundreds strong and blocked CANSEC’s entrances in solidarity with everyone killed and displaced by the weapons sold there. We delayed the Minister of Defense’s keynote address by over an hour and made a mess of CANSEC’s opening morning.Check out our 2022 and 2023 reportbacks.

    The day before CANSEC – join a webinar from wherever you are!
    Learn about the arms fair, Canadian arms exports, and the militarization of territory at a free webinar at 2:30pm ET on Tuesday May 31.
    Click Here
    The day after CANSEC – join a downtown Ottawa rally and gathering
    Join a downtown rally and march to CADSI (the industry association that puts on the arms fair) and a community gathering.
    Click Here
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