Gaza Bombing: Canada Is Breaking Its Own Laws

We can end Canada’s complicity in war crimes and genocide.

By Cymry Gomery, WestMountMag, November 17, 2024

Canada has traditionally presented itself as a peace defender, and some people still see our country through rose-coloured glasses. However, the truth of the matter is that, when it comes to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine since 1967, which has soured in the past year into an all-out bombing and siege of Gaza and the Occupied Territories, (now spreading into Lebanon), Canada has not stepped up to take a principled stance in defence of the people of Palestine.

Canada has consistently abstained from various parliamentary and UN motions in support of Palestine, and since the war started on October 7, 2023, has mostly sung with the choir of Western imperialist nations that support Israel unconditionally.

If you find the Canadian government’s inaction puzzling, I invite you to follow the money, which suggests that our government’s foot-dragging might be due to self-interest. Canadian arms dealers have seen their profits soar in the past year, especially regarding sales to Israel.

United Nations human rights experts warn that sending Israel weapons, ammunition or components that it would use in Gaza likely violates international humanitarian law, and the United Nations Human Rights Council has called on all states to immediately “cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel.”

Canada’s own laws, based on the Arms Trade Treaty, require that it stop permitting the export of military technology when there’s a substantial risk those exports could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law or commit serious acts of violence against women and children.

Canada’s own laws require that it stop permitting the export of military technology when there’s a substantial risk those exports could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law.

On March 18, 2024, the majority of MPs voted in favour of an NDP motion to stop sending arms to Israel, and a watered-down version of the motion eventually passed. However, the Liberal government has not stopped issuing permits for arms to Israel and even continues to purchase arms from Israel, thus funding the Israeli government and Israeli occupation forces (IOF).

This is not acceptable. Canadian and Quebec activists have been working hard to make that clear to our government through rallies, letters and coordinated campaigns, like the Arms Embargo Now campaign, with some limited success. Here’s what the Canadian government has done:

• It has paused issuing new permits for weapons exports to Israel.
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• It has suspended 30 (or roughly 12%) of the 200+ permits that had already been issued – an insufficient gesture, however, to stop the ongoing massacre.
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• It has promised to stop one shipment of mortar cartridges (bombs). This promise came after The Maple broke the news that the U.S. government had named Quebec company General Dynamics as the principal contractor for a “possible” $61-million U.S. sale of high explosive mortar cartridges and related equipment to Israel, and Quebecers rallied in protest on August 29 and September 6, 2024.

‘The Liberal government has not stopped issuing permits for arms to Israel and even continues to purchase arms from Israel, thus funding the Israeli government and Israeli occupation forces (IOF).’

What the Canadian government failed to do

Here’s what the Canadian government has not done:

• It hasn’t suspended or cancelled 88% of the permits currently being used to ship arms to Israel.
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• It hasn’t done anything to stop the vast majority of arms exports to Israel, which don’t even need an export permit because they are shipped first to the U.S. For example, U.S.-based Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jets that have been dropping bombs on civilians for more than a year could not be made without certain components that Canadian companies supply. Here in Montreal, one such company is Héroux-Devtek, which makes F-35 landing gear.
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• It hasn’t stopped importing weapons from Israel. If the government curtailed its military spending and instead gave those millions and billions to low-income Canadians, perhaps we wouldn’t see the unprecedented long lineups at local food banks.

‘F-35 fighter jets that have been dropping bombs on civilians for more than a year could not be made without certain components that Canadian companies supply. Here in Montreal, one such company is Héroux-Devtek, which makes F-35 landing gear.’

What you can do

If you feel outrage at the idea of your country being a war profiteer breaking international law and disregarding its own commitments under the Arms Trade Treaty, here are some actions you can take:

• On Saturday, November 16 at noon, join the rally at Héroux-Devtek, 1111 Boul. Saint-Charles in Longueuil, to expose Héroux-Devtek as a Canadian manufacturer of F-35 fighter jet components. These Canadian suppliers to the Israel war machine escape scrutiny, remaining largely unregulated, untracked, and without requiring a permit because their products pass first through the U.S.
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• Check out armsembargonow.ca to learn more and take action.
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• Join local peace groups like Montreal for a World BEYOND War and Independent Jewish Voices to build the movement and learn about the myriad campaigns and strategies to end the war in Gaza.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WestmountMag.ca or its publishers.

Images: activists at a rally at the General Dynamics facility on September 6, 2024, courtesy of Cymry Gomery