Canada’s new commitment to halting arms sales to Israel is under fire. A recent report from the Project on Government Oversight has justifiably sparked serious alarm about continued military exports. The Canadian government claims that it stopped issuing new permits for military goods to Israel in January 2024. Advocacy groups say that shipments from Canada continue to be a part of the supply chain contributing to the fighting in Gaza.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand sounded equally forceful. She reiterated Canada’s commitment to blocking the issuance of military export permits for any materials that might be deployed in Gaza. This promise to action started last September. It has emerged as a central issue in the growing debate over what Canada should do in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Ongoing Concerns from Advocacy Groups
Pro-Palestinian advocacy groups are advocating for a total arms embargo on Israel. Meanwhile, opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) supports suspending all trade with the country. Then, they claim that contrary to Canadian government assurance, Canadian-manufactured military components are indeed being used in the violence against Palestinians—especially in the last three years.
A coalition of Canadian advocates for Palestinians published a report indicating multiple shipments from Canada to Israel, highlighting the potential implications for the conflict. Among the identified shipments were “tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles” or components of such vehicles.
“Canada claims to have halted arms sales to Israel, and yet Canadian weapons continue to fuel this genocide. This is more of the same — vague and shifting assertions from the government, particularly around permits, that twist and turn to avoid accountability,” – World Beyond War, Palestinian Youth Movement, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, and the Arms Embargo Now Campaign.
Because customs officials in Israel identified other items as “bullets.” To them, these were all known as “munitions of war and parts thereof.” Minister Anand rebutted these allegations, indicating that the further questionable items were actually “paintball-style projectiles” not intended for use in battle.
Government’s Response
Anand underscored that Canada has some of the toughest standards in the world for military export control. In short, she told us that the government does not allow any military export permits for materials that might be used in Gaza. Furthermore, she warned of “severe legal sanctions” for any entity that attempts to send military exports to Gaza without a valid permit.
“We will not allow Canadian-made weapons to fuel this conflict, in any way,” – Anita Anand.
Despite these assertions, the advocacy groups behind the report argued that Canada misled Parliament regarding the nature of shipments by Canadian firms to Israel. They protested the inclusion of elements produced in Canada, such as the lenses and cameras. They are concerned that these items could be used by Israel in military operations against civilians.
Unanswered Questions
The report’s authors raised alarms about the government’s lack of a verification system to ensure Canadian arms and components are not being funneled into Gaza. They said Canada’s defense of its arms export policy was devoid of transparency and accountability.
“This baseless assertion defies reality and conveniently sidesteps the absence of any system to verify it,” – World Beyond War, Palestinian Youth Movement, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, and the Arms Embargo Now Campaign.
Anand’s commitment to double-down on law enforcement efforts to bring companies in line with export compliance is admirable. She emphasized that the government will be aggressive and take serious action against anyone who violates export laws. This can result in penalties, seizure of property, or in some cases, criminal prosecution.