Madam Speaker, as pledged in our electoral campaign platform and as highlighted in the Minister of Foreign Affairs mandate letter, our government intends for Canada to become a state party to the Arms Trade Treaty. This is good news. We are firmly committed to preventing the illicit trade in conventional arms that can contribute to weakening international and regional peace, security, and stability.
The Arms Trade Treaty and its provisions provide the international community with tools to reduce human suffering. The treaty promotes co-operation, transparency, and responsible action by states in the international trade of conventional arms.
We also welcome its focus in addressing the potential impacts of arms exports on international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and gender-based violence.
I wish to reinforce that nothing in the treaty prevents the lawful use of sporting firearms for legitimate purposes such as sports shooting and hunting nor does it hinder the legitimate trade in conventional arms. Rather, it prevents diversion of conventional arms to the illicit market, thereby reducing the likelihood of weapons reaching terrorist or organized crime groups. It also requires that all states parties exercise responsibility and maintain clear export control processes to ensure that the legal trade in conventional arms does not contribute to conflict, violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, international crime, or terrorism.
The Arms Trade Treaty entered into force on December 24, 2014. As per article 21 of the treaty, Canada can accede to the treaty in order to join it. Accession to a treaty is an important step for any state as it binds itself to legal obligations under the treaty. This means that Canada must fully align its domestic policies and laws with the ATT's obligations before we will be able to join as a state party.
Canada already has some of the strongest export controls in the world. We are confident that Canada already meets most of the obligations of the Arms Trade Treaty. However, there may be areas where changes to domestic laws or policies are necessary to meet all of Canada's commitments.
Our government is therefore currently undertaking a review of our existing laws and policies in order to ensure that we can fully implement the ATT. This work is being pursued on a priority basis, I am pleased to say. It will, however, take some time to complete a full review of the treaty and identify the steps necessary in order to accede to it. The government remains committed to a strategy that will allow Canada to accede to the treaty at the earliest possible opportunity. Once this review is complete, the government will inform Parliament of its plan for ensuring that Canada can become a party in good standing of the Arms Trade Treaty.
In the meantime, Canada will attend the upcoming meeting of the Arms Trade Treaty as an observer. We intend to engage constructively and actively with our international partners to ensure that Canada will play a leadership role on this important issue.