Mr. Speaker, I rise to table a petition from the residents of Victoria. They asked me to table this petition because the MP for Victoria would not do so.
The petitioners note that Canada acceded to the Arms Trade Treaty in 2019 and that the promise was made to Canadians that Canadian arms, components and weaponry would not be used in human rights violations and against humanity. However, they note there is a significant loophole, in that exports to the United States do not require any permitting. In fact, the vast majority of the exports to the U.S. do not require any permitting and therefore do not require risk assessments. There have been credible reports indicating that Canadian arms have been used in various conflicts, including in Gaza, Israel, Sudan, Yemen and so on, killing civilians, which is in violation of international humanitarian law.
Therefore, the petitioners are calling on the House of Commons to enact legislation to close the existing loopholes in Canada's arms export laws, including removing exemptions for the United States, strengthening oversight and ensuring that Canadian arms are never used to commit or facilitate human rights abuses.