Canada’s Arms-to-Israel Scandal Explained

 

A timeline of Canada’s exports to Israel and the Liberal government’s attempts to make the scandal disappear.

The Maple has spent the past 22 months paying close attention to Canadian military exports to Israel and the Liberal government’s misleading and sometimes outright false comments on this issue.

Unlike the United States, Canada does not donate military aid to Israel. However, private companies can sell military goods to Israel by applying for an export permit from the federal government. 

Canada is a signatory of the Arms Trade Treaty, which is enshrined in the Export and Import Permits Act. Under this law, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs must not approve export permits for military goods if there is a substantial risk the goods could be used to facilitate serious human rights abuses or violations of international law.

Most exports to the United States, however, do not require a permit. Some Canadian goods sold to the U.S. may be transferred or redirected to other countries — including Israel — through military aid or Foreign Military Sales.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, and despite some restrictions, Canadian companies have continued to sell military goods directly to Israel. Some companies have also been named in U.S. military contracts that identify Israel as an end user of the goods.

Below is a condensed timeline of those exports and the Liberal government’s deceptive attempts to make this scandal disappear.  (more...)

Canada’s Arms-to-Israel Scandal Explained