Canada refuses to cancel arms sales to Saudi despite rights violations

Canada’s Liberal government has refused to cancel a controversial contract to sell weapons to Saudi Arabia despite Riyadh’s human rights violations, particularly in the war against Yemen.

Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion signed off on export permits for the USD 15-billion sale of light armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia on Friday. The contract had been initially signed under the previous Conservative government in February 2014.

Dion, which has come under fire over authorizing the sales, told reporters on Wednesday that Canada’s credibility would be harmed if it didn’t honor the contract.

“Credibility matters. The Liberal Party committed during the 2015 election campaign to respect the previously agreed contract… Our government will not weaken the credibility of the signature of the government of Canada,” Dion said.

He also claimed that canceling the agreement would impede Canada’s efforts to convince Saudi Arabia to improve its human rights record.

“If we drop the contract, we will set back the clock on those productive efforts too, and we will simply hand the contract to a non-Canadian, potentially more ambivalent provider,” Dion said.

However, leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) Thomas Mulcair accused the government of lying to the public regarding the contract.

“The government lied to Canadians about who signed what when in the Saudi arms deal, and that is a very serious matter,” Mulcair said.

Yemen has been under military attacks by Saudi Arabia since late March last year. At least 9,400 people, including 4,000 women and children, have been martyred so far.

ME