Conservatives amend law to allow export of prohibited weapons to Israel, Kuwait
Critics are raising an alarm over what they say is an ongoing erosion of government control over the export of Canadian military goods.
OTTAWA — Critics are raising an alarm over what they say is an ongoing erosion of government control over the export of Canadian military goods.
The Star reported Wednesday the Conservative government quietly amended the export law to permit Canadian shipments to Israel and Kuwait of prohibited weapons such as banned handguns or automatic weapons.
According to two new regulations published Wednesday, the Conservative cabinet approved the changes two weeks ago. The new rules take effect immediately and add Israel and Kuwait to an approved list of 37 countries to which Canadian exporters can legally ship weapons that remain prohibited under Canada’s Criminal Code, including “fully automatic firearms, electric stun guns and large-capacity magazines.”
Amnesty International says it, along with Project Ploughshares, has long sought tighter controls on the list of countries to which weapons are shipped, but it did not receive notice of the potential additions of Israel and Kuwait in time to make a submission.
“It is not a terribly open or transparent process,” said Hilary Homes, an Amnesty International Canada campaigner.
Cesar Jaramillo, of Project Ploughshares, said the steady expansion of that list, known as the Automatic Firearms Country Control List, is “troubling.”
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/01/28/conservatives-agree-to-allow-shipments-of-prohibited-weapons-to-israel-kuwait.html
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