PBI-Canada: Canada exported military goods and technology to countries where 232 HRDs were killed in 2023/24
On May 31, Global Affairs Canada released its 2023 Exports of Military goods and technology report.
If one looks at the list on pages 22-24 of that report of the non-US countries that Canada exported these goods and technology to and then compares that with the list of countries where Front Line Defenders documented the killing of human rights defenders (HRDs), one would find that Canada exported these goods and technology to 10 countries (Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, Thailand and Ukraine) where 232 HRDs were killed in 2023/24.
Furthermore, the Global Affairs Canada report notes that $30,641,495.83 in military goods and technology was exported to Israel. Front Line Defenders notes that 9 HRDs were killed in Palestine highlighting: “The impact on HRDs [in Gaza], as on the population at large, has been devastating. Those defending the right to health and the right to life as doctors, nurses, or ambulance workers, those exposing and documenting war crimes as journalists, and those providing humanitarian support as volunteers or employees of aid agencies were all specifically targeted by Israeli bombs or guns.”
Additionally, if one were also to cross-reference the Global Affairs Canada list with the recent report by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC) on attacks against HRDs challenging corporate harm, one would find that Canada exported to 9 of those countries with the highest rates of attacks against HRDs (Brazil, Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines, United Kingdom and United States).
Deeper research is needed to determine if any of “the military goods and technology” exported by Canada was used by the police, armed forces or security forces implicated in these attacks against human rights defenders.
In May 2018, journalist David Pugliese reported in the National Post: “The Canadian Commercial Corporation [the Ottawa-based Crown corporation that helps Canadian exporters get contracts with foreign governments] acknowledges it conducts no follow-up to ensure exported Canadian-built equipment isn’t being used to abuse human rights.”
When concerns were raised in June 2021 about the potential use of Canadian-made military equipment against the national strike protests in Colombia, Radio Canada International reported: “When asked about allegations regarding the use of Canadian military materiel in repressive acts against civilians in Colombia, [Global Affairs Canada spokesperson] Jason Jung told us that at the beginning of the unrest in that country, Canada’s Ministry of Global Affairs contacted the responsible Colombian authorities, who confirmed that Colombian law enforcement ‘is not using Canadian armored vehicles’ to intervene in that context.”
At that time, Jung also told Radio Canada International: “Canada is monitoring developments in Colombia and will take appropriate action if credible evidence of the inappropriate use of any controlled Canadian product or technology is identified, including to perpetrate or facilitate serious violations of international human rights law.”
In December 2023, Alex Cosh of The Maple reported: “Documents obtained by Amnesty International Canada through an access to information (ATIP) request and shared with The Maple show that Global Affairs Canada (GAC) authorized new exports of military goods to Peru valued at $960,000 for a three-year period starting on February 6 this year. At that time, Peruvian security forces were engaged in a particularly violent period of crackdowns against protesters, who were demonstrating against the government of President Dina Boluarte and calling for new elections. The crackdown prompted Amnesty International to call for Canada to suspend military exports to Peru.”
The just-released Global Affairs Canada report shows that Canada exported $1,844,576.86 in military goods and technology to Peru in 2023.
The majority ($1,837,676.86) of those exports are reportedly in the Export Control List (ECL) category 2-14 which refers to: “Specialised equipment for military training or for simulating military scenarios, simulators specially designed for training in the use of any firearm or weapon specified by 2-1 [Smooth-bore weapons with a calibre of less than 20 mm, other arms and automatic weapons with a calibre of 12.7 mm (calibre 0.50 inches) or less and accessories, and specially designed components therefor] or 2-2 [Smooth-bore weapons with a calibre of 20 mm or more, other weapons or armament with a calibre greater than 12.7 mm (calibre 0.50 inches), projectors and accessories, and specially designed components therefor], and specially designed components and accessories therefor.”
Given the seeming onus on organizations, defenders and communities to provide “credible evidence” of violations committed using Canadian-made military goods and technology, PBI-Canada remains attentive to these concerns, particularly in Colombia, Indonesia, Mexico given the PBI field projects that support human rights defenders.
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