5. Weapons Trade
Given that: the international weapons trade rivals the drug trade in creating human victims and that our taxes are used to subsidise Canadian participation in this unethical business;
will you, if elected, work to eliminate government funding of Canadian involvement in the arms trade?
Background: Canada's aerospace and defence industry is the fourth largest in the world. It feeds upon subsidies provided through Technology Partnerships Canada's $300 million-a-year fund and Department of National Defence contracts. The Export Development Corporation provides subsidised export insurance and loan guarantees for the export of military goods that can also have civilian application ("dual use").
Canada was the ninth largest arms exporter in 1997. An alarming trend is the growth of "small arms" exports by Canadian firms, with sales rising from $3 million in 1990 to $30 million in 1996. That year, fifty countries were authorised to receive Canadian small arms - 44% more than the previous year!
Small arms are responsible for 90% of war casualties of which 85% are women and children. Moreover, small arms make it possible for children to be soldiers.