Amid focus on defence investments, advocates say diplomatic toolkit being ignored

As Canada pledges billions of dollars for boosted defence investment, peace and arms control advocates worry that too much attention is being placed on a military solution to the world’s woes at the expense of a diplomatic one. Thousands of military officials and defence firms poured into Ottawa’s EY Centre last week for the annual CANSEC arms trade show, but a group of demonstrators slowed their entry to a crawl, protesting war profiteering, including many with Palestinian flags. On the show floor, defence companies like Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and Irving Shipbuilding showed off their latest innovations, as did controversial Israeli firm Elbit Systems, which manufactures most of the Israel Defense Forces’ drones and land equipment. Models of fighter jets, war frigates, and submarines were showcased throughout the exhibit—the first since the federal government released its nearly $73-billion defence policy update—as were light armoured vehicles, body armour, and rifles. It is also the first CANSEC since the onset of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Protesters, right, stand across from members of the Ottawa Police Service outside CANSEC at Ottawa's EY Centre on May 29. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade The update pledged a “renewed” relationship between the government and Canada’s defence industry, including a vow to place the domestic industry as “a strategic resource to international partners.” Defence Minister Bill Blair (Scarborough Southwest, Ont.) has been under pressure domestically and internationally to boost Canada’s defence spending as successive reports have underpinned the Canadian military’s lack of readiness. A bipartisan group of 23 American Senators are the latest ones to push Canada to spend more on its defence. During the last NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, in July 2023, Canada signed on to a joint communique to promise to make an “enduring commitment to invest at least two per cent” of GDP on defence. In a recent response to an Order Paper question from Conservative MP James Bezan (Selkirk-Interlake-Eastman, Man.), the government revealed that defence spending would reach 1.39 per cent of its GDP in 2024-25, jumping to 1.7 per cent in 2025-26 and 2026-26, before reaching 1.76 per cent in 2029-30. The projection is based on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development projection of Canada’s GDP. Using the government’s own GDP projection, which was outlined in the 2024 budget, defence spending would reach 1.64 per cent by 2029-30. But as Canada has moved to address its defence-spending shortcomings, one peace advocate says by doing so, the country is playing into the global trend of pushing a militaristic solution and not a diplomatic one. “The world is succumbing to a resurgence of militarism as the answer to security problems,” said Douglas Roche, a former MP and senator, who has long advocated for disarmament. “We’re not sufficiently cognizant in the world of the dangers of the continuation on the military path to be at peace.” He remarked that Canada—which has a rich history working in multilateral forums to address the world’s problems—is “lapsing into a militaristic overview of its foreign policy.” Defence Minister Bill Blair delivers the opening address at CANSEC on May 29. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade The federal government has proclaimed that defence and diplomacy go “hand in hand,” but in the recent budget, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) received scant funding. Nearly $665-million was exclusively earmarked for the department compared to the billions of dollars headed to the Department of National Defence as GAC faces successive and escalating spending “reallocations” of $118-million in 2024-25, $179-million in 2025-26, and $243-million in 2026-27. “The figures speak for themselves,” Roche said. “What I really feel so apprehensive about and fearful about is Canada lapsing into a military mentality.” He remarked that Canada’s diplomacy should be the “foremost” of its projection into the world. “Whether we get a few more airplanes or a few more submarines, it’s not the answer to world peace,” he said. “It’s how nation states can find a way to a pragmatic co-operation, and not give into the psychosis of militarism.” Roche said there has been a change in the world’s thinking that political and diplomatic solutions are not possible, leaving only military ones. “That’s the kind of thinking that produces wars,” he said. He added that is highlighted through Canada’s engagement in NATO missions being favoured over United Nations peacekeeping. Lockheed Martin Canada's booth at CANSEC shows off a model of the F-35 fighter jet being procured by the Canadian military. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade When Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s (Papineau, Que.) Liberal government came to power in 2015, it pledged to re-engage in UN peace operations with up to 600 peacekeepers, but, as of the end of March, Canada currently only has 41 personnel deployed, and has yet to commit to a central peacekeeping promise of a 200-member Quick Reaction Force for the UN. The defence policy update had no new commitments to UN peacekeeping. Following the release of the update, Blair told the House Defence Committee that the updated policy has “a strong commitment to deterrence,” and “to making and … keeping peace.” “This is not a document about fighting wars. It's a document about preventing wars and responding in such a way, with our allies, to make sure that we can represent sufficient deterrence to potential adversaries and what can sometimes be very aggressive and hostile activities on their part,” he told the committee on April 15. The Liberal government has also been put under the microscope for its arms sales regime to militaries that allegedly commit human rights abuses, including those of Israel and Saudi Arabia. Project Ploughshares researcher Kelsey Gallagher said boosting production in Canada’s defence industry won’t be buttressing domestic security, but that of countries where Canada exports arms. “In any given year, most of the military goods produced in Canada are destined for export,” he said. “Canada’s defence industry—like others—is export reliant.” In 2023, Canada exported $2.1-billion worth of military goods, excluding any exports to the U.S., according to GAC's recently released report of 2023 exports of military goods and technology. A protester is smeared with red paint outside of CANSEC at Ottawa's EY Centre on May 29. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade Nearly $905-million of arms were exported to Saudi Arabia, and $30.6-million worth was sent to Israel. The report notes that after the Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, only “non-lethal items” were exported. Gallagher said there is no basis in Canada’s arms control regime to define exported goods as “lethal” versus “non-lethal.” “This has no bearing on Canadian arms control obligations in relation to the necessary human rights checks and balances,” he said, remarking that the federal government is likely defining parts and components as “non-lethal” compared to full systems and small arms as “lethal.” “That said, parts and components are required for the operation of a weapons system,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if these systems being exported to Israel are components or they are full systems, they still are subject to Canada’s arms controls obligations.” The Arms Trade Treaty, which Canada joined in 2019, bars the transfer of arms if there is “substantial risk” they could be used in the violation of international humanitarian law (IHL). International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan has applied for arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as three members of Hamas leadership for violating IHL. In March, Trudeau and his cabinet voted in favour of an NDP motion that called for Canada to cease further authorization of arms exports to Israel, and to “ensure compliance” with Canada’s arms control regime. Gallagher said even if Canada was only exporting components, it still comes with a “very real risk” that the systems could be used in conflict. He said the necessary checks and balances are in place to block arms shipments where breaches of international law may take place, but that there needs to be a more principled approach from the government to ensure it is fulfilling its own obligations. Cadex Defence shows off its latest sniper rifle at the CANSEC trade show. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade Since Canada doesn’t regulate much of its arms sales to the U.S., Canadian parts can be included in American arms sales to Israel, such as in the F-35 fighter jet. When Blair appeared before the House Defence Committee on May 27, NDP MP Lindsay Mathyssen (London–Fanshawe, Ont.), her party’s defence critic, said that he was making Canada “complicit in this genocide .” “Being complicit and not abiding by our own trade treaty obligations is also a decision that is clearly made. It is a choice, minister,” she said, remarking that no steps had been taken to end Canada’s participation in the F-35 program. Blair said Mathyssen was “conflating the tragedy that's unfolding in Gaza with our acquisition of a new fighter jet.” nmoss@hilltimes.com The Hill Times

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Amid focus on defence investments, advocates say diplomatic toolkit being ignored

'Whether we get a few more airplanes or a few more submarines, it’s not the answer to world peace,' says peace advocate Douglas Roche.

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