Many concerned Canadians watched in horror as some of the world's deadliest aircraft attacked the densely populated Palestinian neighbourhoods of Gaza. Shocked by media images, we looked on from half a world away, as multi-million dollar weapons systems launched seemingly endless quantities of munitions against a besieged people.

Already devastated by the Israeli government's blockade that imposed a stranglehold on food, medicine and humanitarian supplies, more than 1380 Gazans -- including 431 children -- were killed in the onslaught. More than 5,300 were injured -- more than half being women and children -- while 22,000 housing units and civic buildings were either totally or partially destroyed.[1] Meanwhile, five Israeli citizens were killed by small homemade, Hamas rockets fired from Gaza.

Reaction from top Canadian officials, including Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon,[2] was swift and unequivocal. Hamas was condemned as the cause of the violence. On January 12, at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Canada voted against demanding "urgent international action" to halt Israel's "massive violations" of human rights.[3] The sole dissenting vote came from Canada, whose spokesperson, Marius Grinius, said the UN statement "used unnecessary, unhelpful and inflammatory language" and "failed to clearly recognize that rocket fire on Israel had led to the current crisis."[4]

To many Canadians who observed the bombing of Gaza from the safety of their peaceful homes, the destruction raining down on innocent victims seemed so distant -- so foreign -- as to be incomprehensible. How could anyone countenance any complicity in such atrocities?

But the sense that Canada is a world apart, utterly separated from Gaza and other war zones, is but a grand illusion aided and abetted by corporate media that consistently ignore our country's role in global atrocities.

One of the ways that Canada is intimately linked to war crimes is through the international arms trade, and Gaza provides us with a jarring case in point.

Unbeknownst to most Canadians, thousands of military exporters are scattered across this country like so many razors hidden in a loaf of bread. While most of these companies are located in Ontario and Quebec -- primarily in and around Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal -- every province has its share of war manufacturers. Canada's military industries provide an incredibly diverse range of products and services, largely for export. While some manufacture complete weapons systems, like small arms, air-to-ground missiles (including cluster bombs) and armoured vehicles, most are in the business of selling high-tech components for assembly into US weapons systems. Although many recognize Canada as a bastion of high-technology, what remains hidden from public awareness is the role this sector plays in providing components for the world's deadliest, major weapons systems.

A recent report by Ottawa's Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT) exposes Canadian complicity in equipping American warplanes and attack helicopters used by Israel. For example, more than 50 Canadian exporters have supplied essential parts for the F-15 "Eagle," F-16 "Fighting Falcon" and AH-64 "Apache."
(Click the above links for three tables listing hundreds of components supplied by Canadian companies for these major weapons systems.
Click here for a table compiling additional details about these companies.)

What's more, our government still forces working Canadians to invest their retirement savings in the very US prime contractors, namely Boeing and Lockheed Martin, that build these and other weapons. CPP investments in these top global weapons makers increased more than seven fold from $14 million in 2005, to $100 million today. This sharp increase in CPP investments happened suddenly in 2006, the year that Israel bombed Lebanon killing some 1200 people, mostly innocent civilians.
(Click here for a table summarising CPP investments in Boeing and Lockheed Martin between 2003 and 2008.)

And, thanks to the Canadian government, this country's military exporters have received more than $4 billion in publicly-funded "investments" over the past four decades. So, not only are Canadian employees and shareholder in these industries, contributing to war technology, so too are all taxpayers and CPP contributors.

A recent example of such government largesse was the $52.3 million "investment" in a top Canadian war industry with operations in Montreal Ottawa. The announcement came on January 13, 2009, the day after Canada voted against the UN resolution in Geneva. On that day, Israeli forces killed dozens of people, including at least 11 children and three women.[5] Tony Clement, Canada's Industry Minister, and Christian Paradis, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, proudly unveiled Canada's "investment" in "innovative cockpit technologies by Esterline CMC Electronics (CMC)."

According to Clement, "In addition to encouraging Canadian companies to perform cutting-edge R&D, the [government's] Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI) attracts foreign investment to Canada, advances innovation and helps develop a highly skilled workforce."

Sounds great, but what he did not say is that this "cutting-edge" Canadian company supplies technology for many of the world's most advanced war machines. But Canada's role in facilitating war was not one of the government's talking points on January 13. It never is.

Instead, Paradis proudly intoned that: "Creating public-private sector partnerships with companies such as CMC will help to ensure that Canada remains at the forefront of the aerospace and defence industry."

The goal of this CMC project is to create "open architecture" making "components of the cockpit easily customizable and adaptable to both changing technologies and varied aircraft platforms."[6]

The "varied aircraft platforms" that Canada's CMC has already supplied include many "cutting-edge" US weapons, such as the previously mentioned AH-64, F-15 and F-16 used by Israel. CMC has also equipped the following military aircraft: A-10 "Warthog," AC-130 "Spectre," AV-8B "Harrier II," C-17 "Globemaster," C-130 "Hercules," CH-53 "Sea Stallion," E-2 "Hawkeye," EA-6B "Prowler," F-14 "Tomcat," F/A-18 "Hornet," F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, HH-60 "Pave Hawk," MC-130 "Combat Talon," OH-58D "Kiowa Warrior," P-3 "Orion," S-3 "Viking," UH-1 "Huey" and the UH-60 "Black Hawk."

Each of these types of major US weapons systems have been used in the Iraq War, which has killed more than one million people since 2003.

CMC is only one among hundreds of Canadian companies that are complicit in aiding and abetting the production of such major US weapons systems. Many of Canada's military companies, like CMC -- which are so deeply intertwined with the American military industrial complex -- are represented by an Ottawa-based business association called the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI).

This little-known organization now represents the commercial interests of about 540 Canadian military corporations. Many of these so-called "defence" and "security" industries benefit when weapons need replacing or refurbishing after war zones like Gaza erupt in flames. According to its website, CADSI "has its roots in the creation of the Canadian chapter of the American Defense Preparedness Association (ADPA) on November 30, 1983. The organisation's founding mission was to be patriotic, educational, scientific, and non-political."[7]

Since 2004, when Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade began proactively disclosing "grants and and contributions over $25,000," CADSI has received three government donations totaling $192,000 for "generic international business development activities."[8]

COAT's new report provides many details about CADSI-associated companies that are directly or indirectly linked to exports supplying Israel's military forces. (Click here for a master table listing about 100 such Canadian companies. It contains some basic facts about these companies, summaries of their main military products and details about their involvement in CADSI.)

Two-thirds of the 50 Canadian companies that equipped the three US aircraft used by Israel, are now (or have been) CADSI members. In addition to these firms, over 140 Canadian military companies are now reporting that they have direct "export experience" to Israel. Over a third of these corporations have held membership in CADSI. (Click here for a table detailing the CADSI-linked military companies known to have exported directly to Israel, and here for the Canadian companies that are not known to have ever been CADSI members.)

There are also about 85 other Canadian military producers now reporting that they are "actively pursuing" direct exports to Israel. Over one third of these companies have belonged to CADSI. (Click here for a table detailing these CADSI-linked companies. Click here for information about Canadian military companies currently pursuing exports to Israel that are not known to have ever been CADSI members.)

Besides pressuring MPs to increase military spending and hand out more taxpayers' money for new and improved warfighting technologies, CADSI does media work promoting its members' interests. The association's Communications Committee is chaired by an executive from Hill and Knowlton Canada (H&KC), a top Ottawa PR firm whose parent company has represented many a corporate pariah and Third World dictator. H&K is also now famous for fabricating the bogus "incubator-baby" story that was a used as a pretext to manufacture widespread public support for the 1991 Iraq War.[9] Retired Canadian General Gordon O'Connor worked for H&KC before becoming the Conservative Party's first Minister of Defence.

In 2004, CADSI organised a "Canada / Israel Industry Partnering Mission" to "advance industrial partnerships between Canadian and Israeli companies." Speakers at the event included Canada's Minister of National Defence, Israel's Ambassador to Canada, a representative from Israel's Ministry of Defense, and top bureaucrats from Canadian government departments. Canadian military companies heard presentations from Israel's top weapons industries and then held 20-minute, face-to-face "Company One-on-Ones" with Elbit, Elisra, Israeli Aircraft Industries, Israeli Military Industries, Rafael, Simigon and Soltam.[10]

Most importantly, CADSI organises CANSEC -- Canada's largest international arms bazaar. This highly-lucrative weapons trade show is CADSI's bread and butter. Now booked for the City of Ottawa's Lansdowne Park (May 27-28), CANSEC will likely draw over 200 exhibitors. (Click here for the list of all 225 companies that showcased their wares at CANSEC in 2008.) Browsing the bazaar this spring in Ottawa will be thousands of potential, government buyers and military users from Canada and attachés representing Ottawa's foreign embassies.

CANSEC is the most blatant manifestation of Canada's largely-hidden participation in the global arms trade. As such, CANSEC stands as a clear symbol of this country's special brand of hypocrisy -- preaching peace while promoting and profiting from war.

Although CANSEC has been an annual showcase for war-related products at the Ontario Government's Ottawa Congress Centre since the early 1990s, 2009 will be the first time in 20 years that any such event has been hosted by the City of Ottawa.

In 1989, during a high-profile COAT campaign, Ottawa's City Council passed a near-unanimous Motion banning all future arms exhibitions from municipal property. As a result, no such shows have been held at Lansdowne Park, or any other City facility, since ARMX '89. (ARMX, Canada's biggest ever weapons extravaganza, is now defunct but it has been replaced by CANSEC.) Many veteran peace activists will remember the late-May 1989, COAT rally led by Marion Dewar when thousands took to Ottawa's streets to peaceful protest against ARMX and Canada's role in the international arms trade.

Now, City Staff claim that due to a legal technicality, Ottawa's historic ban no longer applies to Lansdowne Park!

CANSEC provides a focus for much-needed public education around issues of peace, human rights, development and the environment.

Let's Do Something!
(Click here for a more comprehensive list of things that you can do to help)

*    Please join us:
     Rally to Oppose CANSEC
     Speakers, Music and Candlelight Vigil
     Wednesday, May 27 (time to be announced)
     Southminster United Church
     Speakers include Paul Dewar, MP.
      (Speakers and Music at Southminster followed by a Candlelight procession across the bridge for a Peace Vigil at Lansdowne Park.)

*     Spread the word:
      Help in spreading the word about this online and off.
      Post a link to this page on listserves, blogs and relevant websites.

* The Feds: Tell the Canadian government to stop permitting military exports to governments that are at war and/or violating human rights.

Endnotes

1. These figures come from the Palestinian Ministry of Health (PMH). The estimate of 1,380 people -- including 431 children, killed during Israel's attacks against Gaza -- is based upon body counts from hospitals. These figures therefore do not include bodies buried in collapsed homes and public shelters. An estimated 4,100 housing units were completely destroyed and 17,000 more were partially damaged. Ninety two mosques and twenty-nine schools or educational establishments were partially or completely destroyed. The number of injured is reported by the PMH to be 5,380. Eight hundred of these casualties were women and 1,872 were children.
Cited in "The Second Coming of King Herod," editorial by Ken Coates, in "Unholy Land," The Spokesmen, #109, 2009. Published by the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation.

2. On January 4, Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon demanded a "ceasefire, starting with the halting of all rocket attacks on Israel. Canada maintains that the rocket attacks are the cause of this crisis.”
Cited by Nidal al-Mughrabi, "Israelis storm into Gaza as tanks counter rockets," Reuters, Windsor Star, January 5, 2009.

http://www2.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=9ad0d7bc-4e4d-4595-b611-2ef78b8771b4

Two days later, when 40 Palestinian civilians seeking refuge at a UN school were killed by Israeli shells, former newsman Peter Kent, now Canada's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs for the Americas, again pointed Canada's righteous finger at Hamas saying it “bears the full responsibility for the deepening humanitarian tragedy." Kent then blamed Hamas for the attack noting their "habit of using civilians and civilian infrastructure as shields." (Although the UN school had not been used by Hamas fighters.)
See Campbell Clark, "Ottawa blames Hamas for civilian deaths at school," Globe and Mail, January 6, 2009.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090106.wgaza_canadians07/BNStory/Front

ALeqM5g5WJYV-fltEjKhSXM_EC2at92HeQ

4. UN Human Rights Council Media Release, "Human Rights Council decides to dispatch fact-finding mission to investigate violations against Palestinians in occupied territory," January 12 2009.
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/0/47667EA2AA07F253C125753C004DAFB2?opendocument

5. "19th day of continuous IOF attacks across the Gaza Strip," Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, January 15, 2009.

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MCOT-7NBKDS?OpenDocument

6. "Minister of Industry Announces Support for Aerospace and Defence Project," Industry Canada Media Release, January 13, 2009.

http://ito.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ito-oti.nsf/eng/h_00662.html

7. CADSI website, "History"
https://www.defenceandsecurity.ca/public/index.asp?action=about.background

8. Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), "Disclosure of Grant and Contribution Awards Over $25,000: International Trade"

On March 24, 2006, CADSI received a "Contribution" of $47,138.00 from the "International Trade" division of DFAIT
http://w01.international.gc.ca/dg-do/index_it-ci.aspx?lang=eng&p=4&r=8&c=320

On May 15, 2007, CADSI received a "Contribution" of $46,509 from the "International Trade" division of DFAIT

http://w01.international.gc.ca/dg-do/index_it-ci.aspx?lang=eng&p=4&r=13&c=802

On April 24, 2008, CADSI received a "Contribution" of $97,907.00 from the "International Trade" division of DFAIT

http://w01.international.gc.ca/dg-do/index_it-ci.aspx?lang=eng&p=4&r=17&c=1575

9. See "Packaging the Emir" in Chapter 10 of John Stauber and Sheldon Rampton, Toxic Sludge Is Good For You. Lies, Damn Lies and the Public Relations Industry, 1995.
http://www.prwatch.org/books/tsigfy10.html

(Click here for a clip from a documentary called Toxic Sludge Is Good For You. It focuses on Hill and Knowlton's role in masterminding public support for the 1991 Iraq war.)

10. Canada / Israel Industry Partnering Mission
Google cache of this page from the CADSI website
(Note: This "snapshot" of the page was saved by Google on February 18, 2009. It no longer exists on the CADSI website.)

The report includes 10 detailed tables filled with data detailing about 200 Canadian military companies that have direct or indirect export links to Israel.

Prepared by the Ottawa-based Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT) -- this report is part of a campaign to expose and oppose CANSEC 2009, Canada's largest military industry trade show. CANSEC 2009 will be hosted by the City of Ottawa at Lansdowne Park, May 27-28, 2009. Please join us in exposing and opposing CANSEC! Click here to read more about our CAMPAIGN.

3. "UN rights council condemns Israeli offensive in Gaza," AFP, January 12, 2009 http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g5WJYV-fltEjKhSXM_EC2at92HeQ

3. "UN rights council condemns Israeli offensive in Gaza," AFP, January 12, 2009
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g5WJYV-fltEjKhSXM_EC2at92HeQ