As we have in previous elections, Mines Action Canada submitted surveys on humanitarian disarmament policy to the major political parties - the Bloc Québécois, Conservative Party, the Green Party, the Liberal Party, the New Democratic Party and the People's Party of Canada.
With assistance from international experts on each of these topics, we are pleased to provide you with a brief analysis of each response to assist you in making your decision for September 20th. MAC does not endorse any one party as each party's positions on humanitarian disarmament issues have strengths and weaknesses. Overall, we would have liked to see stronger commitments to fund disarmament work and more concrete examples of how policies would be put into practice.
Before we get into any analysis of the parties' positions, here are the full answers as provided to Mines Action Canada in alphabetical order:
Conservative Party of Canada (the Conservative Party)
Green Party of Canada (the Green Party)
Liberal Party of Canada (the Liberal Party)
New Democratic Party of Canada (the NDP)
People's Party of Canada
While Mines Action Canada is happy to provide this resource free of charge, please consider making a donation to support our work.
Cluster Munitions
- Canada is a State Party to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, which comprehensively prohibits cluster munitions and provides the framework for clearance of cluster munition remnants and assistance to victims. If your party forms the government after the 2021 election, what steps will Canada take to promote the universalization of the Convention on Cluster Munitions?
- If your party forms the next government, how will Canada stigmatize the use of cluster munitions by any state - even our allies?
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc's answers on cluster munitions highlight the need for Canada to speak out strongly against the use of these banned weapons. We are pleased to see strong support for active condemnation of use of cluster munitions in the response. Canada should be condemning all use of cluster munitions.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party asked us to refer to their platform. This topic is not addressed in their platform.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
Landmines
- The International Campaign to Ban Landmines has issued a completion challenge for all states to join the Ottawa Treaty banning landmines and for all mine clearance to be completed by 2025. Canada as a State Party to the Ottawa Treaty, committed to work towards the goal of completion by 2025 via the Maputo Declaration 2014. If your party forms the government after the 2021 election, what concrete steps will the government take to ensure the work of the 1997 Ottawa Treaty is completed?
- For many years, Canada was a leading (top five) donor to mine action and victim assistance programs. Recently, Canada has fallen out of the top ten supporters of mine action. If your party forms the next government, what steps will you take to return Canada to its traditional position of leadership on mine action funding? Would your government consider reinstating the position of Ambassador for Mine Action?
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc highlights the importance of finishing universalizing the Ottawa Treaty. Canada had been a leader in universalizing the Treaty when it was first negotiated and the Bloc's response indicates a desire to resume that role with allies and others. We appreciate the openness to reinstating the Ambassador for Mine Action role.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party asked us to refer to their platform. This topic is not addressed in their platform.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
Arms Trade Treaty
- Canada acceded to the 2013 Arms Trade Treaty in 2019 - the world's first Treaty to regulate the global arms trade. In light of Canada’s accession to the Treaty, will your government re-examine some of Canada’s existing arms exports, including to Saudi Arabia or other countries of concern? Countries with known human rights abuses to have little trouble obtaining weapons. Notwithstanding your party’s position on the Arms Trade Treaty, what steps will your government take to ensure that Canadian weapons do not end up in the hands of those known or suspected to abuse human rights?
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc is very strong on their opposition to the sale of arms to countries of concern. Their opposition to the Saudi arms deal is strong and reflected well in their answer. They are well aware of and speaking out against other arms sales that have been problematic which is very encouraging.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party asked us to refer to their platform. This topic is not addressed in their platform. The platform only discusses domestic firearm issues.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
Nuclear Weapons
- In response to the unacceptable humanitarian harm caused by nuclear weapons and the risks that nuclear weapons continue to pose to humanity, 122 states negotiated the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in 2017. The Treaty entered into force in January 2021 but Canada remains outside the Treaty despite polling data that indicates over 70% of Canadians support joining it. If your party forms the government after the 2021 election, will Canada undertake a study of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons?
- The first annual Meeting of the States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will be held in March 2022 in Vienna, Austria. If your party forms the government after the 2021 election, will Canada attend this important meeting as an Observer?
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc highlights their past advocacy in support of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. We appreciate the focus on Canadian action in the face of recent proliferation and modernization and the call for Canada to attend the First Meeting of States Parties of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. We look forward to seeing all Bloc MPs in the new parliament sign the ICAN Parliamentary Pledge.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party asked us to refer to their platform. This topic is not addressed in their platform.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
Autonomous Weapons Systems
- Canada is participating in the multilateral meetings held since 2014 on technical, legal, ethical, and operational concerns relating to “lethal autonomous weapons systems” or “killer robots”, but has said little and has yet to issue national policy on the topic. Autonomous weapons systems are not armed drones, but instead they are future weapons that would be able to select and fire upon targets without human involvement. In 2019, the Minister of Foreign Affairs’ mandate letter instructed them to “Advance international efforts to ban the development and use of fully autonomous weapons systems.” Polling data continues to show strong support from Canadians for a pre-emptive ban on autonomous weapons systems. If your party forms the government after this election, how will your government work to advance international efforts to ban autonomous weapons systems?
- A Canadian robotics company was the first commercial business in the world to support the call for a ban on autonomous weapons. Since then hundreds of other company leaders & founders have joined them. Canadian scientists, roboticists and artificial intelligence experts were among the first (the first?) in the world to call for a ban. If your party forms the next government what leadership roles do you see Canada taking on this issue?
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc's answer is clear and strong supporting a ban on autonomous weapons and Canadian leadership on the topic.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party asked us to refer to their platform. This topic is not addressed in their platform.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas
- Research confirms that when heavy explosive weapons (weapons with wide area effects) are used in populated areas the vast majority of casualties are civilians. To enhance the protection of civilians from the effects of explosive weapons, the Secretary General put forward a proposal to develop a political declaration to prevent harm from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The Government of Ireland is currently leading a process to negotiate such a political declaration. Will your party support a strong text of the declaration, as well as, review and strengthen domestic policies and practices on the use of explosive weapons?
Bloc Québécois
We are pleased to see such a strong answer from the Bloc on this topic. The view that the use of explosive weapons in urban areas without appropriate precautions is a war crime will be an important voice in the next parliament.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party asked us to refer to their platform. This topic is not addressed in their platform.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
Armed Drones
- Recent reports indicate Canada is considering purchasing armed drones for the Canadian Armed Forces. Does your party support such purchases? If yes, what policies and doctrines will govern the potential use of armed drones by Canadian armed forces under your government? As the use of armed drones for targeted strikes on suspected terrorists grows, so do concerns over the number of civilians who have died in these attacks. If your party forms the next government, what will be the Government of Canada’s policy in regards to the international legal framework, in particular international human rights law and international humanitarian law, on the use of armed drones in and outside armed conflict?
Bloc Québécois
MAC is pleased to see the Bloc share our concerns about use of armed drones in urban areas and civilian harm but we would have liked to see less support for Canadian acquisition and use.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party asked us to refer to their platform. This topic is not addressed in their platform.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
Depleted Uranium
- The use of depleted uranium weapons has come under international scrutiny in recent years due to significant concerns about the long term health consequences of their use. If your party forms the next government, what will Canada’s policy be on the use of depleted uranium weapons? What will be Canada’s position on providing technical and financial assistance in order to aid decontamination of affected states and reduce the risks to civilians?
Bloc Québécois
We appreciate the Bloc's mention of remediation of depleted uranium weapons in their answer that also outlined their opposition to the use of depleted uranium.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party asked us to refer to their platform. This topic is not addressed in their platform.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
Conflict and the Environment
- The environmental damage caused by armed conflicts harms civilians, damages ecosystems and impedes sustainable development, problems worsened by permissive laws, low prioritization and inadequate systems of response. As a response to this damage, states are encouraged to adopt the draft legal principles developed by the UN’s International Law Commission (ILC) on the Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts. If your party forms the government after the 2021 election, what contribution will Canada make towards international efforts to address the environmental dimensions of armed conflicts?
- In June 2021, NATO made a commitment to significantly reduce military greenhouse gases emissions. If your party forms the next government, how will Canada set clear goals to reduce military greenhouse gases emissions, what will these targets be, what greenhouse gas reporting will be required of the military and how will these align with national commitments?
Bloc Québécois
The Bloc highlights the links between the impact of armed conflict on the environment and international development. We appreciate the desire to hold the Department of National Defence to the Bloc's environmental standards.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party asked us to refer to their platform. The platform pledges to create a NATO Centre of Excellence on Climate and Security in Canada. This is a welcome development if the Centre focuses on how militaries can reduce their environmental impact, help identify emergent environmental risks and contribute to the humanitarian operations needed to respond to natural disasters. Any such Centre should recognize there are no hard security solutions to climate change.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
Women Peace and Security
- There are a number of links between the Women, Peace and Security Agenda based on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and humanitarian disarmament. Canada’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security highlights these links in the theory of change document but the Action Plan expires in 2022. If your party forms the next government, how will Canada strengthen the links between humanitarian disarmament and the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in a new National Action Plan?
Bloc Québécois
We appreciate the Bloc highlighting the link between arms sales and the Women, Peace and Security agenda but would have liked to see more focus on the agency of women in their answer rather than focusing on women in the context of a family.
The Conservative Party
The Green Party
The Liberal Party
The Liberal Party did not answer the question but referred us to their platform. The platform did not include explicit discussion of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security but pledged to support women leaders and feminist groups who are leading efforts to promote peace and protect the rights of women and vulnerable groups and included a number of actions under the heading Ending Discrimination, Sexual Misconduct, and Gender-based Violence in the Military.
The NDP
People's Party of Canada
