Foreign Affairs Minister Joly’s Statements Regarding Military Exports to Israel
September 12th, 2024
Justice For All Canada (JFAC) welcomes Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly’s announcement this week announcing the purported suspension of around 30 existing military export permits to Israel. This action marks a shift from the government’s earlier stance, where only new permits for exports issued after January 8, 2024 were paused, leaving the record number of existing authorizations designated for Israel untouched. This decision, while not comprehensive, marks a meaningful step towards addressing Canada’s complicity in arming Israeli forces.
Between October and December 2023, the Government of Canada approved a record $28.5 million dollars worth of military exports destined for Israel. Documents released by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development have revealed that 210 military export permits are still active for goods intended for Israeli recipients, including Israeli arms manufacturers. Some of these permits are set to remain valid until the end of 2025. Such a discrepancy, which the Foreign Affairs Minister failed to address in her statement, reveals that serious gaps remain in Canada’s approach to arms exports that demand urgent attention.
“Minister Joly’s latest announcement is an important step forward, but it is not enough. Canada must implement more comprehensive measures to halt its contributions to Israel’s unprecedented military campaign,” said Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of JFAC. “To truly address the ongoing atrocities, we need stronger commitments to end all arms transfers,” added Ghayyur.
While Minister Joly has taken a step in the right direction by acknowledging the dangerous loophole that allows Canadian-made weapons components to reach Israel via third countries such as the U.S., her latest statements raise more questions than they answer: The lack of clarity surrounding the purported suspended permits is concerning. Minister Joly indicated that the government is “asking questions” of these weapons manufacturers, and did not confirm that the suspensions are permanent. The Minister also did not specify which companies were affected, nor did she explain the nature of the military goods covered under the suspended permits. This opacity hinders the true extent of Canada's involvement in arming Israel and raises further doubts about the effectiveness of the government’s actions.
These glaring gaps and inefficiencies expose the limits of Canada’s arms export policy, even within the context of these new developments. Suspending permits is a positive first step but is far from sufficient. We call on the government to immediately take the following steps and reparations to remove ambiguity and ensure accountability:
Anything less would be an abdication of Canada’s responsibility under international human rights law.
As part of Justice For All Canada’s broader efforts under our pledge to the #ArmsEmbargoNow movement, including under our Save Palestine campaign, we have consistently advocated for an immediate end to Canada's military exports and support to Israel. Through coordinated actions, including public mobilization, letters to MPs, and direct appeals to the Canadian government, we have raised alarms about the role Canadian-made weapons play in the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank. Our action tools and resources have enabled tens of thousands of Canadians with the ability to share their concerns directly with their local elected MPs.
Despite the developments this week related to Canadian arms facilitation to Israel, our correspondence and advocacy to the Canadian government will continue. While Minister Joly’s steps signal some progress, we will persist in pressing the government to close the loopholes, enforce a two-way arms embargo, and halt complicity in human rights violations.
Justice For All Canada (JFAC) welcomes Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly’s announcement this week announcing the purported suspension of around 30 existing military export permits to Israel. This action marks a shift from the government’s earlier stance, where only new permits for exports issued after January 8, 2024 were paused, leaving the record number of existing authorizations designated for Israel untouched. This decision, while not comprehensive, marks a meaningful step towards addressing Canada’s complicity in arming Israeli forces.
Between October and December 2023, the Government of Canada approved a record $28.5 million dollars worth of military exports destined for Israel. Documents released by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development have revealed that 210 military export permits are still active for goods intended for Israeli recipients, including Israeli arms manufacturers. Some of these permits are set to remain valid until the end of 2025. Such a discrepancy, which the Foreign Affairs Minister failed to address in her statement, reveals that serious gaps remain in Canada’s approach to arms exports that demand urgent attention.
“Minister Joly’s latest announcement is an important step forward, but it is not enough. Canada must implement more comprehensive measures to halt its contributions to Israel’s unprecedented military campaign,” said Taha Ghayyur, Executive Director of JFAC. “To truly address the ongoing atrocities, we need stronger commitments to end all arms transfers,” added Ghayyur.
While Minister Joly has taken a step in the right direction by acknowledging the dangerous loophole that allows Canadian-made weapons components to reach Israel via third countries such as the U.S., her latest statements raise more questions than they answer: The lack of clarity surrounding the purported suspended permits is concerning. Minister Joly indicated that the government is “asking questions” of these weapons manufacturers, and did not confirm that the suspensions are permanent. The Minister also did not specify which companies were affected, nor did she explain the nature of the military goods covered under the suspended permits. This opacity hinders the true extent of Canada's involvement in arming Israel and raises further doubts about the effectiveness of the government’s actions.
- The Canadian government has now reversed its earlier position, where it refused to speculate on a U.S.-brokered sale of Canadian-made mortar cartridges to Israel, and now claims to oppose it. Minister Joly claimed that the government is "in contact with General Dynamics," but this leaves the public in the dark about what concrete policy mechanisms will be used to stop this transfer. While Minister Joly expressed opposition to the deal, she stopped short of providing a clear commitment or specific steps to prevent it from going forward. Concrete actions are required to reassure the Canadian public that the government will follow through on its promise.
- Minister Joly’s emphasis on preventing arms transfers to Gaza leaves open a troubling ambiguity: it does not account for military operations in the illegally occupied West Bank, where Israeli forces have also committed widespread human rights violations. As such, the government’s statement this week offers only partial assurances by failing to address this issue.
- The government’s recent decision to abandon the misleading distinction between “lethal” and “non-lethal” military goods is another important shift. The reality is that all arms, regardless of their technical classification, can contribute to violence, genocide, and war crimes. However, the government has yet to fully confront the broader regulatory failures that allow Canadian-made arms to fuel conflict. A full-scale review of Canada’s arms export policies is urgently required in order to close these regulatory gaps.
- Minister Joly has acknowledged the loophole around U.S. transfers for this particular deal, specifically in the context of the potential sale of Canadian-made high explosive mortar cartridges via the U.S. to Israel. However, other cases remain unaddressed where Canadian-made components are integrated into U.S. weapons systems. For example, Canada supplies parts for F-35 fighter jets, which are then assembled in the U.S. and sold to various countries, including Israel. These jets have been used in Israel’s bombing campaigns in Gaza. Despite the government’s stated opposition to direct sales, the absence of a broader review of such indirect transfers highlights ongoing regulatory gaps.
- No mention was made of the suspension of imports of arms from Israel to Canada, and the collaboration between Canadian companies and the Canadian Armed forces with Israeli weapons manufacturers. Putting an end to the importation of arms and collaboration with Israeli weapons manufacturers are also important steps in applying diplomatic pressure to put an end to the violence.
- Lastly, there are concerns about Canada's ability to prevent indirect arms transfers through the U.S. due to regulatory loopholes; so long as these remain unaddressed without clear, enforceable mechanisms in place. Such gaps will continue to allow Canadian-made arms to fuel violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Without addressing these systemic issues, Canadian arms may still be contributing to violence.
These glaring gaps and inefficiencies expose the limits of Canada’s arms export policy, even within the context of these new developments. Suspending permits is a positive first step but is far from sufficient. We call on the government to immediately take the following steps and reparations to remove ambiguity and ensure accountability:
- Cancel all existing permits for military exports to Israel, including parts of weapons and weapons classified by weapons manufacturers as “non-lethal”.
- Close the loopholes that allow for indirect arms transfers via the U.S. or other third countries.
- Provide clear, transparent mechanisms to ensure Canadian-made weapons do not contribute to the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank.
- Cancel all import permits for military exports coming from Israel, especially those developed on illegal settlements.
Anything less would be an abdication of Canada’s responsibility under international human rights law.
As part of Justice For All Canada’s broader efforts under our pledge to the #ArmsEmbargoNow movement, including under our Save Palestine campaign, we have consistently advocated for an immediate end to Canada's military exports and support to Israel. Through coordinated actions, including public mobilization, letters to MPs, and direct appeals to the Canadian government, we have raised alarms about the role Canadian-made weapons play in the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank. Our action tools and resources have enabled tens of thousands of Canadians with the ability to share their concerns directly with their local elected MPs.
Despite the developments this week related to Canadian arms facilitation to Israel, our correspondence and advocacy to the Canadian government will continue. While Minister Joly’s steps signal some progress, we will persist in pressing the government to close the loopholes, enforce a two-way arms embargo, and halt complicity in human rights violations.