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441-00835 (Foreign affairs)

Paper petition

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Government of Canada

WHEREAS:

  • It is 77 years since the first use of nuclear weapons demonstrated their awesome power, yet we remain today under constant threat of warfare that could result in devastation from which the world may never recover;

  • The Government of Canada has published statements saying "We are committed to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons";

  • The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which addresses peaceful uses of nuclear energy, has failed to achieve its secondary aim of reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons;

  • Canada as a member of the UN Conference on Disarmament and the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament, has an obligation to promote internationally the elimination of nuclear weapons;

  • The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) has been signed by 86 countries and ratified by 66 but not by Canada; and

  • As non-nuclear state Canada is in a best position to comply with the articles of the TPNW and to guide its allies and other nations toward a world free from nuclear weapons.

We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to sign and commit to ratifying the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and to urge allies and other nations to follow suit.

Response by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob Oliphant

Canada is deeply concerned about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and has long been committed to achieving a world free from nuclear weapons.

Canada recognizes that the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) reflects well-founded concerns about the slow pace of nuclear disarmament – concerns that Canada very much shares.

While not a party to the TPNW, Canada has common ground with Treaty states and shares the ultimate goal of a world free from nuclear weapons. For this reason, Canada remains steadfast in advancing implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) across its three mutually re-enforcing pillars (non-proliferation, disarmament, peaceful uses of nuclear energy).

Canada is deeply disappointed that Russia blocked consensus at the August 2022 NPT Review Conference, and that it has failed to accept responsibility for the grave situation around Ukraine’s nuclear facilities. However, NPT states parties largely reaffirmed the validity and integrity of the Treaty, and the draft conference outcome document is good groundwork for further cooperation and progress amidst a challenging global environment.

Cross-regional groups to which Canada belongs – such as the Stockholm Initiative for Nuclear Disarmament and the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative – put forward pragmatic proposals on disarmament, risk reduction, transparency, and reporting, and other measures that garnered widespread support at the Review Conference. Canada will work tirelessly to advance this work and uphold the NPT as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime.

Canada’s focus is on initiatives that bring together nuclear and non-nuclear armed states. These include notably: commencing long overdue negotiations on a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty, advocating the entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, building global capacity for disarmament verification, and promoting a more inclusive approach to disarmament and non-proliferation.

Canada is an important contributor to global nuclear disarmament efforts and remains deeply committed to achieving the ultimate goal of a world free of nuclear weapon.

Presented to the House of Commons
Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan—Malahat—Langford)
November 3, 2022 (Petition No. 441-00835)
Government response tabled
January 30, 2023
Photo - Alistair MacGregor
Cowichan—Malahat—Langford
New Democratic Party Caucus
British Columbia

Only validated signatures are counted towards the total number of signatures.