43rd Parliament291Not answered before dissolutionAugust 15, 2021e-3122e-3122 (Foreign affairs)HamzaShaibanMatthewGreenHamilton CentreNDPONJanuary 25, 2021, at 2:17 p.m. (EDT)April 25, 2021, at 2:17 p.m. (EDT)June 18, 2021April 26, 2021Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:According to the UN, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen remains the worst in the world with 24.3 million (80% of the population), including 12.2 million children, needing humanitarian assistance;According to UNICEF, a Yemeni child dies every 10 minutes from preventable war-related causes, and 85,000+ have already died;Thousands of schools have closed and more than 2 million children are not in school;The humanitarian crisis has been exacerbated by the blockade imposed by Saudi Arabia on Sana’a Airport and Hudaydah Port;The port city of Hudaydah, where 70% of imports enter the country, is under relentless attack from airstrikes and naval ships. Houses, farms, livestock, businesses, roads, medical facilities and water facilities have all been hit;As of September 9, 2020, a panel of independent experts monitoring the conflict for the UN have publicly named Canada as one of the countries helping fuel the war in Yemen; andImages of what appear to be captured or destroyed Canadian-made light armoured vehicles (LAVs) have been publicized.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to:1) Halt arms shipments to Saudi Arabia immediately and ensure that any future arms transfers fully comply with Canada’s international legal obligations under the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty;2) Participate in international efforts to bring an immediate end to the deliberate Saudi-led attacks on civilians which constitute war crimes; and3) Demand and support international partners in lifting the siege on Sana’a Airport and Hudaydah Port in order to deliver humanitarian assistance;Civil and human rightsForeign policyMilitary weaponsRepublic of YemenSaudi Arabia43rd Parliament289Closed upon dissolutionAugust 15, 2021e-3075e-3075 (Foreign affairs)AliManjiJenicaAtwinFrederictonGreen PartyNBJanuary 27, 2021, at 7:03 p.m. (EDT)May 27, 2021, at 7:03 p.m. (EDT)May 28, 2021Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:There have been many petitions centring around the illegal offensive in Yemen that has led to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, including but not limited to: e-2786, e-2742, e-2442, e-1201, e-1903, e-1221;Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen breaks the conditions of the Geneva Convention by deliberately targeting civilians and civilian structures, schools and places of worship in Yemen, as documented by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Médecins Sans Frontières and the United Nations;The Saudi-lead coalition is imposing a blockade on Yemen, with life-saving supplies of food, medication and fuel often delayed for months; and United Nations aid workers were prevented from entering Yemen on July 18, 2017.We, the undersigned, citizens & residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to: 1. Immediately halt all transfer of Canadian made weapons to Saudi Arabia; 2. Cancel all active and pending arms deals with Saudi Arabia; 3. Immediately halt the export of LAV's to Saudi Arabia, to cancel the contract outright; 4. Demand the Saudi-lead coalition immediately end its airstrikes and illegal military offensive; 5. Bring the Saudi government to The Hague for war crimes against humanity; 6. Apply restrictions against Saudi Arabia's leaders as per the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act (Magnitsky Law); 7. Undertake a massive increase of life-saving humanitarian aid to Yemen; and 8. Extend the G5 exemptions granted to Iraqi and Syrian refugees to Yemeni refugees.Foreign policyInternational development and aidMilitary armoured vehiclesMilitary weaponsRepublic of YemenSaudi Arabia43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMay 6, 2021e-3158e-3158 (Foreign affairs)Si ThuNaingLaurelCollinsVictoriaNDPBCFebruary 9, 2021, at 8:45 a.m. (EDT)March 11, 2021, at 8:45 a.m. (EDT)March 23, 2021May 6, 2021March 12, 2021Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:The Myanmar military staged a coup d’etat on February 1, 2021, ignoring the will of the people of Myanmar and the outcome of the election in November 2020;President Win Myint, vice president Henry Van Thio, state councillor Aung San Suu Kyi and elected members of parliament were illegally detained;Public figures, political activists and Buddhist monks who are critical of the military were also detained and their status and whereabouts are unknown; andThe international community including Canada must act firmly to reject the coup and put pressure on our allies and Asian partners to stop providing arms to the Myanmar military.We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to: 1) Condemn the military coup in the strongest terms;2) Call for the immediate and unconditional release of all the elected officials as well as political activists;3) Take measurable actions against the Myanmar military junta and call for the repeal of the unlawfully declared state of emergency, and respect the outcome of November 2020 election;4) Immediately draft a law barring Canadian businesses from exporting arms and technologies to the Myanmar military that can be used against the general public; 5) Put forward a UN General Assembly resolution calling member states to address the long term threat to peace and stability of Myanmar;6) Bar members of Myanmar military, their families and associates from pursuing education or business opportunities in Canada; and 7) Draft a motion to refer this matter to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada unequivocally condemns the Myanmar military’s seizure of power, the overthrow of the democratically-elected civilian government, and the detention of politicians, civil society leaders, journalists, peaceful protestors and human rights defenders. Canada further condemns the use of force by Myanmar security forces on peaceful protestors, as well as the deliberate efforts to suppress dissent through disruption of communications, acts of intimidation, and the introduction of new and unacceptable laws. These actions constitute a blatant and unacceptable disregard for the democratic process, hard-fought civil and political rights, and the will of the people of Myanmar. Canada rejects claims made by coup leadership of large-scale election fraud in the 2020 general elections, as they have no basis in fact, and have been refuted by international, diplomatic and domestic elections observers.Canada has made its position clear both bilaterally and in conjunction with its international partners. On February 1, 2021, Canada issued a Ministerial statement calling for the immediate release of those detained and the restoration of the democratically-elected civilian government. These demands were reiterated in a subsequent G7 Foreign Ministers statement issued on February 3, 2021. On February 23, 2021, Canada joined a second G7 statement condemning the unacceptable attacks perpetrated by Myanmar security forces against peaceful demonstrators, and calling for restraint and full humanitarian access. Canada has also registered its condemnation in an intervention at a UN Human Rights Council Special Session on Myanmar, an opening statement at World Trade Organization’s Trade Policy Review of Myanmar, an intervention at the UN General Assembly and a joint Canada-UK statement at the International Labour Organization Governing Body meeting. In response to the deplorable violence committed by the Myanmar military on the country’s Armed Forces Day, Canada released a Ministerial Statement, and joined a Chief of Defence Statement with Australia, Greece Italy, Japan, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.Officials at Global Affairs Canada also briefed the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE) on March 24, 2021 on the situation in Myanmar in the wake of the military coup, and, on April 15, 2021, the FAAE met for a second time to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on displaced persons from Myanmar.On February 18, 2021, Canada announced targeted sanctions against the military leaders of the coup, including Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, his Deputy Soe Win, and 7 others. These sanctions were developed and imposed in coordination with the United Kingdom, following similar measures by the United States. Importantly, these listing were in addition to a robust sanctions regime under the Special Economic Measures Act (SEMA) that has been in place since 2007, and is the most comprehensive among Canada’s likeminded allies. Currently, there are 44 Myanmar entities and 54 individuals listed under SEMA. These sanctions encompass several measures, including:
  • a freeze on assets in Canada of any designated Myanmar nationals connected with the Myanmar State, as well as prohibitions on several categories of transactions, services and dealings involving property of designated persons, wherever situated; and
  • an arms embargo, including prohibitions on exporting and importing arms and related material to and from Myanmar, on communicating technical data related to military activities or arms and related material, and on financial services related to military activities or arms and related material.
Canada continues to work in close coordination with its international partners in pursuit of a range of additional measures to bring pressure to bear on the military junta. These measures include advocating for the adoption of international arms embargos on Myanmar, efforts to target the financial foundations of the Tatmadaw and constrict its grip on information in Myanmar, and continued support to pro-democracy and human rights forces on the ground.Canada will also continue to work with international partners to ensure that vulnerable and conflict-afflicted populations in Myanmar, including the Rohingya, live in safety and with dignity. Canada has reviewed its international assistance to Myanmar, and does not and will not provide direct funding to the Tatmadaw regime. Canada will, however, continue to support poverty alleviation among vulnerable and conflict-affected populations, particularly women and ethnic groups, through civil society organizations. As the prospects for sustainable and voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar are further diminished by the coup, Canada continues to work with international partners to mobilize support for the Rohingya people. We continue to help meet the immediate and longer-term needs of Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh, through programming on health, critical protection services, learning, livelihood opportunities, environmental rehabilitation, and social cohesion.Canada continues to provide development assistance for vulnerable populations in Myanmar, particularly women and ethnic minority groups, working mainly through support to civil society organizations, champions of democratization, and human rights defenders.The military coup has also reaffirmed the critical need for accountability for the crimes committed by the Tatmadaw. Canada continues to pursue a joint intervention with the Netherlands in support of The Gambia’s case against Myanmar at the International Court of Justice, and supports the work of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar. We continue to work with our international partners to ensure justice for the victims, and accountability for the perpetrators, of gross violations and abuses of human rights.Building an international constituency to urge the immediate cessation of violence and release of detainees, and to advance peace, democracy, accountability and human rights remains a priority for the Government of Canada.
Coup d'etatCriminal investigations and hearingsEconomic sanctionsExportsFederal electionsImprisonment and prisonersInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionMilitary weaponsMyanmar
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledMarch 22, 2021432-00482432-00482 (Foreign affairs)ElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCFebruary 4, 2021March 22, 2021December 18, 2020Petition to the Government of Canada We, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to apply pressure on its allies to end the export of all military equipment to Cameroon, as such exports facilitate violations of human rights and international humanitarian law. As Canada approaches its one-year anniversary of being a state party to the ATT, this is an opportunity for Ottawa to be a principled voice on arms control.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantThe Government of Canada is deeply concerned by the continuing violence in Cameroon, including in the Northwest and Southwest regions. Canada has consistently and publicly condemned violence and human rights violations in Cameroon and continues to encourage all parties to the conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions to seek a negotiated solution. Canada fully supports the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly in Cameroon.In addition to public statements, and direct engagement with Cameroonian officials, Canada continues to raise its concerns about the situation in Cameroon in international fora, such as during Cameroon’s Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations Human Rights Council.Canada has one of the strongest export controls systems in the world, and respect for human rights is enshrined in our export controls legislation. When Canada became a State Party to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) on September 17, 2019, the ATT assessment criteria were enshrined in Canada’s Export and Import Permits Act (EIPA). As a result, the Minister of Foreign Affairs shall not issue a permit in respect of arms, ammunition, implements or munitions of war if, after considering available mitigating measures, it is determined that there is a substantial risk that the export of the goods or technology could be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law or international human rights law, acts of terrorism or transnational organized crime, or serious acts of gender-based violence or violence against women and children. The Government of Canada will continue to carefully scrutinize all export permits and export permit applications for the export of controlled goods and technology, including to Cameroon, to ensure that they are consistent with our legal obligations and the protection of human rights and international humanitarian laws.Canada sees ATT membership as an important element of our export control system and ongoing commitment to the responsible trade of conventional arms. As a newer State Party to the Treaty, Canada has been increasingly engaged, on a collaborative basis, in the work of the Treaty.  This includes offering Canadian perspectives to the Treaty’s Working Groups; participating actively in the Sixth Conference of States Parties (CSP6); making a financial contribution to the Sponsorship Program, which provides funding so that representatives of States Parties with less capacity can attend ATT meetings in person, and to the Voluntary Trust Fund, an ATT basket fund that supports the national implementation of the Treaty. Canada notes that Cameroon was the beneficiary of such assistance in 2017-18. At CSP6, Canada was appointed to the Voluntary Trust Fund Selection Committee and looks forward to taking on this role to support projects that will strengthen Treaty compliance by States Parties. Canada is committed to working productively with the ATT Community, including other States Parties such as Cameroon, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations, in support of the Treaty’s objectives and its effective implementation.
Arms controlCameroonExportsMilitary weapons
43rd Parliament223Government response tabledJanuary 25, 2021e-2885e-2885 (Foreign affairs)AnahitArmenakyanBryanMayCambridgeLiberalONOctober 9, 2020, at 10:20 a.m. (EDT)November 8, 2020, at 10:20 a.m. (EDT)November 27, 2020January 25, 2021November 9, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:On Sunday, September 27, Azerbaijani forces, backed by Turkey, began a full-scale attack against Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh in Armenian);Azerbaijan launched air and missile-attacks in all directions along the Artsakh line of contact and has expanded into Armenia;Armenian border towns, settlements and Stepanakert, the capital of Artsakh, are being bombarded and shelled;Civilian deaths, injuries and military casualties continue to rise;The people of Armenia and Artsakh with democratically elected governments have been defending their families, homes, and lands;The recent violent attacks on civilians of Stepanakert, and towns across the Armenian border, serve as reality of genocidal threat towards the Armenian nation;Their aim is to extinguish the democratic stronghold of the Armenian people; andCanada approved sales of optical technology to Turkey, which are being used in drones that target civilians.We, the undersigned, Canadians and Armenian-Canadians, call upon the Government of Canada to:1. Take a stand for democracy in Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh (Artsakh);2. Condemn the aggression of Turkey and Azerbaijan against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh;3. Request Turkey to remove itself from the conflict zone;4. Stop all arms sales to Turkey to ensure Canada takes no part in the killings of innocent civilians; and5. Strongly denounce crimes against the Armenians.
Response by the Minister of Foreign AffairsSigned by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): Rob OliphantCanada welcomes the end of fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. Now that an agreement has been reached, the focus must be on ensuring that civilians receive the humanitarian assistance they need, and that their rights and safety are fully respected, so that all those displaced by the fighting are allowed to return to their homes. The Government of Canada believes that a comprehensive resolution to the conflict can only be delivered through a negotiated settlement, not through military action.The Government of Canada continues to support the efforts of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)’s Minsk process. The OSCE Minsk Group seeks a negotiated solution to the conflict, and Canada’s position does not prejudge the outcome of this process. Canada stands ready to contribute to its ongoing work.While the conflict was ongoing, the Government of Canada condemned the violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, especially the shelling of civilian areas. Canada repeatedly called for a peaceful, negotiated resolution through the framework provided by the OSCE. The Minister of Foreign Affairs issued public statements, including joint statements on September 28 and October 6, 2020, with the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, urging all external parties and friends of both states to use their influence to support an end to the hostilities and to refrain from taking actions that risk exacerbating the crisis. While in Europe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs also met with the High Representative of the European Union and the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to discuss how Canada and the international community could address the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. Canada contributed $450,000 to the International Committee of the Red Cross to support their budget extension for the region and address urgent needs that have arisen as a result of the conflict.On October 5, 2020, a number of relevant export permits to Turkey were suspended, following allegations made regarding the possible use of Canadian technology in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. A review of these allegations is currently underway.
ArmeniaAzerbaijanExportsForeign policyInternational conflict and international conflict resolutionMilitary weaponsTurkey
43rd Parliament229Not certifiedDecember 11, 2020e-2786e-2786 (Foreign affairs)MinoliDiasMarkGerretsenKingston and the IslandsLiberalONAugust 13, 2020, at 3:17 p.m. (EDT)December 11, 2020, at 3:17 p.m. (EDT)December 11, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="3" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">Government of Canada</Addressee>Whereas:The people of Yemen are experiencing “the worst” humanitarian crisis in the world according to the U.N.;About 230,000 people have died due to war and related social and environmental impacts according to the U.N.;Approximately 80% of Yemen’s population (24.1 million people) requires humanitarian assistance according to the Brookings Institute;Yemen has insufficient resources to address the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health emergencies, including child malnutrition and a cholera epidemic;The Saudi Arabian-led coalition, backed by the United States, Britain, and France among other nations has been suspected by the U.N. of human rights violations;Human Rights Watch (HRW) has documented at least 90 unlawful air strikes by the Saudi-led coalition;Canadian-made Light Armoured Vehicles have been reported, photographed and filmed at the Saudi Arabia-Yemen border;Canadian-made military goods have been photographed in the conflict in Yemen;Canadian sales of military equipment doubled in 2019 to $3 billion despite the moratorium on new arms deals;The Canadian government lifted the moratorium on new arms and trade deals with Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020;Human rights organizations, including HRW and Amnesty International, have identified Canadian arms and trade deals with Saudi Arabia to be complicit in the perpetration of war crimes;Canada can no longer claim status as a peacekeeping nation while procuring lethal military equipment and supporting the Saudi-led coalition forces.We, the undersigned, Canadian residents and citizens, call upon the Government of Canada to halt all arms and military trade deals with Saudi Arabia, including new and ongoing agreements, until the conflict in Yemen ceases.Foreign policyMilitary weaponsRepublic of YemenSaudi Arabia43rd Parliament229Not certifiedNovember 27, 2020e-2708e-2708 (Foreign affairs)SarahSmithElizabethMaySaanich—Gulf IslandsGreen PartyBCJuly 29, 2020, at 2:02 p.m. (EDT)November 26, 2020, at 2:02 p.m. (EDT)November 27, 2020Petition to the <Addressee type="1" affiliationId="" mp-riding-display="1">House of Commons</Addressee>Whereas:Turkey launched an air and ground operation against Iraqi Kurdistan on Sunday, June 14;Turkish airstrikes resulted in a number of innocent civilian deaths, including women, children, and minority groups in the region;The initial airstrikes targeted Makhmour Refugee Camp, which houses 12,000 refugees that fled Turkish persecution in the 1990s, and Sinjar region with 2,500 Yazidi refugees who escaped genocide at the hands of the Islamic State (ISIS);Turkey’s operation will lead to detrimental human rights violations mirroring those of Northeast Syria, civilian deaths, and the displacement of minority groups (Kurds, Yazidis, Assyrians) in the region; andAs a fellow NATO member, Canada is obligated to uphold NATO’s purpose to promote peace, security, and stability, and help find a peaceful solution to de-escalate the current situation.We, the undersigned, concerned citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to stand with the people of Iraqi Kurdistan and hold Turkey accountable for their human rights violations, and demand Canada suspends all arms sales to Turkey to prevent the further displacement of millions of innocent civilians while protecting the Kurdistan Region of Iraq from Turkish aggression.Civil and human rightsExportsForeign policyIraqKurdistanMilitary weaponsTurkey