Canada now the second biggest arms exporter to Middle East.

[Theodarzna]

Canada has soared in global rankings to become the second biggest arms dealer to the Middle East on the strength of its massive sale of combat vehicles to Saudi Arabia, new figures show.

It’s a first for Canada, according to IHS Jane’s, the defence industry publisher that tracks military spending. Canada was previously the sixth-largest weapons vendor to Mideast countries. The United States is No. 1.

Canada has also vaulted to sixth overall among all arms-exporting countries, based on rankings released by Jane’s this week. This means only five countries are currently selling more weapons and military equipment.

IHS Jane’s analyst Ben Moores said he suspects Canada has never ranked so highly among all arms-exporting countries and that it certainly hasn’t held that position in the past 15 years.

The Trudeau government, asked whether it took pride in Canada’s expanded role as a weapons seller and would feature this achievement in trade promotion materials, referred the questions to a department of Global Affairs bureaucrat. The civil servant instead said Ottawa hopes to toughen screening of weapons sold to foreigners.

“The government of Canada remains firmly committed to introducing more transparency and rigour in export controls,” spokeswoman Rachna Mishra said.

The Trudeau government gave the green light for the $15-billion sale of fighting vehicles to proceed to Saudi Arabia, a country regularly ranked by watchdog Freedom House as among the “worst of the worst” on human rights.

The Liberal decision to issue export permits, in April, was made despite an internal Global Affairs report warning of worrisome developments in human rights and analyses from watchdogs such as Amnesty International, which said human rights in Saudi Arabia have “steadily deteriorated” in the previous 12 months.

These Jane’s arms-sales rankings emerge as relations grow more strained between Saudi Arabia and the United States, the biggest source of arms for the Mideast. Presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton linked Saudi Arabia and its neighbours to extremism in the aftermath of Sunday’s mass shooting in Orlando, calling on these Mideast countries to stop their citizens from funding extremism. Riyadh is still angry at Washington’s nuclear pact with Iran and officials in April threatened to sell off $750-billion in U.S. government bonds if Congress allowed Americans to sue Saudi officials over terrorism.

Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry confirmed Monday that Omar Mateen, who killed 49 people in Orlando, travelled to the desert kingdom in 2011 and 2012 on an Islamic pilgrimage. Officials say there is no evidence Mr. Mateen made contract with extremists during his two trips to Saudi Arabia.

The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Cesar Jaramillo, executive director of Project Ploughshares, a disarmament group in Waterloo, Ont., that is an agency of the Canadian Council of Churches and tracks arms shipments, said Canadians should be worried that their country is now the second-largest arms exporter to “the most volatile region in the world” today.

“This ranking comes days after Canada addressed the UN Security Council and highlighted the importance of protecting civilians in conflict zones … it is civilians who are often most at risk as a result of arms dealings, in particular to regions engulfed in conflict and notorious for their poor human rights records,” Mr. Jaramillo said.

(Source)

Oh NO! How could this happen under the Pope of Social Justice, Justin Trudeau's watch? Canada? Glorious Utopia Canada is now the 2nd biggest exporter of weapons to the Middle East? It would appear one way Canada is mixing it up Economically is by GIT GUD at gun sales.

[minteK917]

When did trudeau ever said we would not sell weapons? Liberal party is more likelly to buy less weapons, not sell less.

[Tempguy]

Canada... I don't even know you anymore.

Next you'll start waving leaf flags and screaming "Canada! Fuck yes, eh!"

"We have freedom and Tim Hortons , doncha know!"

[Aeula]

But what can be done about these evil Canadians?

[Calfredd]

Congratulations @Tennisace! You're number one once again!

[Reinhard von Lohengramm]

Well, didn't you know, it's [Current Year] and selling weapons to a Wahhabi State is in, while being a banana republic is out!

[Bushtuckrman]

Sorry I just can't, my sides are still in orbit over 'dude weed' refusing America and Russia's offers of assistance to control the massive fires and instead opt to fly in a bunch of Africans who promptly went on strike and demanded more pay.

I lived in Montreal for 11 months back in 2000, I imagine the french poutines don't like him much.

[Super Kami Dende]

Kind of makes sense why they are so quick to try and silence criticism of Islam.

[Jaransan]

Sorry I just can't, my sides are still in orbit over 'dude weed' refusing America and Russia's offers of assistance to control the massive fires and instead opt to fly in a bunch of Africans who promptly went on strike and demanded more pay.

I lived in Montreal for 11 months back in 2000, I imagine the french poutines don't like him much.

Interesting. My understanding was that the excuse they wen't with was that they had made an agreement or set up that vehicle sale before reports rolled in about a lot of things, and that they decided to follow through because they were currently in the process of finalizing deals with several other nations and couldn't afford to showcase that they would go back on their word or a deal.

That said, we refused American and Russian help because theyre enemies and we didn't wanna get involved. Accepting Russia's help implies we owe them, or are there friends, which is something we sincerely can't fuck with since were attached to United States. On the other hand, once Russia offered it became a bad idea to accept America at the same time because we'd be offending Russia, Putin being famously easily to offend, and really quite easily goaded to action against people who do so.

It's one of those political crapshoots we just have to deal with given our position in the world. I dunno about the African fire fighters though. That seems lame. screw those guys.

[Bushtuckrman]

Interesting. My understanding was that the excuse they wen't with was that they had made an agreement or set up that vehicle sale before reports rolled in about a lot of things, and that they decided to follow through because they were currently in the process of finalizing deals with several other nations and couldn't afford to showcase that they would go back on their word or a deal.

That said, we refused American and Russian help because theyre enemies and we didn't wanna get involved. Accepting Russia's help implies we owe them, or are there friends, which is something we sincerely can't fuck with since were attached to United States. On the other hand, once Russia offered it became a bad idea to accept America at the same time because we'd be offending Russia, Putin being famously easily to offend, and really quite easily goaded to action against people who do so.

It's one of those political crapshoots we just have to deal with given our position in the world. I dunno about the African fire fighters though. That seems lame. screw those guys.

Russia is fucking you over in the northern territories so might as well take their help. America you can think of them as enemies but they are not and a large part of your economy and employment depends on American imports of raw materials which your now piss weak dollar is really killing you lot over.

[Jaransan]

Russia is fucking you over in the northern territories so might as well take their help. America you can think of them as enemies but they are not and a large part of your economy and employment depends on American imports of raw materials which your now piss weak dollar is really killing you lot over.

I never said America was our enemy. But we have to toe a line there because we HAVE to deal with Russia - it's not optional for us. So we have to give the outward illusion of being only 'kind of okay with each other' and not just pretend were the extra state glueing alaska to the rest of the union. It's not about disliking America, it's about being carefully NEUTRAL towards Russia.

[Graeham]

It goes without saying really. Both the Saudis and other big investors (the Chinese for instance) have applied pressure in the west to accept their ideology through funding.

Which, unfortunately, will be brushed off as nothing more than a 'conspiracy theory' by a great many people.

[Wildtree]

Canada is not the great place many people think it is

when Trump becomes President its going to be funny if people try and move there and find out their immigration laws are far harsher than the USA then once inside find out it sucks

What do export goods have to do with quality of life in a country?
And something tells me, that you - as Aussie - have very little knowledge and comparison expertise about either, Canada's and the US's immigration laws.
Last I've checked it's actually very easy to migrate to Canada, even for people that are not from a British Commonwealth country.

[Jaransan]

What do export goods have to do with quality of life in a country?
And something tells me, that you - as Aussie - have very little knowledge and comparison expertise about either, Canada's and the US's immigration laws.
Last I've checked it's actually very easy to migrate to Canada, even for people that are not from a British Commonwealth country.

Yes and No? I've got some family in immigration and my understanding of it is that Canada is pretty easy to immigrate to provided you have a certain level of education, or people who already have family in the country. Basically your aces provided you can prove you can work above the minimum wage level for a living. It's harder to get in if your coming here for a better life, but weren't really so well off where you came from in the first place. We basically only take refugees (people who are fucked beyond belief) or graduates (people who've got decent prospects). Theres not much middle ground.

[wowaccounttom]

sounds like canada has quite the army they are keeping hidden.....


are they trying to defend against the united states of mexico???

[Alski]

sounds like canada has quite the army they are keeping hidden.....


are they trying to defend against the united states of mexico???

They have giant military bases hidden inside mountains churning out weapons of war.

It won't be long before the white walkers of the USM come for them, so they are preparing in secret

[nonameelf]

Middle East encompasses a lot of countries of which only 3 of them are really problematic at the moment.

[Wildtree]

Yes and No? I've got some family in immigration and my understanding of it is that Canada is pretty easy to immigrate to provided you have a certain level of education, or people who already have family in the country. Basically your aces provided you can prove you can work above the minimum wage level for a living. It's harder to get in if your coming here for a better life, but weren't really so well off where you came from in the first place. We basically only take refugees (people who are fucked beyond belief) or graduates (people who've got decent prospects). Theres not much middle ground.

Only developing nations have a wider middle ground. Canada is a developed nation, and among those it's rather easy.

Any foreigner can check how hard/easy it is for them.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/eligibility.asp

Now, since the claim was, that migrating to Canada is harder than migrating to the USA, try find such comprehensive head start help from the US government.
What he forgets is, that the USA has a lot more applications every year, than it allows people to migrate.
And even IF one's lucky enough to be considered, the process is hideous. It takes up to 2 years for spouses to become legal residents.
Fast lane in the USA would mean the following: You're rich and can prove significant investment, you've exceptional skills as artist/musician/athlete, and if you're a spouse of a military member.
Everyone else, get in line and bring a lot of patience.

[Jaransan]

Only developing nations have a wider middle ground. Canada is a developed nation, and among those it's rather easy.

Any foreigner can check how hard/easy it is for them.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/eligibility.asp

Now, since the claim was, that migrating to Canada is harder than migrating to the USA, try find such comprehensive head start help from the US government.
What he forgets is, that the USA has a lot more applications every year, than it allows people to migrate.
And even IF one's lucky enough to be considered, the process is hideous. It takes up to 2 years for spouses to become legal residents.
Fast lane in the USA would mean the following: You're rich and can prove significant investment, you've exceptional skills as artist/musician/athlete, and if you're a spouse of a military member.
Everyone else, get in line and bring a lot of patience.

True. I wasn't really arguing the point just that it's kind of an apples and oranges deal sometimes. Obviously its generally harder to get into the states, but the Harper government was pretty shitty about it for a while, and were still sort of working on fixing it.

[Belize]

Middle East encompasses a lot of countries of which only 3 of them are really problematic at the moment.

So let's sell weapons to all the other ones. At no time has that ever backfired in history /s