Domestic Politics

But is the deal necessary to avoid falling further into the fiscal red?

The nascent Liberal government has prided itself on reversing the legacy of the previous Conservative government. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has done everything from promoting a gender-equal cabinet, committing to cut methane emissions by 45 per cent, personally welcoming Syrian refugees, reaffirming Canada's pursuit of a seat on the UN Security Council, and beginning the process of a national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women. However, the Prime Minister has been deafeningly silent about the arms deal in which Canadians manufacture military weapons and vehicles for Saudi Arabia, an authoritarian state known for numerous human rights violations. Those concerned about the deal believe there is a concern that these Canadian-made weapons could be used by the Saudi regime against their own citizens in instances of dissent.

When asked about this discrepancy, Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion said Canada can learn from the ill-advised Saudi weapons deal by "ensuring that the equipment that we sell [in future deals] is not misused (…) [and] we will do it with more rigour than ever before." (Source: Globe and Mail).

As for the rationale on maintaining the current arms deal with Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Trudeau was less clear. "Canada is a country of the rule of law, a country of democratically elected government, and regardless of how we may feel about a previous government, the fact is they were democratically elected. They signed on to a contract and we are bound to respect that.' (Source: Globe and Mail).

This rationale would have been acceptable if it did not contradict the Prime Minister's desire in every other department to peel back other staples of the Harper legacy, such as the unpopular National Household Survey, the raised annual limit for tax-free savings accounts, and income-splitting for families, which Trudeau claimed only benefitted wealthier Canadians.

Trudeau's explanation is in fact, only talking-point gobbledygook for "this deal serves our national interest', and while this is frustrating for human rights observers and other concerned Canadians to accept, Mr. Trudeau has a point. Canada's arms deal with Saudi Arabia is worth $15-billion, and represents the livelihood of 3000 Canadians annually (Source: CBC News). It is not only bureaucratically difficult to slowly dismantle a deal signed by a previous government, but not economically beneficial to cancel a deal worth so much to the Canadian economy. The Liberal government already plans to run $30-billion into the red with his inaugural budget (Source: Department of Finance), and does not wish to trigger further spending if the government does not need to.

Even so, the Liberals were elected on a promise of increased transparency and accountability; the previous Conservative government found itself in hot water when it was discovered it was not tracking the human rights record of Saudi Arabia. To reassure Canadians it is appropriate for the country to continue this deal with the authoritarian state, the government should be more transparent about the details of the deal. How long is the contract in effect? Is the new government ensuring these weapons will not be used against government dissidents by tracking violations of Saudi human rights? Is there a substitute weapons deal with a less malicious country that the government could pursue? What about debating amendments to the deal in Parliament?

If the Liberals wish to shed the perception of Canadian government as closed and secretive, they must follow through on their election promise of increased transparency; this should not be selective, but a staple of new, improved government after Stephen Harper.