(Nanaimo) Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly wants to prevent the export of munitions manufactured in Quebec to Israel.
“The policy is clear: there are no Canadian weapons or weapons components that are going to end up in Gaza. Period,” she said Tuesday on the sidelines of the national Liberal caucus meeting.
“It doesn’t matter how they’re going to be sent – directly from Canada or indirectly – it’s not relevant,” she added at a press briefing.
Canada’s top diplomat said she was “in contact” with the company General Dynamics on this subject.
“Our policy is clear: since January 8, no new permits have been issued for the shipment of weapons or weapon components to Israel,” she recalled.
Minister Joly also stated that she had suspended “around thirty existing permits” during the summer in order to “ask more questions” about the contracts.
About a month ago, the Biden administration proposed to the US Congress to approve a contract for the sale of 50,000 munitions worth up to US$61 million.
If this transaction were approved, the vast majority of these mortar shells would be manufactured on Quebec soil.
Organizations immediately urged the Canadian government to intervene to block the proposed contract.