refugees

[gray_marian]

#15, Des, "The Canadian government is proceeding with a controversial $15-billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia even as it publicly condemns Riyadh for a mass execution of 47 people, including a dissident Shia ****** cleric.

Foreign Affairs Minster Stéphane Dion released a statement this week decrying the capital punishment meted out Jan. 2 and calling on the Saudis to respect peaceful dissent and respect human rights. Sheik Nimr al-Nimr, the Shia cleric, was executed along with 46 others convicted on terrorism charges.

But the biggest Saudi mass execution in decades – delivered by beheading and in a few cases firing squad – is not moving Ottawa to reconsider a massive deal to supply the Mideast country with armoured fighting vehicles. The transaction will support about 3,000 jobs in Canada for 14 years.

“A private company is delivering the goods according to a signed contract with the government of Saudi Arabia. The government of Canada has no intention of cancelling that contract,” Adam Barratt, director of communications for Mr. Dion, said on Monday.

Federal rules oblige Ottawa to examine whether arms shipments to countries with poor human-rights records, such as Saudi Arabia, would endanger the local population.

This is no ordinary transaction between a Canadian company and a foreign customer.

The former Conservative government used its diplomatic resources to lobby the Saudis hard for this contract. A federal Crown corporation brokered the agreement on behalf of General Dynamics Land Systems Canada, a subsidiary of a major U.S. defence contractor.

The Canadian Commercial Corporation, the Crown agency that helps Canadian exporters access markets abroad, is the prime contractor, ultimately responsible for delivery of the light armoured vehicles to Riyadh.

Cesar Jaramillo, executive director of Project Ploughshares, an anti-war group that tracks arms sales, said on Monday that Mr. Dion’s criticism of the mass executions carried out by Riyadh sounds unconvincing given Ottawa’s unwillingness to cancel the arms sale.

“Canada’s condemnation of the most recent gross human-rights violations by the Saudi regime rings somewhat hollow against the backdrop of the $15-billion worth of Canadian military exports that this very regime is set to receive with Ottawa’s blessing,” Mr. Jaramillo said.

The light armoured vehicles made by General Dynamics Land Systems in London, Ont., are marketed as equipped with automatic weapons. The LAV 6.0 model is described as having “effective firepower to defeat soft and armoured targets.”

A spokesman for General Dynamics Land Systems on Monday said the company has entered the “material procurement phase” of the LAV contract, which means it is acquiring components and materials from suppliers to build the product.

Critics including Project Ploughshares and Amnesty International have cited Riyadh’s abysmal human-rights record and said this transaction would appear to violate Canada’s export-control regime.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is required to screen requests to export military goods to countries “whose governments have a persistent record of serious violations of the human rights of their citizens.” Among other things, it must obtain assurances that “there is no reasonable risk that the goods might be used against the civilian population.”

Human-rights groups say it is hard to imagine how the Saudi transaction could pass this test. Activists allege Saudi Arabia sent Canadian-made fighting vehicles into Bahrain in 2011 to help quell a democratic uprising. The Canadian government does not deny this happened. It says only that it does not believe the vehicles were used to beat back protests.

Most of the 47 executed on Jan. 2 were Sunnis convicted of al-Qaeda attacks in Saudi Arabia a decade ago.

Sheik al-Nimr, the most vocal critic of the ruling Al Saud family among the Shia minority, had come to be seen as a leader of the sect’s younger activists, who rejected the quiet approach of older community leaders.

The prominent cleric’s death has triggered a diplomatic war between Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia and Iran, where Shia ******s form the majority. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran on Sunday after an angry mob stormed its embassy in Tehran.

Canada is making plans to expand diplomatic relations with Iran. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said before the October election he wanted to reopen Canada’s embassy in Tehran.

Conservative foreign affairs critic Tony Clement is urging the Liberals to shelve the idea.

“Iran continues to be a dangerous state sponsor of terrorist groups around the world. When Iran moves away from its terrorist activities, Canada should then act to restore relations,” Mr. Clement said.

He also sounded the alarm about the execution of Sheik al-Nimr and other dissidents, and called on Ottawa to press the Saudis to follow due process and respect human rights.

Mr. Clement said it is up to the Liberals now to answer for the arms sale, but he added that the Saudis are an important regional ally for Canada in the Mid east.

The Saudi embassy in Ottawa did not respond to a request for comment."

Extract from "Global Unlimited"

#19&20, Des & John, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1pnvsj__LY

[happy daze john in oz]

That just about sums up how the West treat all of the problems. Condemn the Saudis for what the West say are terrible actions, but we must keep them sweet at the same time by continuing to supply them. However should the West pul the plug on supplies there are enough others, Russia, china etc who will supply. Maybe better the devil you know...................

[Evan Lewis]

Who do you think will get the contract Louis, Wimpys or Leech. Cheers JS

Worked for Wimpey's , couple times: Winston ,would . "Turn " in the Proverbial . Understand He was their Major Shareholder . Cheers!

[Evan Lewis]

Re . Post 23.
My thoughts ,for ages ,have been .On reading of these terrible atrocities, committed by Neighbouring Tribes, on each other. In these generally ,insignificant Countries , In East-West Africa , for example.Where "A run ashore ". Consisted,of Donating a, Calf-skin Belt,from B.A. or in one case ,in Takoradi, a small jacket, ,obtained in Brooklyn,For about $3.ensured ,a good night.Generally,We'd joke .Unfairly."How many Coconuts to a Pound note"?

When ,here in Aus. Sometimes ,ask ,"Where you from originally."Reply might be Kenya,or so. Then some go on to relate, how they survived ,among the ongoing, violence, losing much of their Family,during the process.
My ? is .After seeing , via T.V.so many times. The sophisticated weaponry used by these Poor communities. Suggests ,to me, .That .The Arms Manufacturers, must be the Beneficiaries .From these conflicts. So Wouldn't it be A good idea ,to Stop the Cause ,at the Factory Gates. That Too, as far I'm concerned, can apply to the present situation re,Arms.to the General Public, in the States ,or anywhere else.

[Keith Tindell]

Evan, i agree with your sentiments entirely, but unfortunately the solution you suggested at the end of your post introduces the BIG combatant ie money, big money, and we all know who the winner is in all arguments. The arms industry is huge, would be interesting to know who share holders, backers are in this world, kt

[Ivan Cloherty]

The arms industry is huge, would be interesting to know who share holders, backers are in this world, kt

The Vatican, The Church of England, The Baptists, The Moo slims and those of a similar ilk

[happy daze john in oz]

Evan mate, the biggest maunfactures of armaments, UK, USA, Russia, China and France. Big, big, money which creates employment but if you make that much it cannot be stock piled so they sell it. Most of the countries at war with each other do not pose a threat to the west as they are too busy fighting each other. The west is happy with that as it keeps them away from us generally speaking.

[vic mcclymont]

It costs the UK £600k a week to process asylum seekers claims. That's over£30 m a year.
Regards
Vic

[Jim Brady]

I wonder how much this exercise will cost.
Regards.
Jim.B.

Revealed: Government body helps asylum seekers quash convictions for illegal entry to Britain

[vic mcclymont]

Not being a lawyer, the telling statement for me, asylum seekers should no be prosecuted for fleeing unsafe countries. France is not an unsafe country.
Regards
Vic