Report suggests arms still flow from Canada to Israel despite denials – CBC

 

Report on Canadian Military Exports to Israel and Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

This report details findings that suggest a discrepancy between the Canadian government’s stated policy on military exports to Israel and data from Israeli import records and commercial shipping documents. These findings have significant implications for Canada’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

1.0 Executive Summary

• A coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) has released a report indicating that Canadian military goods, including ammunition and weapon parts, have continued to be shipped to Israel since January 2024.
• This contradicts the Canadian government’s statements that it has not authorized new permits for such items since January 8, 2024.
• The continued transfer of military equipment to a conflict zone directly challenges the principles of SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, which calls for the promotion of peaceful societies and a significant reduction in illicit arms flows.
• A lack of government transparency regarding active export permits further complicates efforts to ensure accountability, a key target of SDG 16.6 (Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions).

2.0 Discrepancies in Arms Export Policy and Practice

2.1 Government of Canada’s Stated Position

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has asserted that no new permits for military items that could be used in the Gaza conflict have been approved since January 8, 2024. The government’s position has evolved, initially suggesting a halt to all military shipments, later clarifying it applied only to “lethal” equipment, and now specifying material that could be used in Gaza. GAC also noted the suspension of approximately 30 existing export permits. However, numerous previously issued permits remain active, allowing for ongoing exports.

2.2 Findings from Independent Research

A collaborative investigation by four NGOs—World Beyond War, the Palestinian Youth Movement, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, and Independent Jewish Voices—uncovered contradictory evidence. This partnership exemplifies SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, leveraging civil society collaboration to monitor state actions.

1. Israel Tax Authority Data: The database shows multiple entries in 2025 for Canadian goods classified by Israel under the Harmonized System (HS) code for “arms and ammunition; bullets.” One entry in April 2025 lists 175,000 units of goods under a category Canada defines as “Bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, missiles and similar munitions of war and parts thereof.”
2. Commercial Shipping Records: Publicly available shipping documents trace shipments of military equipment from Canadian companies to Israel. A recent shipment in July 2025 of “cartridges” was traced from a postal code corresponding to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems in Quebec to Bnei Brak, Israel.

These findings suggest that despite the halt on *new* permits, the flow of military goods continues, undermining the core objective of SDG 16 to foster peace and reduce violence.

3.0 Analysis of Canada’s Export Control System

3.1 Permit and Regulatory Framework

The Canadian government regulates military sales through a permit system for private companies. Most exports to Israel consist of components for larger systems rather than finished weapons. Current valid permits cover items such as:

• Printed circuit boards for land vehicles
• Materials related to surveillance systems

The lack of public transparency regarding which specific permits remain active is a central concern raised by the NGOs. This opacity challenges the fulfillment of SDG 16.6, which requires transparent and accountable institutions.

3.2 Corporate Response

In response to inquiries about a specific shipment of “cartridges,” General Dynamics stated the items were “non-lethal training materials” (simunition) that did not require an export permit. This highlights a potential loophole in the export control regime that may allow for the transfer of military-style goods outside the stated restrictions.

4.0 Implications for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

4.1 SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The central conflict between the government’s policy and the reported shipments directly impacts SDG 16.

• Target 16.4: Aims to “significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows.” While the reported shipments may be legal under existing Canadian permits, their transfer to an active conflict zone runs contrary to the spirit of this target, which is to curtail the tools of violence.
• Target 16.1: Aims to “significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.” Supplying military components, lethal or otherwise, to a participant in an armed conflict is inconsistent with this fundamental goal.
• Target 16.a: Calls for strengthening national institutions to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime. The report questions the strength and effectiveness of Canada’s arms export control system in preventing Canadian goods from contributing to conflict.

4.2 Broader SDG Impacts

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) & SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Armed conflict has devastating consequences for health infrastructure and the safety of communities. The provision of military equipment, which enables conflict, indirectly works against the goals of ensuring healthy lives and making human settlements safe and resilient.

5.0 Conclusion and Recommendations from Civil Society

The evidence presented by the NGO coalition suggests that Canada’s current arms export control measures are insufficient to prevent military goods from reaching Israel. The discrepancy between official statements and documented shipments undermines public trust and Canada’s commitment to international peace and security frameworks, including the SDGs.

The report concludes with a call from the activist groups for the Canadian government to move beyond the current ambiguous policy and implement a comprehensive and fully transparent two-way arms embargo with Israel. This, they argue, is the only effective way to ensure Canada is not materially supporting a conflict and to align its actions with its stated commitments to SDG 16 and global peace.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article directly addresses themes central to SDG 16 by focusing on the international arms trade, government accountability, and institutional transparency. The core issue is the alleged discrepancy between the Canadian government’s stated policy on arms exports to Israel and the evidence of ongoing shipments uncovered by NGOs. This scrutiny of government actions, the call for a “comprehensive arms embargo,” and the focus on regulating the flow of weapons to a conflict zone are all directly related to promoting peaceful and just societies and building effective, accountable institutions.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.4: By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime.
  • The article is fundamentally about the flow of arms. It discusses the “uninterrupted” “flow of military cargo from Canada to Israel,” including “military weapon parts and ammunition.” The controversy hinges on whether these flows are licit under Canada’s current, shifting policies. The efforts by NGOs to track these shipments and the call for an embargo are aimed at reducing the flow of arms into a conflict zone.
• Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
  • This target is central to the article’s critique of the Canadian government. The report highlights a “lack of transparency” from the government regarding which export permits are active. An activist states, “The Canadian government is not giving us the kind of data that we would have needed in order to produce this report. We had to go everywhere but the Canadian government.” Furthermore, Global Affairs Canada’s refusal to “comment on the specifics of individual export permit applications or transactions” due to “commercial confidentiality” is presented as a barrier to accountability and transparency.
• Target 16.a: Strengthen relevant national institutions… to prevent violence and combat terrorism and crime.
  • The article examines the role of Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the national institution responsible for regulating arms exports. It details how GAC issues, suspends, and manages permits for military goods. The entire report questions the effectiveness of this institution in enforcing its stated policy, noting that while GAC “suspended approximately 30 export permits,” most others “were allowed to stand,” leading to continued shipments.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Indicators for Target 16.4 (Reduce illicit arms flows):
  • The article provides specific, quantifiable data that serves as an indicator of arms flows. This includes:
    • The value of sales under specific export categories, such as “$2.25 million in sales” for bombs, torpedoes, and missiles.
    • The volume of specific shipments, such as the “importation from Canada into Israel of 175,000 units” of munitions in April 2025 and “15,000 units of ‘parts and accessories of military weapons'” in June 2025.
    • The number of permits used for military exports to a specific country, noted as “164 permits used” for Israel in 2024.
• Indicators for Target 16.6 (Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions):
  • The primary indicator is the discrepancy between official government statements and publicly available data. The government claims it “has not allowed arms shipments to Israel since January 2024,” yet “Israeli import data and publicly available shipping records appear to contradict that claim.” This gap is a direct measure of a lack of accountability or effectiveness.
  • The lack of publicly accessible official data is another indicator. The article notes the need for researchers to use the “database of the Israel Tax Authority” and “publicly available commercial shipping documents” because the Canadian government is not providing the necessary information, highlighting a transparency deficit.
• Indicators for Target 16.a (Strengthen relevant national institutions):
  • The article provides data on the actions of the regulatory body (GAC), which can be used as an indicator of its institutional function. This includes the number of new permits approved (“only two permits to Israel in 2024”), the number of permits suspended (“approximately 30 export permits”), and the number of existing permits allowed to remain active. These figures measure the institution’s regulatory activity.

Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

SDGs	Targets	Indicators Identified in the Article
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	16.4: Significantly reduce illicit… arms flows.	Value of arms sales: “$2.25 million in sales” under the “Bombs, torpedoes, rockets, missiles…” category. Volume of arms shipments: “175,000 units” of munitions (April 2025); “15,000 units of ‘parts and accessories of military weapons'” (June 2025). Number of permits utilized for arms exports: “164 permits used” for shipments to Israel in 2024.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.	Discrepancy between government statements (no new arms shipments allowed) and external data (Israeli tax and shipping records showing ongoing shipments). Lack of official transparency: Researchers had to use Israeli and commercial data because the “Canadian government is not giving us the kind of data that we would have needed.”
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	16.a: Strengthen relevant national institutions… to prevent violence.	Number of new export permits approved by Global Affairs Canada (GAC): “two permits to Israel in 2024.” Number of existing export permits suspended by GAC: “approximately 30 export permits.”

Source: cbc.ca