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VICTORIA, British Columbia — Canada’s prime minister said a deal to provide Saudi Arabia with light armored vehicles will proceed despite growing concerns about that country’s human rights record.
The CAN $14.8 billion (US $11 billion) deal would see General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada of London, Ontario, selling Saudi Arabia light armored vehicles (LAV) in what Prime Minister Stephen Harper called the “largest [export] contract in Canadian history.”
The deal, originally announced in February 2014, has been shrouded in secrecy, with the Saudis not even acknowledging they are purchasing the Canadian-built LAVs.
But Canada’s federal election campaign has now thrust the contract into the spotlight.
During a Sept. 24 televised debate among the various political party leaders, Harper found himself under attack by the New Democratic Party (NDP) and Bloc Quebecois Party for allowing the Saudi deal to proceed.
Harper’s Conservative Party is in a tough three-way race with the NDP and the Liberal Party to form the next government on Oct. 19.
Harper said during the debate that canceling the contract would punish General Dynamics employees in Canada. A day later he acknowledged human rights violations in Saudi Arabia but said that any of Canada’s allies would have signed a similar defense export deal with the Saudis.
The NDP has raised concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record but has stopped short of saying it would cancel the contract if elected.
Instead, NDP leader Tom Mulcair said an NDP government would launch an examination of Canadian rules governing defense equipment exports to nations with dubious human rights records.
The LAV contract emerged in the election campaign after a decision by Saudi courts in June to uphold the sentencing of blogger Raif Badawi to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes. Badawi, whose family has been granted asylum in Canada, was sent to prison last year for insulting Islam.
Canadian media also are reporting the international outcry surrounding Saudi Arabia’s imprisonment of anti-government protester Ali Mohammed al-Nimr. He was arrested when he was 17 and now faces beheading and crucifixion for taking part in anti-government protests in 2012.
Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson also was confronted by opposition party candidates about the LAV contract and Saudi human rights abuses during a Sept. 28 election debate. Nicholson defended the contract, noting that Saudi Arabia is part of the coalition, including Canada, which is fighting the Islamic State militant group, also known as ISIS.
"These are important jobs, but at the same time, we are all in the fight against ISIS, and we're cooperating with Saudi Arabia and other countries," Nicholson said during the debate. "That being said, we don't excuse the human rights violations of any country, and we always step forward and we make that very, very clear. It's not a perfect situation, I agree with that."
The Liberal Party has not indicated whether it would cancel the LAV contract if elected.
Doug Wilson-Hodge, manager of corporate affairs for General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada, said the contract is expected to create or sustain approximately 3,000 jobs per year for the firm and its Canadian supply chain of over 500 companies. That would be for a period of 14 years, he added.
“GDLS-Canada exports in full compliance with the laws and regulations of the government of Canada,” Wilson-Hodge said.
The Canadian government, however, will not comment on whether it conducted a review of human rights issues before approving the export of the vehicles. That review is required under Canadian export regulations designed to prevent the shipment of defense products to states with poor human rights records.
Wilson-Hodge said he could not provide details about the LAV contract.
“The exact vehicle configuration and delivery schedule has not been disclosed due to contractual and confidentiality reasons,” he explained. “What I can tell you is that we are currently in the design and material procurement phase.”
As part of the deal, Saudi Arabia has asked Canada to limit its public discussions about the contract.
But Canadian Foreign Affairs Department documents obtained by the Globe and Mail newspaper earlier this year produced some information. The vehicles are going to be the “most advanced ever made” and deliveries would take place over a nine-year period, according to the government documents cited by the newspaper.
Project Ploughshares, which monitors Canada’s arms exports, used the freedom of information law to obtain records showing that two contracts were awarded. Its researchers believe one was for the provision of the light armored vehicles, while the other was for in-service support and training.
The Canadian government, through its agency, the Canadian Commercial Corp., has been focused on defense export sales to the Middle East. Canadian politicians also are becoming more involved in promoting such equipment.
Ed Fast, Canada’s minister of international trade, led trade missions to Saudi Arabia in 2012 and
2013.
ليس لديك تصريح لمشاهدة الرابط، فضلا قم ب تسجيل الدخول او تسجيل
صرح رئيس الوزراء الكندي ستيفن هاربر - ان صفقة المدرعات مع السعودية ستتم بغض النظر عن المخاوف التي تتزايد بشأن سجل حقوق الانسان في تلك الدولة.
حيث وصف رئيس الوزراء تلك الصفقة التي تبلغ قيمتها 11 مليار$ "بأكبر عقد تصدير في تاريخ كندا ".
بقية المقال يتحدث عن الخلاف حول الصفقة بين الديمقراطيين وحزب المحافظين حيث يحاول الديمقراطيين من جهة ايقاف الصفقة بسبب مزاعمهم حول حقوق الانسان ولكن من جهة أخرى حزب المحافظين -الذي ينتمي له رئيس الوزراء الكندي- مُصرّ على اتمام الصفقة بسبب المكاسب الاقتصادية معتبراً ان الغاءها سيكون بمثابة معاقبة موظفين جنرال داينكمس وأن أي أحد من حلفاء كندا لوكانوا مكاننا لقاموا بعقد الصفقة مع السعوديين .
حيث وصف رئيس الوزراء تلك الصفقة التي تبلغ قيمتها 11 مليار$ "بأكبر عقد تصدير في تاريخ كندا ".
بقية المقال يتحدث عن الخلاف حول الصفقة بين الديمقراطيين وحزب المحافظين حيث يحاول الديمقراطيين من جهة ايقاف الصفقة بسبب مزاعمهم حول حقوق الانسان ولكن من جهة أخرى حزب المحافظين -الذي ينتمي له رئيس الوزراء الكندي- مُصرّ على اتمام الصفقة بسبب المكاسب الاقتصادية معتبراً ان الغاءها سيكون بمثابة معاقبة موظفين جنرال داينكمس وأن أي أحد من حلفاء كندا لوكانوا مكاننا لقاموا بعقد الصفقة مع السعوديين .
