Close the Loopholes

The Right Honourable Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada

Dear Prime Minister,

On behalf of Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Toronto, we are writing to express our deep disappointment in your uncritical endorsement of the United States’ and Israel’s attack on Iran. Both former United Nations Ambassador Bob Rae and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Lloyd Axworthy, senior members of your party with extensive foreign policy experience, have strongly criticized your position, pointing out that the security of the world and of Canada depend upon countries uniting to uphold the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes. With your endorsement of extreme, arbitrary violence you have endangered all Canadians and the future of the world.

We urge the Government of Canada to ensure that Canadian-provided goods and services are not used in violations of human rights and international law. Our international legal obligations, along with basic human values, require that we assume responsibility for the end use of our exports of arms and services. This means, at a minimum, denying export permits for military goods likely to be used for human rights violations.

We further urge the government to cancel federal subsidies to companies contracting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and exploring all available legal mechanisms including sanctions under the Special Economic Measures Act to prohibit such contracts, in light of ICE’s ongoing violence in US communities.

It’s Time to Close the Loopholes

Canadian weapons are being used by Israel in its resumed airstrikes on Gaza, the U.S. military in its illegal assault on Venezuela, and ICE in its deadly campaign in American cities. Canada cannot claim to respect international law while continuing to fuel the US’s unabashed warmongering and Israel’s brutal attacks on Gaza and its people.

The U.S. Loophole means that at least 60% of Canadian arms exports — those that go to the U.S. — are exempted from government oversight or permitting requirements.

Canada must act now to cut off this unregulated flow of arms by passing the No More Loopholes Act (Bill C-233) when it comes before Parliament for a vote.

Background Information (Provided by World Beyond War)

The No More Loopholes Act is a Private Member’s Bill (PMB) proposed by MP Jenny Kwan. The bill proposes to update Canada’s current Export and Import Permits Act to properly reflect critical missing elements of the Arms Trade Treaty – an international treaty regulating the trade of weapons that Canada has signed onto. The updates would represent a significant step towards properly regulating Canada’s military exports – Canada’s current arms-export system still has dangerous loopholes that allow Canadian weapons to end up in conflict zones used by perpetrators of systemic human rights violations.

Some examples of Canadian arms exports

Bombing Gaza:

• F-35s: There are millions of dollars of Canadian-made components in every F-35 jet, one of Israel’s key tools of destruction.
• Explosives: Over 500 shipments of explosives have been made in or shipped through Quebec, and delivered to critical U.S. bomb manufacturers, who in turn supply deadly weapons to Israel.

Trump’s Illegal War on Venezuela:

• Deadly U.S. airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean in September 2025 relied on sensor systems built in Hamilton, Ontario.
• F-35s were also used in the U.S. Military’s illegal bombing of Caracas.

ICE’s Reign of Terror:

• Armored vehicles: In January, vehicles from Roshel, a Brampton-based firm, were caught on camera at the scene of one of ICE’s fatal attacks in Minneapolis.

Prime Minister, in this moment of international crisis, there has never been a greater need for a principled, independent Canadian foreign policy. You are letting down Canadians and the world, and we respectfully insist that you change course now.

Sincerely,

Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Rev. Sally Fritsche, Minister
Anthony Rapoport, Board President