by Chris Bodnar
Ottawa Bureau Chief

OTTAWA (CUP) - Anti-war and peace groups are calling for more public scrutiny of Canadaıs role in the international arms trade after a military tradeshow was held in Ottawa last week.

Members of the Ottawa-based Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT) say most Canadians donıt know about their countryıs involvement in the small arms trade, especially when Canada is viewed as a peaceful nation.

³Itıs not just a conference, itıs a military tradeshow,² said Richard Sanders, co-ordinator of COAT. ³Military goods are on display.²

The Ottawa military gathering showcased over 35 of Canadaıs largest arms and military component manufacturers alongside arms producers from the United States, Britain, Sweden and France.

According to figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), the value of military exports from Canada is now estimated at over $300 million a year to countries excluding the US.

COAT estimates that over $650 million in military exports are done to the US, but the figure is unknown since permits are not required to export military products to the US.

Canadaıs total military export figure has more than doubled since the Liberals took office in 1993.

The two-day conference, which ended October 1, included corporate booths displaying ammunition, artillery, armoury and military information network systems, as well as interactive shooting demonstrations and wine and cheese events.

Participants at the tradeshow included Canadian government representatives from the Department of National Defence, Industry Canada and DFAIT officials.

Government arms-buyers from Britain and the United States also attended.

Organizers of the tradeshow, however, say the event was hosted strictly for the Canadian industry and to improve government relations.

³This is oriented to one customer only, and thatıs Canada,² said Bruce Johnston, co-ordinator for the military conference. ³The real aim is for members of Canadaıs modest defence industry to get together in one location and to show their products to their primary customer, which is the Canadian armed forces.²

But events inside the conference contradicted Johnston.

During the showıs opening ceremonies, organizer Robert Fisher pointed out that participants may be interested in securing businesswith the United Kingdom.

The chief of procurement, the person responsible for overseeing all arms purchases for the UK, gave the keynote address. The event was also partially sponsored by the British High Commission.

Moreover, numerous foreign government representatives and foreign arms manufacturers were present. COAT organizer Sanders says the fact that the showıs list of participants included the DFAIT, Team Canada and Britainıs chief of procurement is evidence the conference wants to produce business outside of Canada.

But Johnston and conference participants said Sandersı concerns were uninformed.

³To think that any country doesnıt need some sort of defence is rather naïve,² said an Industry Canada representative who asked to remain anonymous.

³Would you send the Canadians to East Timor without weapons?² added Johnston. ³Self defence is the classic use of a weapon. You canıt function in a sight like Bosnia without the proper protection.²

Sanders says Canadians arenıt concerned about their countryıs involvement in the arms trade because of its reputation as a peace keeper and the mediaıs fear of losing advertising dollars if they reported on the issue further.

³Part of the problem is that the government propaganda is pretty strong and thereıs a very strong myth with Canada being the peacemaker,² said Sanders.

³[The government] says a lot about stopping the flow of small arms to terrorists and such, but they donıt say much about stopping the trade of small arms with governments. The media misses the details and it looks like the government is against all arms. Theyıre not.²