The following information came in an email, yesterday. It is not compatible with all the reporting on the alleged trade war with the U.S. and on Canada’s alleged condemnation of the U.S. – Israeli war on Iran. I find myself wondering if we are witnessing a hybrid-war-style tactics and deliberately misleading war-time propaganda. Maybe, maybe not. Too early to reach reliable conclusions. The Truth is always the first victim of any war.

From: Arms Embargo Now via ActionNetwork.org

The No More Loopholes Act – a bill designed to address Canada’s arming of genocide and war crimes – was just voted down in the House of Commons. The Liberal government was handed a real opportunity to turn their endless rhetoric into actual action, and align Canadian arms exports with human rights and international law. Instead, Carney’s government just doubled down on ensuring an uninterrupted flow of Canadian weapons for Trump and Netanyahu’s escalating war crimes.

This isn’t the outcome that any of us were hoping for.

For months now, thousands of you have taken action – emailing, calling, canvassing, protesting, fighting tirelessly to change Canadian law in order to cut off the unregulated flow of Canadian weapons to the US and on to Israel. You have made it clear that the Canadian masses support an arms embargo and oppose our government’s ongoing complicity in war crimes.

Your incredible organizing forced 15 Liberal MPs to break rank and join the NDP in voting YES on the No More Loopholes Act – and 15 other Liberals abstained, refusing to vote with Carney. Many of these votes were only flipped because of persistent local organizing – and they are each hard-fought and important achievements. This represents a significant fracture in the Liberal caucus – as noted by the CBC, it’s the first time that most of these MPs have split from the government line since Carney became Prime Minister.

Ultimately, the vote on the No More Loopholes Act was a litmus test. And the Carney government failed. They picked the side of militarism and American weapons companies. The side of Trump and Netanyahu. The side of genocide and war crimes.

TELL YOUR MP HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THEIR VOTE

Despite the ever growing list of reasons why it is self-evidently irresponsible to send unregulated weapons to the US (ICE, Venezuela, Iran)… Despite research exposing the unending flow of Canadian weapons on to Israel – and new evidence that the highest levels of government knew about it all along… Despite our grassroots movements putting enormous pressure on MPs across the country and making the disgraceful state of Canada’s arms exports undeniable…

The shameful fact remains: Carney’s inner circle fought from the beginning to ensure that this bill would be defeated.

Carney is showing his true colours. He’s doubling down on a war economy, accelerating arms manufacturing, entangling Canada deeper into the US war machine, and supporting illegal wars. Our opposition to this agenda has never been more important and we’ve got a lot of tough work ahead.

Today’s decision is a disappointment but we are inspired by Palestinian steadfastness.

We will not stop. We will not back down. Email your MP today.

Stay tuned for updates and next steps. Arms Embargo Now.

In solidarity in our ongoing struggle for an arms embargo on Israel and a free Palestine.

– Arms Embargo Now