Ottawa to probe alleged breach of Saudi arms deal

Investigation follows reports that Canadian-made vehicles are being used against civilians

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has asked Canadian officials to “immediately” investigate reports that Canadian-made military vehicles are being used against civilians in an escalating conflict in Saudi Arabia.

If confirmed, the use of armoured vehicles against civilians would be in violation of Canada’s arms deal with the Saudis.

“We are aware of reports that the current security operations have led to casualties of civilians and security forces,” Global Affairs spokesperson John Babcock told the Star via email.

“The government is actively seeking more information about Saudi Arabia’s current efforts to deal with its security challenges, the reports of civilian casualties, and the reports that Canadianmade vehicles have been used.”

Reports are stemming from videos posted across social media, which appear to show Canadian-made Terradyne Gurkhas.

Jeremy Binnie, the Middle East editor of Jane’s Defence Weekly, confirmed the identification of the vehicle via Twitter.

“Combination/colour of vehicles (the one with turret is a UR-416) indicates they are Special Security Forces,” Binnie wrote.

The new reports come on the heels of a statement made by a “concerned” Freeland on Thursday about the escalating violence in eastern Saudi Arabia, which has resulted in the deaths of both civilians and security forces.

Death sentences for 14 people, which came from what Amnesty International called a “grossly unfair mass trial,” were upheld this week by the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia.

Amnesty has recorded a “worrying increase in death sentences against political dissidents in Saudi Arabia since 2013, including the Shia Muslim minority,” according to an update this week.

“At least 66 people have been executed in Saudi Arabia since the start of 2017, including 26 in the past three weeks alone — more than one execution per day,” the group reported.

In her Thursday statement, Freeland urged local authorities to work with “all communities to defuse tensions,” but noted that all challenges had to be addressed in a way that conforms with international human rights law.

Twenty-four hours later, Freeland’s concern became “deep concern.”

Global Affairs’ Babcock noted that the minister would certainly “take action” if Canadian exports were confirmed to be involved in cases that involved human rights violations.

However, his email statement didn’t specify potential actions or sanctions should this be confirmed. Canada expects export customers to abide by the terms in the permits issued to them, he added.

There was a furor last year when the Trudeau government proceeded with a $15-billion deal for an Ontario company to sell light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia. The agreement with Terradyne, of Newmarket, was approved by the former Conservative government.

There were calls for the Liberals to cancel the deal given Saudi Arabia’s widely criticized human rights record. But Freeland’s predecessor Stéphane Dion said he couldn’t block exports unless the armoured vehicles were being used against innocent civilians, something he had no evidence of.

In June, the Star reported that the government would face a multibillion-dollar cancellation penalty if it broke a contract signed by the previous Conservative government to provide Saudi Arabia with light-armoured vehicles.

Earlier this year, the Federal Court dismissed a challenge by a Quebec law professor to condemn the deal, citing Saudi Arabia’s poor record in upholding human rights.