Disarmament and human rights groups are suggesting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is violating his stated feminism and breaking Canada’s export control rules by not rescinding the sale of armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia, a country with an abysmal record on women’s rights.

“These are not sunny ways,” said Peggy Mason, the president of the Rideau Institute, when she was asked what the arms deal says about Trudeau – a self-proclaimed feminist – and his government.

Mason, along with secretary general of Amnesty International Alex Neve, and Roy Culpepper, the chair of Group of 78, and Cesar Jaramillo, the executive director of Project Ploughshares, held a press conference on Parliament Hill Wednesday morning to present an open letter to Trudeau, urging him to halt the $15-billion sale of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia.

In the letter to Trudeau, the coalition of groups wrote that, “To provide such a large supply of lethal weapons to a regime with such an appalling record of human rights abuses is immoral and unethical. The spirit and letter of both domestic export controls and international law support this view.”

Mason, who previously served as Canada’s Ambassador for Disarmament to the UN, said the government decision to sell armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia is “an important test”.

“In this case it’s not just upholding Canadian values it’s upholding Canadian law and Canadian regulations and international law, but in that circumstance it was not an easy decision to make,” she said.

“But to not stand on the side of Canadian export control policy, Canadian law, international law, and the clear ethical decision is to put the lie to the argument that the new Canada is back,” said Mason.

Neve said it’s particularly timely to be asking ourselves this question — of how a government that touts human rights and feminism — can trade with Saudi Arabia “at what human rights price this week,” because there’s a very large Canadian trade delegation this week in Saudi Arabia.

Neve said former Conservative MP Ed Holder is on the ground in Saudi Arabia and that while it’s not an official delegation it’s a significant Canadian presence aiming to do business and trade with Saudi Arabia.

“Whether it be with respect to something as egregious as arms deals or a whole host of other ways we do business with Saudi Arabia, it’s incumbent upon the government to bring some human rights rules and leadership to what may be going forward here,” said Neve.