Last year more than 100,000 people were killed in Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Burma and other major hot spots where factional fighting was fuelled by a relentless flow of illicit weapons. That’s why Canada’s key allies see the value of the United Nations’ latest bid to curb the global arms trade and tamp down at least some of the violence.

More than 65 countries including Britain and France, both big arms dealers, signed on to a landmark Arms Trade Treaty this week that aims to better regulate the $60-billion-plus global arms market. The Americans, too, have made it clear they are onside, subject to the approval of Congress.

Yet when others were hailing the historic document Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government chose once again to embarrass and isolate Canadians by snubbing the UN and holding out. The Conservative government now plans to take its sweet time to decide whether to sign a treaty that an overwhelming majority in the UN General Assembly — Canada included—voted on April 2 to endorse.

In Parliament this week, repeatedly pressed by the New Democrats to “sign the deal now,” Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said the government “will be consulting” with Canadians, the provinces, industry and others before making up its mind. He also raised a bogus concern about the opposition wanting to “bring in through the back door” the long-gun registry the Conservatives killed. That makes no sense. The treaty focuses on cross-border weapons transfers. It doesn’t interfere with national sovereignty, legitimate arms sales or domestic gun laws. If this is the sort of consultation Baird has in mind, it won’t be a very productive exchange.

Has the Conservative government lost its moral compass? The Arms Trade Treaty is intended to curb the uncontrolled flow of weapons and ammunition to criminal regimes, terrorists and others who commit war crimes, terrorism, piracy, organized crime, atrocities and human rights abuses. Once it is formally ratified by 50 nations, likely within a year, it will come into effect.

“The treaty … will make it harder for weapons to be diverted into the illicit market, to reach warlords, pirates, terrorists and criminals, or to be used to commit grave human rights abuses or violations of international humanitarian law,” says UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. “The eyes of the world are watching arms traders, manufacturers and governments, as never before. From now on, weapons and ammunition should only cross borders after the exporter confirms that the transfer complies with internationally agreed standards.”

Given Canada’s modest niche as an arms supplier, this should be a no-brainer for any government with a sense of its duty to protect the innocent. We should sign with no further delay. Canada’s support is needed precisely to help shame major arms suppliers such as Russia and China to sign on. Every country that holds out gives others cover to do the same. As with other agreements that targeted landmines and cluster munitions, the treaty’s success depends on wide support and strict enforcement.

Under the treaty, countries are required to conduct risk assessments and set up mechanisms to block sales of conventional weapons if they violate arms embargoes; if they risk promoting acts of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes; or if they are likely to be used in attacks on civilians or protected institutions such as hospitals or schools. The treaty covers everything from missiles and launchers such as the S-300s that Russia is selling Syria, to warships, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, battle tanks, artillery, armoured combat vehicles and light arms.

The treaty is essentially about “naming and shaming” governments that traffic in arms to gunrunners and other bad actors. Why that should give the Harper Conservatives even a moment’s pause is hard to understand.

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