The Trudeau government is signing Canada on to another United Nations treaty, one that critics say will deliver little in the way of benefits to Canadians but will harm our national sovereignty in years to come.

Global Affairs Minister Stephane Dion quietly issued a statement on Thursday morning announcing that Canada will accede to the Arms Trade Treaty. The stated purpose of the global pact is to stop the flow of small arms such as rifles and pistols to terror groups, organized crime and oppressive regimes.



Tony Bernardo, Executive Director of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association, tells The Rebel that export controls to achieve these goals already exist in Canada.

According to Bernardo export controls in Canada are strict and require government approval.



By signing on to the UN treaty however, he says we are giving up the ability to control Canadian law.



“It is outrageous that Canada would choose to abdicate her sovereignty to the United Nations,” Bernardo said.

“Every six years, a 75% majority of countries at the UN will be permitted to determine our nation's laws. It seems inconceivable that the Canadian government would agree to throw our democracy under the bus.”

Under the treaty a majority of countries at the UN can change the text of the treaty. Even if Canada opposed the changes the new rules would still apply in Canada unless the government were to formally withdraw their signature.



The treaty has also been criticized for the expectation that compliance costs for manufacturers and even retailers will rise making the costs of firearms in Canada higher.



Dion said in a statement that Canada is the only NATO and G7 country not to have signed on to the ATT, a statement that is both true and false at the same time.

While the United States signed the treaty they have not ratified due to a lack of support in Congress, effectively making their signature meaningless.



“Accession to the treaty will reflect Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s commitment to multilateralism,” Dion said.