A group of academics and labour activists is calling on the Canadian Labour Congress to publicly oppose an arms deal between Canada and Saudi Arabia, calling the organization’s silence on the issue “deafening.” In a letter expected to be sent Wednesday, academics and activists says there is “credible evidence that Canadian weapons sold to Saudi Arabia are being used in the devastating war in Yemen,” where an estimated 70,000 people have died over the past three years. It calls on the CLC to demand the Canadian government “immediately cancel” the deal. The CLC endorsed a 2016 letter written by human rights groups to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressing concerns about export permits issued for arms deals with Saudi Arabia.“Since then, the silence of the CLC has been deafening,” says Wednesday’s letter.The letter has 125 signatories including former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations for Disarmament Peggy Mason, former NDP MPP Cheri DiNovo, and Sam Gindin, an adjunct professor at Ryerson and the research director of the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union from 1974 to 2000.Light armoured vehicles destined for Saudi Arabia are manufactured at General Dynamics Land Systems in London, Ont., which is represented by the CAW’s successor union, Unifor. Read more: Arms maker warns of cost with Trudeau looking to end Saudi dealRenewed calls for Canada to pull out of Saudi arms deal after detained women face chargesThe Big Debate | Should Canada cancel its arms deal with Saudi Arabia? YesTrudeau has said his government is exploring getting out of its $14 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, as pressure over Yemen’s mounting death toll and the murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi grows. The arms deal was reached in 2014 under the previous Conservative government, but the Liberals approved the required export permits.General Dynamics has warned that Canada would “incur billio ...
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