Statement made on 02 March 2011 by Senator Elizabeth Hubley
Hon. Elizabeth Hubley:
Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate. Twelve years ago yesterday, the Convention on the Prohibition on the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, also known as the Ottawa Convention, came into force as a binding international law. Back then, Canada was known around the world as a leader in land mine awareness and action. Today, we are a silent shadow of the force we once were.
While 51 other countries have ratified the United Nations Convention on Cluster Munitions, Canada has not. Last March in this chamber, when I asked why Canada had not ratified this convention, Senator LeBreton assured me that preparations for ratification were underway. In November when I rose again to ask the leader about the timeline for this ratification, she responded with the same placating assurances.
Canadians are tired of empty promises. When will we finally ratify the UN Convention on Cluster Munitions? Why have we not ratified the convention yet?
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