Canada

Last Updated: 27 October 2011

Mine Ban Policy

Canada was the first government to sign and ratify the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, becoming a State Party on 1 March 1999. Canada ceased antipersonnel mine export in 1987 and production in 1992. Canada has not imported nor used antipersonnel mines. Legislation to enforce the antipersonnel mine prohibition domestically was enacted in November 1997. In 2011, Canada submitted its 12th Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report.

Canada completed destruction of its stockpile of 90,000 antipersonnel mines in November 1997, before the Mine Ban Treaty was opened for signature.[1]As of 15 April 2011, Canada retained 1,921 antipersonnel mines for training purposes.[2]

Canada attended the Tenth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in November–December 2010 and served as coordinator of the Universalization Contact Group. Canada also attended the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in Geneva in June 2011, where it served as co-chair of the Standing Committee on the General Status and Operation of the Convention.

Canada is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its Amended Protocol II on landmines and Protocol V on explosive remnants of war.

 



[1] Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 Report (for the period 18 April 2008 to 19 April 2009), Form D.

[2] Article 7 Report (for the period 21 April 2010 to 20 April 2011), Form D.