Key developments since May 2002: Canada
continued to play a key leadership role in promoting universalization and full
implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty. On 29 November 2002, the Canadian
Landmine Fund was renewed, with C$72 million to be spent over the next five
years. Canada provided C$24.3 million (US$16.4 million) to mine action
activities during its 2002/2003 fiscal year. Canada sponsored regional meetings
to promote the Mine Ban Treaty in Afghanistan, Armenia, Croatia, and Ukraine.
Canada supported stockpile destruction in Chad, Mozambique, Romania, Ukraine and
Yemen.
Mine Ban Policy
Canada signed and ratified the Mine Ban Treaty on 3
December 1997. National implementation legislation was enacted in November 1997
and the treaty entered into force for Canada on 1 March
1999.[1] Production and transfer
of antipersonnel mines in Canada is prohibited under national legislation.
Canada has not exported antipersonnel mines since 1987 and has not produced them
since 1992. Canada destroyed its antipersonnel mine stockpile in November 1997,
with the exception of mines retained under the provisions of Article 3 for
research and training.[2]
Canada actively participated in the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in
September 2002, where Canada’s newly appointed Ambassador for Mine Action,
Ross Hynes, said, “I consider it a great personal pleasure and privilege
to be here today, joining the outstanding community of governments,
organizations and individuals who have made the campaign against anti-personnel
landmines one of the great international success stories of our
times.”[3]
Canada continued to play a leadership role in the intersessional work
program, including at the Standing Committee meetings in February and May 2003.
It has remained an active contributor to the Coordinating Committee of States
Parties. It has chaired the Universalization Contact Group, participated in the
Article 7/Article 9 Contact Group, and contributed extensively to the new
Resource Mobilization Contact Group. Canada continued to provide financial
support to the Sponsorship Program administered by the Geneva International
Center for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD), which enables mine-affected states and
others to participate in the Mine Ban Treaty meetings; it served as chair of the
fund from its inception in 2000 until September 2002. Canada was also an active
contributor to the President’s consultations in January and May on the
preparations for the 2004 Review Conference. Canada was one of five countries
that offered to host the 2004 Review Conference.
There was no change in government policy on the issue of transfer versus
transit of antipersonnel mines in Canadian
territory,[4] and no change in
government policy on antivehicle mines with antihandling devices or sensitive
fuzes.[5] Canada did not make any
new statements on these matters during Mine Ban Treaty meetings, nor on the
issue of joint military
operations.[6] Canada spoke on
antivehicle mines during meetings related to the Convention on Conventional
Weapons.
On 22 April 2003, Canada submitted its annual Article 7 transparency report,
for the period 2 March 2002 to 7 April 2003. This was the country’s
fourth Article 7 report.[7]
On 22 November 2002, Canada voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution
57/74, which urged universalization and full implementation of the Mine Ban
Treaty.
Canada is member of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its
Amended Protocol II on landmines and participated in the Fourth Annual
Conference of States Parties to Amended Protocol II in December 2002. Canada
submitted its annual Article 13 report on 6 November 2002. On 22 July 2002,
Canada accepted an amendment to expand the scope of the CCW, the first country
to so. Canada has actively participated in the work of the Group of
Governmental Experts dealing with “explosive remnants of war” and
“mines other than antipersonnel mines.”
Promotion and Awareness of the Mine Ban Treaty
Canada cosponsored and/or funded a number of regional meetings to familiarize
states with the Mine Ban Treaty’s aims and obligations in 2002 and 2003
including the first conference to be held on landmines in Afghanistan in Kabul
in July 2002, as well as regional meetings held in Yerevan, Armenia in October
2002, in Dubrovnik, Croatia in October 2002, and Kiev, Ukraine in February 2003.
Canadian officials worked to ensure the inclusion of pro-landmine ban language
in the final declaration of the Fifth Meeting of Ministers of Defense of the
Americas, held in Santiago, Chile in November 2002.
In the reporting period, Canadian officials visited Brunei, Indonesia, Laos,
Sudan, and Serbia and Montenegro to urge ratification of or accession to the
Mine Ban Treaty.
Canada condemned antipersonnel mine use on a number of occasions, including
at the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in September 2002, where Ambassador
Hynes said that “it is also incumbent upon this meeting to take due note
of some significant, disturbing developments. I want to highlight Canada’s
particular concern about reports over the past year of the use of anti-personnel
mines by countries such as India, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, and
Burma.”[8]
Support for stockpile destruction remained a priority. In 2002/2003, Canada
contributed C$849,736 (US$573,572) to support five other countries to destroy
their stockpiled antipersonnel mines. This included financial assistance to
Chad and Yemen, provision of equipment to Romania, and project development and
major financial support to Ukraine to destroy its PMN mines. Canada also
provided full financial support and technical assistance to Mozambique to
complete its stockpile destruction on time. In February 2003, Canada urged
other countries to provide financial assistance to Ukraine to help destroy its
stockpile of PFM mines.[9]
Canada continued to work closely with and provided financial support to the
ICBL, and its Landmine Monitor initiative. At the launch of the Landmine
Monitor Report 2002 held at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Canada’s
Ambassador to NATO stated that, “It is this desire to cooperate in an open
and transparent manner with new partners that led NATO to respond positively to
the suggestion that the Brussels launch of the Landmine Monitor report take
place here in NATO’s
headquarters.”[10] At the
Canadian launch of the Landmine Monitor Report 2002, Ambassador Hynes
noted that the Landmine Monitor’s global network of researchers
“provides leadership and a crucial service to the global mine action
community.”[11]
Mines Action Canada (MAC), the national NGO coalition, celebrated the fifth
anniversary of the Mine Ban Treaty signing in Ottawa with a series of events
throughout the country. On 29 November 2002, during a ceremony to unveil a
plaque in honor of the treaty anniversary, Canada’s Foreign Minister and
Minister for International Cooperation announced the government’s intent
to provide an additional C$72 million to the Canadian Landmine Fund over the
next five years, starting in April 2003. From 24-25 November 2002, MAC and the
Association for Aid and Relief Japan (AAR) hosted “Not Mines, But
Flowers,” Ikebana exhibition, which also featured a photo exhibit by
Giovanni Diffidenti. ICBL ambassadors Song Kosal and Tun Channareth and
campaigns representatives from Cambodia, India, Pakistan and Uganda participated
in a Youth Against War speaking tour from 26 November to 8 December, which
focused on the landmine problem in their countries, with a particular emphasis
on in India and Pakistan. On 29 November, MAC launched a traveling photo
exhibition on landmines in Afghanistan by photographer John Rodsted. MAC hosted
a symposium on challenges of achieving a mine-free world, “Without
Reservation,” from 30 November-1 December, with participants from 23
countries. In February 2003, MAC organized Canadian Landmine Awareness Week
(CLAW), which included over 100 events in 19 cities to commemorate the
anniversary of the Entry into Force of the Mine Ban Treaty. Eleven mine action
practitioners participated in a countrywide speaking tour.
In 2003, the Youth Mine Action Ambassadors Program (YMAAP) entered its fifth
year of operations, with continued support provided by DFAIT, the Canadian Red
Cross and MAC.[12] MAC’s
Student Technology Competition is now in its fifth year.
Mines Retained Under Article 3
In April 2003, Canada reported that it retained 1,935 antipersonnel mines.
During this reporting period a dozen mines were consumed “in countermine
and humanitarian demining procedures and equipment and for the training of
Canadian Forces personnel” preparing for peace support
operations.”[13]
Canada has reported that it “retains live anti-personnel mines to study
the effect of blast on equipment, to train soldiers on procedures to defuse live
anti-personnel mines and to demonstrate the effect of landmines,” and has
provided additional details about the use of its retained
mines.[14]
Use
The Canadian Forces (CF) are prohibited from using
antipersonnel mines under the Mine Ban Treaty and Canada’s national
implementation legislation. Canadian Forces personnel participating in the war
in Afghanistan possessed Claymore-type mines. Claymore-type directional
fragmentation devices are not prohibited under the Mine Ban Treaty when used in
a command-detonated mode. The government stated that Canadian Forces were
deployed to Afghanistan with the “C19 Command Detonated Defensive
Weapon” and explained that “the C19 inventory...is designed to be
placed on the ground, aimed and controlled by a soldier who assesses the
situation and makes a deliberate decision as to detonation. The Canadian Forces
does not have, nor would be permitted to have, trip-wire or victim-activating
accessories for the C19 Command Detonated Defensive Weapons. All Canadian
Forces in Afghanistan are instructed to act in accordance with the provisions of
the Ottawa Convention.”[15]
Canada’s position on joint military operations with a non-State Party
who may use antipersonnel mines was presented in great detail in Landmine
Monitor Report 2001.[16] As
was reported last year, Canada reiterated this position in response to various
media reports surrounding Canadian Forces operating in cooperation with the US
in Afghanistan.[17]
Mine Action Funding
Almost all of Canada’s mine action funding
comes from the Canadian Landmine Fund (CLF), established in 1997 to disburse a
total of C$100 million over a five-year
period.[18] In the five years
ending with Canada’s fiscal year 2002/2003, mine action funding totaled
nearly C$128 million.[19]
Canada provided C$24,272,170 (US$16.4 million) to mine action activities
during its 2002/2003 fiscal
year.[20] This represents a
decrease C$3.59 million from the previous year. When created, the CLF was
expected to peak in the third year, and decline in years four and five.
On 29 November 2002, Canada announced a C$72 million renewal of the Canadian
Landmine Fund for another five years, noting, “The funding underscored
Canada’s long-term commitment to efforts to implement the Ottawa
Convention.”[21] Industry
Canada, a government department involved in the administration of Fund from
1997-2002, will not be part of the 2003-2008 funding cycle.
The Mine Action Team at the Department of Foreign Affairs and International
Trade (DFAIT), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), and the
Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technologies are the government departments and
agencies involved in mine action activities and projects supported by the
Canadian Landmine Fund. DFAIT reports to Parliament annually on behalf of these
departments and agencies. The 2001-2002 annual report, Making A
Difference was presented to Parliament on 29 November
2002.[22]
Canadian Mine Action Recipients (FY
2002/2003)[23]
Country
US$
C$
Country
US$
C$
Afghanistan
$5,940,000
$8,800,000
Mauritania
$2,227
$3,299
Angola
$401,593
$594,952
Mozambique
$1,317,344
$1,951,620
Bosnia & H.
$979,146
$1,450,587
Nicaragua
$84,375
$125,000
Cambodia
$690,208
$1,022,530
Pakistan
$7,146
$10,586
Chad
$21,236
$31,461
Philippines
$1,567
$2,322
Chile
$338
$500
Poland
$7,948
$11,775
Colombia
$16,611
$24,609
Romania
$183,078
$271,227
Congo, DR
$26,706
$39,565
Sri Lanka
$102,424
$151,739
Croatia
$205,243
$304,064
Sudan
$259,875
$385,000
Eritrea
$68,175
$101,000
Tajikistan
$139,035
$205,978
Ethiopia
$175,500
$260,000
Tunisia
$17,213
$25,500
India
$14,175
$21,000
Uganda
$118,125
$175,000
Jordan
$131,355
$194,600
Ukraine
$353,869
$524,251
Lao, PDR
$173,650
$257,259
Yemen
$81,207
$120,306
Lebanon
$398,925
$591,000
Total
$11,918,293
$17,656,730
In FY 2002/2003, Canada supported mine action activities in 29 countries.
The main recipient was Afghanistan (C$8.8 million), which accounted for half of
the country-specific mine action funding. Other major recipients were
Mozambique (C$1.95 million), Bosnia and Herzegovina (C$1.45 million), and
Cambodia (C$1 million).
In FY 2002/2003, Canada provided the following to various mine action
activities:[24]
C$7,259,560 ($4,899,528) to integrated mine action in Afghanistan,
Mozambique, Nicaragua, and Israel (Palestine), including demining and Mine Risk
Education (MRE).
C$4,687,971 (US$3,164,380) to support mine clearance efforts in
Afghanistan (demining equipment), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mine Detection Dogs,
insurance for deminers and demining at Srebrenica), Central America (through the
OAS program), Croatia (MDD and a flail), Jordan (ambulance and computers),
Lebanon (technical advisor), Mozambique (demining), and Tajikistan (demining
equipment), as well as landmine impact surveys in Angola and Cambodia.
C$3,250,464 ($2,194,063) to victim assistance activities in countries
including Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Laos, Lebanon, Uganda,
and Yemen.
C$3,028,092 ($2,043,970) to support advocacy and prevention
activities, including mine action seminars in Armenia, Cambodia, DR Congo,
Guyana, India, Pakistan, southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Syria, Thailand, and
Ukraine, as well as Canada; stockpile destruction in Chad, Mozambique, Romania,
Ukraine and Yemen; general core support to Canadian Landmine Foundation, ICBL,
Landmine Monitor, MAC, YMAAP; the Raising the Voices initiative; the Sponsorship
program; and a conference on explosive remnants of war.
C$2,904,019 ($1,960,214) for coordination activities by UNDP, UNMAS
and others in Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Ethiopia, Laos,
Mozambique and Sri Lanka.
C$1,928,250 ($1,301,568) for research and development initiatives,
including CCMAT.
C$541,024 ($365,191) for mine risk education programs in countries
including Cambodia, DR Congo, Lebanon, and Sudan.
C$532,253 ($359,272) to support information activities such as:
assessment missions to Angola, Mauritania, Mozambique, and Tunisia; database
support in Cambodia and an evaluation of the Global Landmine Impact Survey
initiative.
On 12 April 2003, Minister for International Cooperation Susan Whelan
announced a contribution of C$5 million for mine action activities under UN
auspices in Iraq.[25]
NGO Mine Action and Funding
A number of Canadian NGOs implement humanitarian mine action or provide
support to mine action efforts. Details on the mine action programs can be
found in the country studies contained in this edition of Landmine Monitor
Report. Funding from Canadian non-governmental sources exceeded C$1.1
million in 2002, including monies from the Canadian Landmine Foundation,
Canadian Red Cross, Grapes for Humanity and other NGOs.
The Canadian International Demining Corps (CIDC) undertook a number of mine
action activities in 2002, including training for mine detection dog teams,
technical support for stockpile destruction, and survey and assessment
activities.[26] CIDC was active
in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Jordan, FYR Macedonia, Mozambique, Romania,
and Thailand. In 2002, CIDC joined the Survey Working Group.
In 2002, the Canadian Landmine Foundation (CLF) provided C$434,961 through a
variety of programs, including Canine Demine (in partnership with CIDC),
Adopt-A-Minefield, and the Peacekeepers Demining Fund, as well as C$827,000
provided by CIDA as matching
funds.[27] On 5 December 2002,
CLF organized a “Night of a Thousand Dinners” fundraising event and
another fundraising event on 11 June 2003 featuring leading Canadian
entertainment figures. The CLF supported mine action projects in Afghanistan,
Cambodia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Mozambique. It supported
Landmine Survivors Network (LSN) for “Raising The Voices” and CIDC
for a mine detection dog.[28]
The Canadian Association for Mine and Explosive Ordnance Security (CAMEO)
provided support in 2002 to mine action activities in southern Sudan by
Operation Save Innocent Lives Sudan (OSIL), for the third year in a row. In
2002, the Episcopal Relief and Development and the Ottawa Diocese of the
Anglican Church of Canada also provided funds to CAMEO’s work in Sudan.
The Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) continued to support a mine action
program executed by Handicap International in Mozambique in 2002.
The Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief (CPAR) supported MRE and landmine
survivor training and rehabilitation activities in Uganda in 2002, with the
support of the CLF.
Grapes for Humanity, a Canadian charitable organization established in
October 2000, disbursed C$195,345 to the Kien Khleang Rehabilitation Center in
Cambodia and to the Vida Nueva project in Choluteca, Honduras in
2002.[29]
The Canadian Red Cross provided C$499,035 in 2002 for its victim assistance
program in Tajikistan, which was extended to 30 June 2003. They also
implemented a Southern Africa Regional Mine Awareness and Victim/Survivor
Program in Mozambique and Namibia.[30]
The Falls Brook Center continues to work on survivor assistance projects in
northern Nicaragua. World Vision Canada continued its Vocational Rehabilitation
project in Battambang, Cambodia. Its Mine Awareness Program in
Battambang/Samlot, Cambodia ended on 31 March 2003. UNICEF Canada supported mine
risk education in Gash Barka and Debub, Eritrea, as well as a victim assistance
program in Lebanon.
Research and Development
The Canadian Centre for Mine Action Technologies
(CCMAT) of National Defence and Industry Canada acts as Canada’s focal
point for demining technologies. CCMAT has supported research and development
of several new technologies currently used in mine clearance or undergoing
testing and evaluation. CCMAT shares facilities with Defence Research and
Development Canada – Suffield, formerly known as DRES.
Testing and evaluation (T&E) activities that have been undertaken by
CCMAT in the past year include development of T&E standards for metal
detectors and mechanical assistance equipment, development of improved surrogate
mines and test methodologies for more realistic and effective testing of
demining equipment and personal protective equipment. In addition, actual trials
of a wide range of equipment including metal detectors, underwater sonar
detectors, flails, rollers, and mine-resistant boots were conducted. CCMAT also
supported or conducted trials in mine-affected countries such as the clinical
trial of the NPO foot, an improved prosthetic foot design, and the field trial
of segmented rollers to determine their effectiveness in demining operations.
Both of these activities were done in Thailand.
Research and development activities sponsored by CCMAT included investigation
of the effect of soil type on detection equipment performance, and the detailed
investigation of the nature and shape of antipersonnel blast mine effects and
how a deminer’s body position can reduce or increase the potential for
injury or death from mine blast. R&D is ongoing for a number of projects
associated with remote and close-in detection of mines and the application of
robotics to demining
tasks.[31]
Landmine Casualties
While Canada is mine-free, Canadian Forces
personnel have been killed or injured by mines during their work overseas. On
28 April 2002, a Canadian soldier received minor injuries while on patrol in a
US Humvee that hit a landmine near the Kandahar airfield in
Afghanistan.[32] In another
incident on 23 May 2002, an eight-wheel Bison light armored vehicle drove over a
landmine near the military base in Kandahar; the six Canadian soldiers in the
vehicle were not injured.[33]
[1] Statutes of Canada, Chapter 33, An Act to
Implement the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production
and Transfer of Antipersonnel Mines and on their Destruction; Bill C-22,
Assented to 27 November 1997. [2] Although
not codified by Canadian law, current policy is to maintain no more than 2,000
mines for training purposes and the testing of clearance technologies. This
policy has been stated several times by the Ministers of National Defence and
Foreign Affairs and is noted in the government’s Article 7
reports. [3] Statement by Ross Hynes,
Ambassador for Mine Action, Fourth Meeting of States Parties, Geneva, 17
September 2002. [4] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2000, p. 241. [5] For detailed
information see Landmine Monitor Report 2001, page
293. [6] Canada’s position on joint
military operations was elaborated in detail in Landmine Monitor Report 2001,
pp. 294-295. [7] See Article 7 Report,
24 April 2002 (for the period 16 February 2001-1 March 2002); Article 7 Report,
30 April 2001 (for the period 15 March 2000-15 February 2001); Article 7 Report,
27 April 2000 (for the period 1 August 1999-14 March
2000). [8] Statement by Amb. Hynes, Fourth
Meeting of States Parties, 17 September
2002. [9] Email to Landmine Monitor (MAC)
from Shannon Smith, DFAIT, 29 July 2003; “Canadian official urges
countries to help Ukraine destroy millions of landmines,” Associated
Press, 10 February 2003. [10] “Notes
for remarks at the launch of the 2002 Landmine Monitor,” provided to Stan
Brabant, Handicap International Belgium and emailed to Landmine Monitor (MAC),
11 September 2002. [11] Notes provided to
Landmine Monitor (MAC) of remarks by Amb. Hynes, Ottawa, 12 September
2002. [12] In 2002/2003, YMAAP had youth
ambassadors in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, Saskatoon, St.
John’s, Toronto, Vancouver, and
Winnipeg. [13] Article 7 Report, Form D,
22 April 2003. [14]
Ibid. [15] Email from Shannon Smith,
DFAIT/ILX, 2 May 2002. A document posted to the Canadian Forces website stated
that they “currently have about 20,000 C19s in stock, with no plans to
purchase any more.” See, “The Canadian Forces and Anti-Personnel
Landmine,” DND document BG-02.007, 13 February 2002.
[16] See Landmine Monitor Report 2001,
pp. 294-295. See previous editions also for discussion of Canada’s
position on joint operations and its interpretation of “assist” in
Article 1. Landmine Monitor Report 2000, p. 244; Landmine Monitor Report 1999,
pp. 221-223. [17] See Landmine Monitor
Report 2002, p. 155. [18] For more
details, see the 49-page annual report of the Canadian Landmine Fund, Making A
Difference, 2001-2002 report on the Canadian Landmine Fund, available online at
www.mines.gc.ca. [19]
Funding total provided to Landmine Monitor by DFAIT and CIDA. This amount is
higher than reported in previous editions of Landmine Monitor Report because it
includes CIDA funding of bilateral programs not previously included by Landmine
Monitor. [20] The fiscal year period was:
1 April 2002-31 March 2003. [21]
“Government of Canada Announces Renewal of Canadian Landmine Fund,”
DFAIT News Release #165, 29 November
2002. [22] Making A Difference, 2001-2002
report on the Canadian Landmine Fund, available online at
www.mines.gc.ca. [23]
C$1=US$0.675 as of 20 March 2003. Official exchange rate provided by email to
Landmine Monitor (MAC) by Cory Anderson, DFAIT-ILX, 3 June
2003. [24] All funding figures are taken
from the UN Mine Action Investments database. DFAIT-ILX made the conversions
from U.S. to Canadian dollar. Email to Landmine Monitor (MAC) by Cory Anderson,
DFAIT-ILX, 3 June 2003. [25] This
contribution will be funded in FY 2003/2004. “Canada announces second
round of aid funding for Iraqi people,” CIDA News Release
(2003-36). [26] Response to Landmine
Monitor questionnaire by CIDC, 18 July
2003. [27] Emails from Scott Fairweather,
Interim President and CEO, CLF, 8 April and 19 July
2003. [28] CLF
website. [29] Email to Landmine Monitor
(MAC) from Arlene Willis, President and CEO, Grapes for Humanity, 18 July
2003. [30] Canadian Red Cross,
“Dusanbe Orthopaedic Centre, Annual Report 2002;” letter from Leah
Feuer, Canadian Red Cross, 24 March
2003. [31] Email to Landmine Monitor (MAC)
from Al Carruthers, CCMAT, 22 July
2003. [32] Mike Blanchfield,
“Military mum on latest Afghan mission,” The Ottawa Citizen, 24 May
2002; “Canadian soldiers strike landmine on Afghan road,” CBC News,
23 May 2002. [33] Ibid.
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