Canadians Protest Sale of Aerospace Firm to U.S. Arms Manufacturer
Jan 22nd, 2008 • Posted in: NewsThey say it violates provisions of anti-landmine treaty
OTTAWA
Critics in Canada are protesting the proposed sale of the nation’s preeminent space engineering firm to a U.S. arms maker.
The Canadian Press reports that Alliant Techsystems of Minneapolis, Minnesota, wants to buy a division of the British Columbia-based MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates for about $1.25 billion.
According to the Vancouver Sun, Alliant manufactures landmines, which are prohibited under a treaty to which Canada was one of the first signatories. The United States did not sign the treaty.
Late last week, the Canadian Auto Workers union called on the Harper government to block the sale, saying the treaty bans the transfer of public money to a company that manufactures landmines.
The union maintains that the firm’s prize product, the Canadarm, a robotic arm used, in different versions, on the space shuttle and the International Space Station, was developed with tax money, the Toronto Star reports.
ATK says that it only provides weapons to NATO countries and other allies and that its products are compliant with the provisions of the treaty, CTV reports. In the case of landmines, that means that the systems can be deactivated and self-destructed.
Sources: CTV, Jan. 18 –Canadian Press, Jan. 18 –Toronto Sun, Jan. 18 –Vancouver Sun, Jan. 18.
For more information, see: Related Newsline story, Dec. 10, 2007 — Related Newsline story, May 14, 2007 — Related Newsline Commentary, Nov. 21, 2005 — Related Newsline story, July 18, 2005.
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