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Canada
Nuclear-weapon endorser
Has not yet joined the TPNW
Status
Canada has not yet signed or ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
National position
Canada has consistently voted against an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that welcomes the adoption of the TPNW and calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to it “at the earliest possible date”. It has described the treaty as “well-intentioned” but “premature”.
Canada supports the retention and potential use of nuclear weapons on its behalf, as indicated by its endorsement of various alliance statements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), of which it is a member.
In 2023, in response to a parliamentary petition urging Canada to “sign and commit to ratifying the TPNW”, Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, Mélanie Joly, said: “Canada recognises that the entry into force of the [TPNW] reflects well-founded concerns about the slow pace of nuclear disarmament – concerns that Canada very much shares. While not a party to the TPNW, Canada has common ground with treaty states and shares the ultimate goal of a world free from nuclear weapons.”
Responding to a similar petition in 2022, Joly said: “Canada believes that a step-by-step approach to nuclear disarmament remains the most viable pathway to achieving meaningful and lasting progress.”
In 2018, the then-minister of foreign affairs, Chrystia Freeland, said that the “popularity” of the TPNW “speaks to the desire of countries, activists, and communities to accelerate the work toward disarmament” and “reflects frustration and disappointment at the pace of global efforts so far”.
Political developments
Seven former Canadian prime ministers, foreign ministers, and defence ministers – Lloyd Axworthy, Jean-Jacques Blais, Jean Chrétien, Bill Graham, John Mccallum, John Manley, and John Turner – signed an open letter in 2020 calling on current leaders to “show courage and boldness – and join the [TPNW]”.
Canada’s New Democratic Party and Green Party have criticised the Liberal government for its failure to sign the TPNW. The government voted against a parliamentary motion in 2017 urging it to sign the treaty.
Setsuko Thurlow, a renowned Canadian disarmament campaigner and survivor of the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima, who jointly accepted the Nobel peace prize awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons in 2017, has repeatedly called on the government to change its stance.
Several Canadian cities, including Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, have also urged the Canadian government to sign and ratify the TPNW.
ICAN campaigners, including Setsuko Thurlow, hold a press conference in 2017 in celebration of ICAN’s Nobel peace prize. Photo: Paula Cardenas
Meetings of states parties
Canada opted not to observe the first meeting of states parties to the TPNW in 2022. Canadian civil society organisations, as well as senators and members of parliament from the New Democratic Party and Green Party, criticised the government’s decision.
In explaining Canada’s non-attendance, Robert Oliphant, the parliamentary secretary to the foreign minister, said: “We understand and appreciate the sentiment behind the TPNW, but I will reiterate tonight that Canada is not a state party to this treaty, as several of its provisions are incompatible with our NATO commitments.”
Canada also did not observe the second meeting of states parties in 2023. A government representative said afterwards that the executive would welcome a briefing from the Canadian parliamentarians who attended in their personal capacity.
Public opinion
A public opinion poll conducted by Nanos Research in 2021 found that 74 per cent of Canadians believe that their government should join the TPNW, with just 14 per cent opposed. Furthermore, 73 per cent think that Canada should join even if, as a member of NATO, it might come under pressure from the United States not to do so.
ICAN campaigners hold a protest outside Canada’s diplomatic mission in Geneva due to its failure to support a ban on nuclear weapons. Photo: ICAN
TPNW negotiations
Canada did not participate in the negotiation of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York in 2017 and thus did not vote on its adoption.
In 2016, Canada voted against the UN General Assembly resolution that established the formal mandate for states to commence negotiations on “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”.
In a document sent to NATO members ahead of the vote, the United States “strongly encourage[d]” members, including Canada, to vote against the resolution, “not to merely abstain”. In addition, it said that, if the treaty negotiations do commence, allies and partners should “refrain from joining them”.
ICAN campaigners from Canada celebrate the adoption of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York on 7 July 2017. Photo: ICAN
Nuclear weapons formerly in Canada
During the cold war, Canada hosted US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a NATO nuclear-sharing agreement. All such weapons were withdrawn by 1984.
Further information
Nuclear-weapon endorser
Has not yet joined the TPNW
[HIGHLIGHTS]
Status
Canada has not yet signed or ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).
National position
Canada has consistently voted against an annual UN General Assembly resolution since 2018 that welcomes the adoption of the TPNW and calls upon all states to sign, ratify, or accede to it “at the earliest possible date”. It has described the treaty as “well-intentioned” but “premature”.
Canada supports the retention and potential use of nuclear weapons on its behalf, as indicated by its endorsement of various alliance statements of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), of which it is a member.
In 2023, in response to a parliamentary petition urging Canada to “sign and commit to ratifying the TPNW”, Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, Mélanie Joly, said: “Canada recognises that the entry into force of the [TPNW] reflects well-founded concerns about the slow pace of nuclear disarmament – concerns that Canada very much shares. While not a party to the TPNW, Canada has common ground with treaty states and shares the ultimate goal of a world free from nuclear weapons.”
Responding to a similar petition in 2022, Joly said: “Canada believes that a step-by-step approach to nuclear disarmament remains the most viable pathway to achieving meaningful and lasting progress.”
In 2018, the then-minister of foreign affairs, Chrystia Freeland, said that the “popularity” of the TPNW “speaks to the desire of countries, activists, and communities to accelerate the work toward disarmament” and “reflects frustration and disappointment at the pace of global efforts so far”.
Political developments
Seven former Canadian prime ministers, foreign ministers, and defence ministers – Lloyd Axworthy, Jean-Jacques Blais, Jean Chrétien, Bill Graham, John Mccallum, John Manley, and John Turner – signed an open letter in 2020 calling on current leaders to “show courage and boldness – and join the [TPNW]”.
Canada’s New Democratic Party and Green Party have criticised the Liberal government for its failure to sign the TPNW. The government voted against a parliamentary motion in 2017 urging it to sign the treaty.
Setsuko Thurlow, a renowned Canadian disarmament campaigner and survivor of the US atomic bombing of Hiroshima, who jointly accepted the Nobel peace prize awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons in 2017, has repeatedly called on the government to change its stance.
Several Canadian cities, including Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver, have also urged the Canadian government to sign and ratify the TPNW.
ICAN campaigners, including Setsuko Thurlow, hold a press conference in 2017 in celebration of ICAN’s Nobel peace prize. Photo: Paula Cardenas
Meetings of states parties
Canada opted not to observe the first meeting of states parties to the TPNW in 2022. Canadian civil society organisations, as well as senators and members of parliament from the New Democratic Party and Green Party, criticised the government’s decision.
In explaining Canada’s non-attendance, Robert Oliphant, the parliamentary secretary to the foreign minister, said: “We understand and appreciate the sentiment behind the TPNW, but I will reiterate tonight that Canada is not a state party to this treaty, as several of its provisions are incompatible with our NATO commitments.”
Canada also did not observe the second meeting of states parties in 2023. A government representative said afterwards that the executive would welcome a briefing from the Canadian parliamentarians who attended in their personal capacity.
Public opinion
A public opinion poll conducted by Nanos Research in 2021 found that 74 per cent of Canadians believe that their government should join the TPNW, with just 14 per cent opposed. Furthermore, 73 per cent think that Canada should join even if, as a member of NATO, it might come under pressure from the United States not to do so.
ICAN campaigners hold a protest outside Canada’s diplomatic mission in Geneva due to its failure to support a ban on nuclear weapons. Photo: ICAN
TPNW negotiations
Canada did not participate in the negotiation of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York in 2017 and thus did not vote on its adoption.
In 2016, Canada voted against the UN General Assembly resolution that established the formal mandate for states to commence negotiations on “a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination”.
In a document sent to NATO members ahead of the vote, the United States “strongly encourage[d]” members, including Canada, to vote against the resolution, “not to merely abstain”. In addition, it said that, if the treaty negotiations do commence, allies and partners should “refrain from joining them”.
ICAN campaigners from Canada celebrate the adoption of the TPNW at the United Nations in New York on 7 July 2017. Photo: ICAN
Nuclear weapons formerly in Canada
During the cold war, Canada hosted US nuclear weapons on its territory as part of a NATO nuclear-sharing agreement. All such weapons were withdrawn by 1984.
Further information
[PARTNERS]
Anglican Church of Canada
Canadian Pugwash Group
Canadian Quakers
Green Party of Canada
Hamilton City Council
Peace Watch Unitarians
Physicians for Global Survival
Project Ploughshares
Powell River City Council
Religious Society of Friends
Rideau Institute / Ceasefire.ca
Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation
Saskatchewan Medical Association
Science for Peace
Vision GRAM-International
Voice of Women Nova Scotia
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
Nonviolence International Canada
Mines Action Canada
Sudbury noon Rotary Club
Rotarians4NuclearBan
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility
Soka Gakkai International Association of Canada
Sierra Club Canada Foundation
Youth Nuclear Peace Summit
Ban the Bomb Ottawa
Rotary Club of Nakusp
[LOCALSUPPORT]
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Anglican Church of Canada
-
Canadian Pugwash Group
-
Canadian Quakers
-
Green Party of Canada
-
Hamilton City Council
-
Peace Watch Unitarians
-
Physicians for Global Survival
-
Project Ploughshares
-
Powell River City Council
-
Religious Society of Friends
-
Rideau Institute / Ceasefire.ca
-
Saskatchewan Council for International Cooperation
-
Saskatchewan Medical Association
-
Science for Peace
-
Vision GRAM-International
-
Voice of Women Nova Scotia
-
Canadian Voice of Women for Peace
-
Nonviolence International Canada
-
Mines Action Canada
-
Sudbury noon Rotary Club
-
Rotarians4NuclearBan
-
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility
-
Soka Gakkai International Association of Canada
-
Sierra Club Canada Foundation
-
Youth Nuclear Peace Summit
-
Ban the Bomb Ottawa
-
Rotary Club of Nakusp