Hopefully Canadians will give themselves a 150th birthday present when our government signs and ratifies the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), albeit four years late.  Perhaps this is an answer to the June prayer intention: 

“That national leaders may firmly commit themselves to ending the arms trade, which victimizes so many innocent people.”

We see ourselves as relatively peaceful people.  The changes of power centers in 1763 and again in 1867 were peaceful, though the members of our First Nations have, and still do, suffer at the hands of immigrants to their land.  We could not escape the bloodshed of two world wars, and our commitments to U.N. peacekeeping and to NATO.  We were not very kind to our American neighbours in the early 19th century.   

How is our arms trade record?  Statistics and not so clear to me, and perhaps are not meant to be, but the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in its statistics for 2016, ranks Canada 15th in military expenditure (15.5 billion US$), about 1% of our G.D.P.  Much of this trade is with the U.S., but perhaps there have been some dicey deals with Saudi Arabia, Algeria, and China. 

In addressing the U.S. Congress, Pope Francis remarked:   “Here we have to ask ourselves: Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society?  Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood.  In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.”

Canada’s acceptance of the ATT will bring a little more order into our international arms trade, but will it help bring more peace and justice to those buying our weapons?  I wonder!  My hope is that we bring reconciliation between groups.  Our weapons, then, are many:  negotiation, services leading to better health, education, and living standards, and, above all, our care for every person we come in contact with, remembering that the people we are with right now are destined for heaven.  Canada has offered new hope to many refugees, perhaps from areas where Canadian made weapons have brought death.  May we keep our doors open to these needy people!

Therefore we pray with the Church for all national leaders, and for ourselves, that we put people, rather than profits, first.  Again I quote Pope Francis:  “In the complex and often dramatic situations of today’s world, may the Risen Lord guide the steps of all those who work for justice and peace.  May he grant the leaders of nations the courage they need to prevent the spread of conflicts and to put a halt to the arms trade.”

May the Canadian flag I hoist July first, be a sign of peaceful acceptance to all who see it.