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This article contains updates on arms exhibitions that have been scheduled to take place on City of Ottawa property in 2008 and 2009. The Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT) is working to have these shows cancelled. You can help! Read on to learn more about the following:

(1) Question: When is an "arms show" NOT an "arms show"?

(a) When it includes the "US Embassy Defence and Security Exhibition"?
(b) When it flogs the world's most advanced, major weapons systems but also a wide range of other military and police hardware?
(c) When organizers assure you that there won't be any actual "weapons or firearms" on display?
(d) When it contravenes an almost 20-year old City Council Motion banning such shows on municipal property?

Ottawa City staff have now tried to explain, in writing, why they leased Lansdowne Park to two military trade shows, in direct contravention of a near-unanimous, City Council Motion passed in 1989 banning the presence of such events at all City-owned facilities.

The first line of defence used by Doug Moore—the A/Director in the City's Real Property Asset Management Branch, who oversees Lansdowne Park—is to argue that "Secure Canada 2008" and one of its components (the "US Embassy Defence and Security Exhibition") is not really an "arms exhibition."

Mr. Moore posits three bogus and inaccurate arguments to argue his case that this arms exhibition is NOT an actual arms exhibition. His main points on this matter are summed up in the following quotations from his letter to Councillor Diane Holmes' office. Follow the Red Herring links to read the COAT response to each.

Red Herring # 1 : The "weapons and firearms not included" argument

"We are advised by the show manager that weapons and firearms are not included in these exhibits."

Red Herring # 2 : The wide "range of products and services" argument

"It is the opinion of staff that given the range of products and services being marketed during this event, it does not meet the test of what one would reasonably expect to find in an 'arms exhibition.'"

Red Herring # 3 : The "Who's on First? Not 'defence'!" argument

"Secure Canada 2008 focuses on technologies and products used for security, public safety and to a lesser degree, defence applications...."


The COAT website now includes lots of new information about "Secure Canada 2008." Check it out! Link to it! http://coat.ncf.ca

(2) Media: And they're off! Initial forays in radio and an article in the Ottawa Sun

(a) Ottawa Sun article
(b) Other media interviews

(a) Jon Willing, "Exhibit adds to OT woes: Police budget already stretched thin," The Ottawa Sun, July 27, 2008.
http://www.ottawasun.com/News/OttawaAndRegion/2008/07/27/6276036-sun.html

The above article basically focuses on the fact that if arms exhibitions scheduled at Lansdowne Park are not cancelled, then the City of Ottawa (and therefore local taxpayers) will have to pay for the security. The article concludes that
"Anti-war supporters are already setting their sights on the exhibition at Lansdowne Park. The Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade is sending out rallying cries to protest the event if the organization can't convince the city or organizers to cancel.

"Potential protesters are taking issue with the exhibition because of city council's decision in 1989 to ban arms exhibitions from being held on city-owned property.

"The Secure Canada exhibition bills itself as an 'ideal opportunity for defense and security professionals to see and learn about the latest products and technologies and to network with key contacts from both government and industry.'"

Write a letter to the editor of the Ottawa Sun. (Be sure to start with reference to their article, Re: "Exhibit adds to OT woes," July 27).
Here's the editor's email address:
feedbackott.sunpub.com

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Editor's note: Readers of this article wanting to know more about the escalating arms and security industry may wish to read The Shock Doctrine by Canadian journalist Naomi Klein. Find out more HERE.