On 17 September 2019, Canada joined the UN Arms Trade Treaty, an important international agreement which aims to promote greater responsibility among countries that trade in weapons. The ATT is now legally binding on 105 countries, a represents a great advancement in international law.
On the very same day that Canada became officially bound by the ATT, Global Affairs Canada officials signed off on a memorandum to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, providing an “update” on the situation of Saudi export permit. The officials could not “identify any existing permits or pending applications that would be of concern.”