Dr. Nancy Covington Reflects on GAC Consultations

In June 2023, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War Canada was graciously invited to disarmament consultations with Global Affairs Canada. At these consultations, IPPNWC worked alongside civil society organizations to engage in conversations regarding nonviolent conflict resolutions, and the elimination of nuclear weapons. Board Member Dr. Nancy Covington reflects on her experience below.

The consultations were under Chatham House Rule. As such, the quote received from Cesar Jaramillo is used with explicit written permission.

Consultations between civil society and the bureaucrats of Global Affairs Canada (GAC) (formerly Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade) were an annual event years ago. Such consultations were dropped for unknown reasons pre-Covid, which prompted members of the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons to petition for their reinstitution. Hence, when this year’s consultations were announced, the news was met with anticipation yet some trepidation. Will this be “window-dressing” or will “they actually listen”.

Along with 30 actual and 6 virtual attendees, representing about 15 NGOs, IPPNWC was fortunate to be invited. The GAC staff were largely young people, genuinely keen to interact with us, but also emphatic about Canada’s official positions. We also heard from some diplomats in Vienna and Geneva who expressed their frustrations with obstructionism on the part of some governments which has led to a “strain in multilateralism” internationally.

Articulating the overview from the civil society perspective Cesar Jaramillo, of Project Ploughshares agreed with GAC that “Canada must be a force of good in the world”, yet shared several examples of the gap between “rhetoric and practice” or “policy incoherence”. This can be seen in the NPT in which every single state professes to abolish nuclear weapons, yet actions are different. Selling uranium to India was another example of “policy incoherence”.

Many civil society comments were made to counter Canada’s strong position about its unwillingness to sign the TPNW. These included pleas to “lower the tone” about the TPNW, which apparently is already starting to happen. That the TPNW is complementary to the NPT and that it is important to attend the second meeting of States Party to the TPNW, as an observer, was repeated. NGOs stated that sending an observer would show Canada’s general support of the concept of abolishing nuclear weapons and yet not obligate an unwilling signature.

I was fortunate to have several conversations with one member of the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament team. Realizing that GAC people are rotated quickly from one portfolio to the next, I intend to be in communication very soon. I hope this will mean that we will have comments about the concerns we asked our brochure.

Respectfully submitted and with gratitude that I was invited,

Nancy Covington