Canadian government blasted for declining action against landmines

OTTAWA – The Canadian government is being blasted by an anti-landmine group for its declining support to rid the world of such weapons, even as the rest of the world makes significant progress.

Mines Action Canada on Wednesday criticized Ottawa for decreasing its spending on landmine-clearing actions last year by 57 per cent to about $21 million. It claims this is the biggest decrease among all countries that contribute to this cause, followed only by the Netherlands, which decreased its funding 35 per cent to $10.4 million.

In contrast, it said overall international funding to clear landmines remained stable in 2009, despite the economic downturn.

"Until this year, Canada was always a top-five donor in the world and a global leader," said Paul Hannon, executive director of Mines Action Canada. "This year we are seventh, just barely ahead of the Netherlands. If this is the start of a trend, we will become known as laggards and our leadership on this issue is in danger of becoming a piece of history only."

Hannon was referring to Canada’s efforts to bring about the 1997 Ottawa Convention to ban landmines, which his group credits with bringing landmine-related casualties to their lowest level since official records started being kept in 1999.

Citing the United Nation’s Landmine Monitor, released Wednesday, Mines Action Canada said there were 3,956 casualties from landmines or other "explosive remnants of war" last year. That marked a 28 per cent reduction from the previous year.