The University of Toronto is sponsoring CANSEC and silencing voices of dissent.

CANSEC is a weapons trade show that hosts numerous weapons manufacturers and governments accused of war crimes and human rights abuses. Some of the attending governments include Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United States, Peru, Argentina, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines: states whose militaries and police apparatuses continue to carry out documented human rights abuses. A few of the many weapons manufactures exhibiting at CANSEC that are complicit in war crimes and/or human rights violations include Elbit Systems, Roshel, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and BAE Systems.

This year the University of Toronto became the first university to ever sponsor CANSEC.

On May 12th University of Toronto students, workers and faculty published an open letter demanding that the University of Toronto revoke its sponsorship of CANSEC. This letter was signed by 20 University of Toronto student, worker and faculty groups and unions, but has so far been ignored by the University of Toronto administration. Additionally, on May 13th the University of Toronto denied a student the opportunity to express concerns about the sponsorship of CANSEC at the University of Toronto Governing Council meeting despite the student following all proper procedures to speak.

These actions are in direct violation of the University of Toronto’s mission statement that commits to the “vigilant protection for individual human rights, and a resolute commitment to the principles of equal opportunity, equity and justice”.

Click the "Start Writing" button to email the University of Toronto Governing Council and Senior Administration to demand that they revoke their sponsorship of CANSEC.